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A Study of the Relationship Between the Stress Responses from Rehearsal Preparations for Music Ensemble Performance Evaluations and Performing Arts Adolescents’ Working Memory
No full textThe organization of memory retrieval is vital to the association between stress responses and negative educational achievements. These stress responses offer an opportunity to study the harmful consequences of prolonged strain on the developing brain, which may impair emotional restraint, self-control, and cognitive development. However, little research considers the fundamental notions of how stress responses from rehearsals for music ensemble performance assessments impact adolescent working memory. This mixed-methods study explored how rehearsal-related stress in music ensemble settings may affect adolescents\u27 working memory. Participants included high school students in grades nine through 12 who participated in performing arts band ensembles. The qualitative data came from semi-structured interview transcripts of participants after the music performance assessments. The quantitative data were collected via stress response surveys among performing arts adolescents during rehearsal preparations for music performance assessments. The impact of these events on working memory was assessed with the Reading Span Task - Computerized Version. This study aimed to inform educators and school administrators about the potential of perceived stress from rehearsal preparations to motivate performing arts adolescents to forget. Lastly, the results indicated that participants exhibited moderate to high perceived stress reactivity and moderate working memory performance, with stress reactivity linked to lower RST pretest scores, with thematic analysis indicating stress-related cognitive, physical, and emotional impairments. These findings suggest that rehearsal-related stress may interfere with working memory performance prior to evaluation but not afterward
Nurse Confidence in Mental Health Communication: Examining the Effect of an Educational Intervention in Outpatient Specialty Departments
No full textThe global prevalence of mental health illnesses has prompted a growing need for healthcare professionals to be prepared to identify and address these concerns. Many nurses in outpatient specialty departments report feeling underprepared and lacking confidence when communicating with patients about mental health concerns. This scholarly project utilized an educational intervention to improve nurse confidence in mental health communication, the application of therapeutic communication techniques, and resource identification. A quasi-experimental, one-group pretest/posttest design was implemented, with nurses from outpatient specialty departments at Duke Health’s Kernodle Clinic completing pre- and post-Likert scale surveys to assess changes in their self-reported confidence. The educational intervention, a pre-recorded video presentation on Microsoft Teams, focused on common mental health conditions, therapeutic communication techniques, and resource identification. A t-test analysis showed statistically significant improvements in nurses’ self-reported confidence in applying therapeutic communication techniques, discussing suicidal ideation, using screening tools, identifying resources, and understanding referral processes. These results support that a targeted educational intervention can effectively enhance nurses’ confidence in addressing mental health concerns within a specialty outpatient setting. The implications for practice suggest that this educational intervention can be implemented for staff across the broader healthcare system to improve mental health communication at the point of care
Bacterial Identification, Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing (AST), and Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) Testing to Increase Organ Transplantation within a Western Regional Community
No full textClinical transplantation demands have increased immensely in recent years and, along with increasing supply shortages, many barriers to successful organ donation arise from a lack of dedicated testing to rule out microbial or bloodborne infections. There are currently minimal, federal regulatory requirements for transplantation specimen testing. The purpose of this study is to explore how to increase the viability and success of transplantations in the Western regions of the United States using kidney, pancreas, and kidney/pancreas transplant data from University Medical Center Southern Nevada (UMCSN) transplant center. UMCSN transplant center and Donor Services Laboratory (DSL) in Las Vegas perform bacterial identification, antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST), and Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) testing to further enhance graft success. This study quantitatively analyzed retrospective transplantation data from UMCSN and regional/national Organ Procurement Transplantation Network (OPTN) using James’s (1907) Pragmatic Theory as a foundation for its research design. The data was analyzed using the descriptive analysis method and further statistically analyzed using paired t-test and Kruskal-Wallis tests for comparison. This study provides evidence of significant implementation impact between years of study at UMCSN that the enhanced microbiological and serological tests of interest can increase organ transplantation success; however, among the three center groups, there was no significant difference validated through quantitative analysis. The results of this research indicate a need for wider implementation, study applications, and future federal law changes covering transplantation testing requirements
Empowering Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners to Address Nutritional Deficits: An Educational Quality Improvement Study
No full textPsychiatry is a complex and multifaceted discipline, and treatment approaches often vary based on provider preference and philosophy. Some focus heavily on pharmacotherapies, while others use psychotherapeutic methods, and still others take a more holistic approach involving full-body wellness. All three strategies are beneficial, and providing psychiatric care with a combination of them all can address the full spectrum of factors that influence one’s mental health. Much research, education, and clinical focus have been put on pharmacotherapy and psychotherapeutics. However, there is a marked lack of understanding regarding the holistic realm of psychiatric care, specifically the role of nutrition, amongst providers. With new emerging research showing the benefits of a healthy diet on one’s mental health, providers must be educated on how to implement simple, time-effective measures of nutrition in their everyday assessments. This project hopes to improve understanding amongst psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners regarding this area of treatment and provide a simple tool that can be used in order to provide more insight into their patients\u27 dietary habits, ultimately improving outcomes and providing patient-centered care
Televised Youth Sport and Athlete Well-Being - A Study of the Little League World Series
No full textThis study analyzes the commercialization of the Little League World Series (LLWS) and its psychological effects on young athletes, including stress, identity, and enjoyment. The rationale stems from growing concerns about media pressure and public attention on children in sport. The study is ethical, feasible, and valuable for understanding how televised youth events may impact athlete well-being and development
Event Tourism and Hotel Revenue Management - The Impact of College Graduations on Lynchburg\u27s Lodging Industry
