The University of Texas at Tyler
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DUTY TO CARE AND JOB TURNOVER INTENTION IN THE POST-PANDEMIC NURSING WORKFORCE
Full text linkNatural and human-made disasters are increasing in number and intensity. In 2020, approximately 688.3 million people required assistance from disaster response personnel. During a disaster or pandemic, nurses must weigh their personal and/or family safety against the ethical code of caring for others. The purpose of this convergent mixed-methods study was to examine duty to care and job turnover intention of registered nurses working in patient-facing roles. A convergent mixed method design was used to address research questions by employing the Nash Duty to Care Scale (NDCS) and the Turnover Intent Scale (TIS-6). Open-ended survey questions were used to explore insights into the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on duty to care and nurses’ job turnover intentions in the post-pandemic environment. Bivariate analysis indicated that mean scores reflecting Duty to Care did vary at a statistically significant level by Intention to Stay, t(89) = 4.35, p \u3c .001, where study participants that indicated an intention to stay evidenced significantly higher mean Duty to Care score (M = 71.89, SD = 7.56) relative to those with an intention to leave (M = 64.25, SD = 9.18), t(89) = 4.35, p \u3c .001, with a large effect size difference in magnitude (Cohen’s d =.91). Recommendations for research to help employers and educators prepare nurses to make appropriate ethical decisions in future situations that pose high personal risk concludes the research
THE JINGLE JANGLE FALLACY OF ORGANIZATIONAL IDENTIFICATION: AN EXPLORATION OF ITS MEANING AND MEASUREMENT THROUGH CLUSTER AND META-ANALYTIC METHODS
Full text linkThis dissertation investigates the conceptual and operational definitions of organizational identification (OID) across primary studies included in meta-analyses, with a focus on identifying the prevalence and impact of jingle and jangle fallacies. Using a systematic literature review, definitions were analyzed and coded. Cluster analysis revealed significant inconsistencies between how OID is defined and measured, exposing widespread jingle fallacies—where distinct constructs are labeled the same—and jangle fallacies—where similar constructs are labeled differently. Meta-analytic techniques further demonstrated that conceptual and operational clusters labeled as “OID” vary in their relationships with three key outcomes of interest: specifically, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intentions. Notably, measures intended for OID were often applied to professional or team identification with minimal adaptation, contributing to theoretical fragmentation and construct confusion. These definitional inconsistencies compromise construct validity, hinder cumulative research, and may misguide organizational interventions. The study underscores the critical need for clearer construct definitions, improved alignment between theory and measurement, and more consistent reporting practices in both research and applied settings. The findings offer a roadmap for scholars and practitioners to mitigate logical fallacies and promote greater conceptual clarity and methodological rigor in the study of identification in organizational contexts
EXPLORING FACTORS AFFECTING SUCCESSION PLANNING IN UNITED STATES MUNICIPALITIES
No full textDespite widespread recognition of its importance, succession planning in the public sector—particularly in municipal government—remains inconsistently practiced, poorly institutionalized, and fraught with political and cultural resistance. This interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) explores the lived experiences of eleven senior municipal leaders to understand how succession planning is perceived, enacted, and obstructed in local government contexts. Rooted in human resource development (HRD) theory and guided by the methodological principles of IPA, this study uncovers the psychological, structural, and cultural forces that shape the realities of leadership transition in the public sector. The analysis yielded six interdependent thematic domains: leadership commitment, strategic systems thinking, organizational culture, operational barriers, talent development practices, and equity and inclusion. These themes were synthesized into a conceptual model organized around the construct of succession as stewardship—a reframing of succession planning as an ethical leadership responsibility rather than a technical HR exercise. Within this model, leadership commitment serves as the activating condition, strategic systems thinking functions as the structuring mechanism, and organizational culture moderates the strength and sustainability of succession efforts. When these conditions align, succession planning moves beyond symbolic compliance to produce measurable outcomes in talent readiness, operational continuity, and leadership equity. The study contributes to HRD scholarship by offering a theoretically grounded and phenomenologically informed model that highlights succession planning as a systems-level, justice-oriented practice. It also lays the foundation for future research, including the development of measurement instruments to assess succession readiness and comparative studies across sectors. Practically, the model equips HRD professionals and public-sector leaders with a diagnostic and developmental framework to evaluate and embed succession practices within organizational culture and infrastructure. Ultimately, this study positions succession planning not as an optional or episodic event, but as a sustained act of stewardship—rooted in humility, legacy, and the public trust
Distributed Agency and Posthuman Rhetoric in GenAI-Assisted First-Year Composition Writing
