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Increasing Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates for Patients Without Insurance
Get PDFBackground: Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States (U.S.), ranking as second most prevalent overall. Despite many initiatives, screening rates remain low, especially among clinic patients without insurance. The lack of an evidence-based screening protocol exacerbates these issues and increases the risk of advanced cancer and death. Initial data showed that 0% of patients were screened according to recommended guidelines.
Purpose: The project implemented a standard screening protocol to increase colorectal cancer screening rates in a rural Alabama free clinic for patients ages 45-64 lacking insurance.
Project Design: This quality improvement project aimed to implement a colorectal cancer screening protocol based on the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines. Using screening criteria, appropriate patients received test instructions and guaiac fecal occult blood test kits to be completed either in the clinic or at home. If tests were positive, patients were referred for colonoscopy. Pre- and post-implementation data was reviewed and compared to identify efficacy of the evidence-based protocols. Project sustainability included increased provider buy-in, designated funding, increased referral sources, patient callbacks, increased support for the provider in identifying screening needs, and increased staff education.
Results: During the 10-week implementation period, 29.03% of the patients meeting the criteria were screened by the standard evidence-based protocol; however, 22.58% of patients were screened with a non-evidence-based approach.
Conclusion: Implementing a standard screening protocol increased screening rates, but protocol non-adherence by the provider and patient refusal remain key barriers to address in future efforts
Improving the Detection of Refractive Errors in First and Third Graders
Get PDFBackground: Vision is a crucial component of the learning process, with academic tasks being heavily dependent on visual acuity. Undetected or diagnosed visual impairments can significantly alter a student’s educational performance and overall development. Currently, in Alabama, kindergarten, second, and fourth grade students are the only students to receive routine vision screenings; therefore, regular screening for visual acuity and eye issues is critical for school health programs. Early screening, diagnosis, and correction of refractive errors prevent permanent visual impairment and support academic success by reducing educational barriers and delayed cognitive impairment.
Purpose: This project aims to improve the early detection of refractive errors in first and third graders by using more precise and approachable screening techniques. This quality improvement project was conducted in a Title I elementary school in the Southeastern United States where first- and third-graders do not receive routine vision screenings.
Project Design: School and parental consent were obtained for students to participate in vision screenings. A community-based non-profit organization focusing on improving vision screened 75 students over two days using a photo screening device. Students who did not meet the screening threshold established by the photo screener\u27s pre-programmed settings were referred to an optometrist for further evaluation.
Results: Seventy-five students were screened, with 38.7% (29 students) referred for further evaluation.
Conclusion: The screening process identified a significant number of students who required further evaluation, emphasizing the effectiveness of the increased vision screening initiative
Enhancing Patient Outcomes: The Sepsis Navigator Approach
Get PDFBackground: Sepsis is the leading cause of hospital mortality, accounting for over $20 billion dollars in total healthcare costs and more than 5 million deaths annually worldwide. The increased burden of sepsis led the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) to institute a quality core measure known as the Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock Management Bundle (SEP-1) as a protocol for sepsis treatment. CMS reports national SEP-1 compliance at 62% and 61% for Alabama. The undisclosed project site reports a much lower SEP-1 compliance average of 49% over six months. Compliance with the SEP-1 bundle improves overall patient outcomes and decreases patient mortality.
Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project is to implement a sepsis navigator to improve the facility’s SEP-1 compliance rate to 61% so that national goals are met.
Project Design: A retrospective review of facility SEP-1 compliance was conducted to gather data, which revealed a gap in practice at the facility. Using Lewin’s Model of Change, the sepsis navigator was implemented over a 12-week period in the project facility. At the end of the 12th week, project data was obtained and compared with preliminary data to determine statistical and clinical significance.
Results: During the 12-week project, 46 sepsis alerts were received. Twenty-five patients received SEP-1 bundle implementation, and six did not. SEP-1 bundle implementation averaged 87.5% compliance.
Conclusion: The addition of a sepsis navigator is an effective evidence-based practice intervention for improving SEP-1 compliance to achieve national averages
Twelfth Night (2025) | Performance Video
No full textThis performance of Shakespeare\u27s Twelfth Night was adapted and directed by Emily Duncan, with Carmine DiBiase as Dramaturg. The cast features: Viola/Cesario: Eleanor Boozer Orsino: Christian Watts Sir Toby: Forrest Hinton Maria: Jennie Wall Feste: Jason Wright Malvolio: Trevor McMullen Olivia: Tea Wilson Sir Andrew: Ian Johnson Sebastian: Dylan Hurst Antonio: Laurellei Veasey Valentine: Semaje Newtonhttps://digitalcommons.jsu.edu/shakespeare_proj/1018/thumbnail.jp
Twelfth Night | Image 14
No full textThis performance of Shakespeare\u27s Twelfth Night, set in 1915 in the United States against a background of jazz and a hurricane, was adapted and directed by Emily Duncan, with Carmine DiBiase as Dramaturg.https://digitalcommons.jsu.edu/shakespeare_proj_images/1123/thumbnail.jp
Twelfth Night | Image 25
No full textThis performance of Shakespeare\u27s Twelfth Night, set in 1915 in the United States against a background of jazz and a hurricane, was adapted and directed by Emily Duncan, with Carmine DiBiase as Dramaturg.https://digitalcommons.jsu.edu/shakespeare_proj_images/1134/thumbnail.jp
Assessing Vegetation Changes and Ecosystem Impacts of Invasive Species in Florida\u27s Water Conservation Area 3A (2004–2024) Using Landsat Data
No full textThe spread of invasive species is a concrete problem, threatening biodiversity, ecosystem integrity, and the functional status of wetlands. As these species continue to advance, it is crucial to assess their spread as well as management success through the more sophisticated invasive monitoring methodologies. This research examines the change in vegetation communities and the spread of invasive plants in the Water Conservation Area 3A (WCA-3A) using Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifiers on time series Landsat images. Unlike traditional pixel-based methods, OBIA enhances classification accuracy by incorporating spatial, spectral, and contextual information, enabling precise differentiation between native vegetation (sawgrass, open marsh, shrubland) and invasive species (Cattail). The study area, WCA-3A, is a critical component of the Florida Everglades, a globally significant wetland undergoing extensive restoration efforts, making it imperative to assess whether these initiatives effectively control invasive species and restore native plant communities.
By integrating Markov Chain Analysis, this research further projects future vegetation dynamics, providing data-driven insights for ecosystem management and conservation planning. The findings will inform wetland restoration strategies at the regional and state levels, particularly in guiding the allocation of resources within the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). Additionally, the methodological framework developed in this study can be adapted for other wetland ecosystems worldwide, offering a scalable approach to invasive species monitoring and long-term environmental sustainability
Revealing The Truth: Incarceration Rate Graph View 1
No full textVinyl graph that depicts the incarceration rates of drug charges in different countries.https://digitalcommons.jsu.edu/etds_mfa_images/1170/thumbnail.jp
Revealing The Truth: Incarceration Rate Graph View 2
No full textVinyl graph that depicts the incarceration rates of drug charges in different countries.https://digitalcommons.jsu.edu/etds_mfa_images/1171/thumbnail.jp