No full textThis study explores the economic impact of college graduation weekends on hotel revenue in Lynchburg, Virginia. While hotels commonly adjust rates in response to seasonal demand, little research has focused on how recurring events in college towns influence revenue management practices. The project is both relevant and ethical, seeking to understand how hotels can maximize profitability during graduation weekends without engaging in price gouging. Ultimately, the findings aim to provide valuable insight into sustainable revenue management strategies for hotels in college towns
Compliance with Corporate Governance Guidelines in the Nigerian Banking System: Implications for Commercial Banks’ Performance and Profitability
No full textThe effectiveness of laws, rules, and guidelines depends on the ability of the subjects to adhere to the tenets of such regulatory guidelines. The concept of corporate governance embodies the rules and guidelines that define the effectiveness of corporate operations. So, when corporate governance rules and guidelines are fully complied with by corporate entities, it enhances corporate performance and profitability. This is derived from the fact that the corporate governance structure defines the activities, rights, responsibilities, and decision processes within a corporate organization, of which commercial banks are part. Nigeria has never lacked corporate governance rules and guidelines; however, the issue, as evidenced by this study, has been a problem of compliance over the years. The study investigated the reasons behind the inability of commercial banks in the Nigerian banking system to comply with corporate governance regulatory guidelines and their effect on the performance and profitability of commercial banks. The methodology for the study employed a single-case qualitative approach, utilizing semi-structured interview questions to collect data for analysis. The study revealed a strong positive relationship between corporate governance compliance and the performance and profitability of banks. The study\u27s results contributed to the body of knowledge on corporate governance, enhanced understanding of corporate governance compliance processes, identified factors that led to their breakdown, highlighted the implications of inadequate compliance monitoring, and emphasized the importance of effective corporate governance processes to both the respective corporate entities and the nation as a whole
Mental Health Among Minorities in Law Enforcement Positions
No full textLaw enforcement officers often deal with complex work environments, including negative public opinions, challenging legal systems, and resource constraints. These factors can compound to make officers\u27 work more psychologically stressful. This is especially true for minority officers who also have to deal with daily incidents of prejudice, discrimination, and cultural misunderstandings within the police force. The current qualitative phenomenological study employed semi-structured interviews to investigate the experiences of minority police officers, in an effort to gain more insight into their mental health experiences. The results of this study show that discrimination, systemic issues, and stigma associated with accessing psychological help all play a role in officer anxiety, depression, and isolation. Participants also explained their methods for coping with this reality, including spiritual practices, leaning on fellow officers for support, and developing resilience. The study\u27s findings point to the need for further research and institutional reform to improve the experiences of minority officers. Some recommended solutions included implementing culturally sensitive mental health resources, increasing access to mentoring programs, and diversity training in the workplace. For future research, it is suggested that the impact of targeted institutional interventions be studied and the long-term effects of culturally competent support systems
Racism in the American Education System: A Hermeneutical Phenomenology of the Lived Experiences of Black and White K-12 Educators
No full textThe purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of Black and White K-12 educators with educational racism and its influence on their well-being, self-efficacy, and cross-racial empathy in American schools. Albert Bandura\u27s social cognitive theory was used to frame this study theoretically, as social cognitive theory focuses on providing a path for a more equalitarian pedagogical system for societal and global betterment. Data collection, conducted through semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and a qualitative questionnaire, involved 12 Black and White educators recruited through purposeful sampling from a Southern state school district. A thematic analysis was conducted to make sense of the triangulated data. The findings indicated that educators endured emotional, intellectual, and physical discomfort due to ER. Additionally, while educators\u27 self-efficacy remains strong, their same-race preferential dispositions increased. Finally, the results show that educators resort to their faith, networking, professionalism, and antiracist education, among other adaptation strategies, to resist and survive ER. The results inform educational stakeholders about the need for greater awareness of various perceptions, dispositions, and behaviors that are problematic to Black and White educators\u27 well-being, self-efficacy, and cross-racial empathy. It is the researcher\u27s hope that the results of this study will inspire, motivate, and galvanize Black and White educational stakeholders to endeavor toward the materialization of genuine multicultural educational reforms susceptible to guaranteeing K-12 educators\u27 overall well-being, self-efficacy, and empathetic cross-racial dispositions so crucial for all children\u27s well-being and development, and ultimately societal harmony in America
Exploring Collaborative Engagement to Meet the Academic Needs of Multilingual Learners: A Case Study
No full textThis qualitative case study described the collaborative engagement of middle school teachers to address the academic needs of multilingual learners in Pennsylvania. The central research question that guided the study was: How do teachers collaborate to address the academic needs of multilingual learners in content classrooms? In addition, guiding questions were implemented to understand the phenomenon of collaborative engagement among middle school teachers. The guiding questions were: How does collaborative engagement shape academic and language learning for multilingual learners? How does the culture of collaborative engagement support social interactions as a scaffold? Sociocultural theory guided the study. Sociocultural theory is the study of how one’s social environment shapes development and learning through tools such as culture and language. The study was conducted through a purposeful criterion sampling of sites, and study participants were selected through a participant survey screener. Data collection methods included a questionnaire, individual interviews, and focus group interviews. A thematic analysis was used for data analysis. The study underscores the role that strong teacher relationships and shared goals have in fostering informal collaboration to meet the academic needs of MLs. Findings also support and contribute to the existing literature on the importance of administrators in building a collective teacher culture that fosters collaborative engagement through clear expectations and supportive structures. Establishing a collective teacher culture that supports collective teacher efficacy can enable teachers to push one another into their respective zones of proximal development through collaborative engagement, aligning with research linking sociocultural theory to adult learning