No full textThis thesis explores the dynamic interaction between human and non-human agents in the process and production of writing. In particular, theories on the co-constitutive nature of the human-technological relationship, posthumanist theory, and rhetorical theory are used to reframe first-year writing as an act of distributive agency that always involves people, objects, and their material environments. In recognizing the essential role of “things” in first-year writing, this thesis considers how Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) can be critically conceptualized and utilized as a pedagogical tool by instructors in the college writing classroom. Additionally, this thesis details an IRB-approved research study done at the University of Texas at Tyler which analyzes the rhetorical differences between writing produced by students and writing produced by GenAI technologies. This study examines how writing changes depending on which human and non-human actants are participating in the composing process, how these actants interact over the time-space of a writing process, and how human writers perceive their interactions with material “things” throughout the spans of their writing processes. Ultimately, this thesis positions posthumanism as a theoretical movement with meaningful potential to vitalize composition pedagogies in our current, digital age. The posthumanist understanding that writing is always a dynamic interaction between person and thing has profound potential to make the strange, unfamiliar technology of GenAI more familiar, and thus, more approachable to instructors of composition. Additionally, in viewing human-GenAI writing collaboration as a rhetorically rich and pedagogically meaningful practice that is worthy of legitimization in the composition classroom, an essential bridge can be built between traditional writing pedagogy and our emergent digital literacies
Disruption of Pulmonary Epithelial Barrier Function by Pneumolysin from Streptococcus pneumoniae
No full textPneumolysin (Ply), a cholesterol-dependent pore-forming toxin produced by Streptococcus pneumoniae, compromises epithelial barrier integrity and facilitates dissemination of infection. we hypothesize that Ply disrupts tight junction integrity in Calu-3 monolayers by modulating occludin expression and its interactions with other junctional components, including ZO-1 and actin filaments. To test this hypothesis, we utilized confluent bronchial epithelial monolayers of Cancer Lung cell line, clone 3 (Calu-3) cultured on a porous membrane insert that separates the apical and basal domains of a 3-dimensional (3D) cell culture model. The monolayers were exposed apically to 5 µg/mL of in-house purified recombinant pneumolysin (rPly). Transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) was used to monitor Calu-3 monolayers’ barrier integrity over time, and tight junction proteins localization and actin remodeling were examined with a fluorescence microscope. Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate–Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blot analysis were used to quantify protein expression levels. We found that rPly (5 µg/mL) induced a significant drop in TEER within 0.5 hour, sustained up to 1 hour, with transient recovery at 5 hours and subsequent decline at 10 hours. Removal of rPly from the monolayers at 5 hours and subsequent incubation in fresh serum-free medium led to progressive TEER restoration over 24 hours. Immunofluorescence analysis at recovery time points revealed redistribution of occludin and Zonula Occluden (ZO-1) from the cell junction into the cytoplasm, stress fiber formation at 5-10 hours, and partial restoration of occludin and ZO-1 to the cell junction, alongside cortical actin reorganization at 24 hours. Western blot analysis confirmed decreased occludin expression after 1 and 5 hours of rPly exposure, with partial restoration after 24 hours post-toxin removal. These findings suggest that rPly-induced epithelial barrier disruption is reversible through junctional reorganization and cytoskeletal remodeling, highlighting potential therapeutic avenues to prevent exacerbated pneumococcal lung injury
DNP Final Report: Hypertension Education In The Primary Care Setting
No full textBackground: Hypertension is a significant concern at the global, national, and local levels. If left untreated or improperly managed, it can result in severe health issues. Many patients in primary care settings have difficulty controlling their hypertension, which can lead to significant complications.
Practice question: What strategies can be implemented to help patients in primary care manage their hypertension more effectively?
PICOT: For patients age 18+ in a rural primary care clinic (P), how does the use of an education pamphlet (I) compared to no pamphlet use (C) affect patient management of hypertension(O) in three months? (T)
Body of evidence: Evidence shows that pamphlets, leaflets, or booklets can improve patients’ understanding of hypertension management.
Implementation: Implementation of an educational pamphlet that clearly explains both the causes and management strategies for hypertension.
Outcomes/evaluation: Patients\u27 understanding of hypertension management and blood pressure significantly improved following the implementation of an educational pamphlet.
Impact: The use of the pamphlet was associated with greater patient knowledge of hypertension and improved blood pressure management.
Sustainability: The use of pamphlets in primary care for patients with uncontrolled hypertension and sharing this information with other primary care providers and nursing organizations may help disseminate the findings
Age- and step-length-dependent alterations in muscle synergies and joint coordination during unexpected gait termination
No full textBackground: Falls in older adults often occur during unexpected gait termination, when rapid deceleration is required. Age-related declines in strength, proprioception, and coordination impair efficient distal-to-proximal braking, raising fall risk. Variable step lengths, ranging from “normal” steps to larger “big” steps used when hurrying, better reflect real-world walking demands and pose greater mechanical and neuromuscular challenges. This study investigated how age and step length affect muscle synergy complexity and joint coordination during unexpected gait stops.
Methods: Twelve healthy younger and twelve healthy older adults performed normal- and big-step stops in response to random visual cues during walking. Surface EMG from distal to proximal leg muscles, whole-body kinematics, and kinetic force data from the stopping leg during the 1-second period immediately following the gait stop were collected. Muscle synergies, negative work at the knee and hip, joint coordination (Full Width at Half Maximum [FWHM] and Standard Deviation of Continuous Relative Phase [SD CRP]) for ankle–knee, knee–hip, and ankle–hip pairs, and postural sway were analyzed. A two-way mixed ANOVA (Step × Age) evaluated main and interaction effects.
Results: Big steps increased the number of synergies in both groups, with older adults requiring more synergies than younger adults. All participants shared a distal synergy (ankle muscles and knee extensor); however, older adults recruited additional proximal synergies (hip or back muscles) with overlapping temporal synergy activation. Younger adults generated more negative work at the knee, whereas older adults shifted effort proximally, increasing hip joint work. Older adults demonstrated longer FWHM and higher SD CRP across all joint pair. Postural sway was greater in older adults overall, especially during big steps, indicating an interaction effect.
Conclusions: Unexpected stopping highlights age-related changes in movement strategy. Older adults shift from a distal-driven braking to proximal, multi‐joint co‐contraction strategy, characterized by increased hip work, reduced knee work, and greater muscle synergy complexity. This proximal engagement reflects a tradeoff along the stability–efficiency continuum: it enhances safety but increases metabolic cost and postural sway. By disrupting the distal‐to‐proximal control sequence, this compensatory strategy likely increases postural sway and fall risk. Targeted rehabilitation focusing on eccentric quadriceps and ankle control, such as stand-to-sit and step-down drills, may help restore distal-driven balance recovery and reduce fall risk during adaptive (reactive) walking
Improving Student Outcomes
Full text linkThis improvement science dissertation in practice was conducted to make an improvement in education practice to positively affect student outcomes. Plan -\u3e Do -\u3e Study -\u3e Act cycles (Bryk et al., 2015) were employed to identify a specific problem of practice, determine root cause(s), advance change theory, and define potential solutions. Many stakeholders were consulted and the initial phase evaluated the existing condition. Results informed the design of an intervention which was then implemented and evaluated in a second phase. Findings showed that a novel way of communication, the introduction of video technology, was correlated with improved student perceptions, self-regulation, task valuation, and the motivation to persist and expectation to succeed
USING HERPETOFAUNA TO DETERMINE WETLAND HEALTH AND FUNCTION IN THE RED RIVER WATERSHED
Full text linkReptiles and amphibians are commonly used indicator species in wetlands because of their increased sensitivity to environmental conditions and use of both aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Herpetofauna can reflect wetland ecological functionality through their community composition and responsiveness to environmental stressors. This study evaluated reptile and amphibian communities in natural and ACEP-WRE wetlands within the Red River Watershed of northeastern Texas and Northwestern Louisiana to assess whether restored wetlands support herpetofaunal assemblages compares to their natural counterparts. Fifteen wetlands were surveyed from February to June 2024 using visual encounter surveys, call surveys, and standardized trapping methods to document species richness and community patterns. Multivariate analyses revealed that geographic location, rather than wetland type, was the primary driver of herpetofaunal community composition, likely due to geographical differenced and proximity between different wetland types
From Perception to Retention: The Influence of Campus Culture and Climate on Teacher Attrition
Full text linkThis improvement science dissertation in practice investigated the influence of leadership support, collaboration, and recognition on teacher attrition. The study occurred over the course of two years on two suburban secondary campuses, in neighboring independent school districts. Voluntary participants included certified teachers, administrators and counselors. The two-phase, Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles involved the collection of quantitative and qualitative data emphasizing teacher perceptions through surveys and focus groups to evaluate campus culture and climate before and after implementation of the intervention. Phase two incorporated the targeted intervention; focused on public recognition of teachers within the school setting; specifically examining whether public recognition would enhance a teacher’s intent to remain on campus. Findings indicated that teachers expressed a clear preference for personalized, private acknowledgment over public praise. The study’s data revealed that teachers who perceived recognition efforts positively were more likely to stay, while those who did not, were more inclined to consider leaving. Future research should explore the long-term impacts of recognition strategies and further differentiate the effects of public versus private recognition. Overall, the results of the study accentuate that teacher retention is a multifaceted issue requiring comprehensive strategies that address leadership, collaboration, recognition, and systemic support for teachers