LAIR: Lenoir-Rhyne Academic Institutional Repository
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A Comprehensive Process Evaluation of the Solmaz Institute: A Non-Clinical Childhood Obesity Program in Hickory, NC
Get PDFBackground: Childhood obesity is a major public health concern in the U.S., affecting nearly
20% of children, with projections suggesting over half may be impacted by 2050. This complex
condition results from behavioral, environmental, genetic, and socioeconomic factors, leading to
serious physical and mental health risks. Diagnosis typically involves Body Mass Index (BMI)
and other health indicators. Key risk factors include poor diet, inactivity, food insecurity, mental
health issues, and genetics. Treatment includes both clinical approaches in outpatient settings and
non-clinical, community-based interventions focused on prevention and lifestyle change. This
paper evaluates the Solmaz Institute, a free, non-clinical program at Lenoir-Rhyne University
that provides nutrition counseling and fitness coaching to children with obesity. Methodology:
Through chart reviews, interviews, and statistical analysis, this evaluation examined program
adherence to best practices and the relationships between various indicators of client
engagement. Results: Linear regression showed no significant relationship between response
times and either office staff presence (R = -0.01, p = 0.88) or initial parent meeting attendance (R
= -0.06, p = 0.43). However, strong, significant correlations were found between parent meeting
attendance and RD meeting attendance (R = 0.91, p = 0.00), and between RD and fitness session
attendance (R = 0.83, p = 0.00), accounting for 82% and 68% of the variance, respectively. No
correlation was found between the number of fitness interns and fitness session attendance (R =
0.04, p = 0.64). Conclusion: The findings indicate that while the Solmaz Institute largely aligns
with evidence-based guidelines, there are opportunities for improved coordination and client
follow-through. With continued enhancement, the Institute is well-positioned to support
longterm health outcomes for children affected by obesity in Catawba County
Diabetes Toolkit Implementation to Ease Parental Stress
Get PDFBackground: Diabetes affects millions of Americans, with a significant number of cases diagnosed in children and adolescents. High parental stress following the diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) in children can undermine diabetes management, leading to health complications and increased healthcare costs. Effective interventions are needed to support parents, ease stress, and ensure disease management. Purpose: This project aimed to implement an educational toolkit to support parents of newly diagnosed T1DM children by enhancing parental knowledge and coping strategies. Method: In collaboration with the Children with Diabetes organization, the educational toolkit was distributed to parents of children diagnosed with T1DM within the past year via the organization’s website and newsletter. The toolkit provided a guide for parents on TIDM management, stress reduction strategies, and healthcare system navigation.
Results: The toolkit's effectiveness was evaluated through parental feedback and its impact on diabetes management practices was assessed via follow-up surveys and interviews. Conclusion: This project highlighted the potential for targeted educational interventions to support parents of children with newly diagnosed T1DM, enhancing disease management and reducing healthcare costs
Increasing Compliance of Chlorhexidine Gluconate Baths in the Intensive Care Unit
Get PDFBackground: Central line associated blood stream infections (CLABSI) can be a preventable hospital acquired infection, contributing to high morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs despite the proven effectiveness of Chlorohexidine gluconate (CHG) baths in prevention. Compliance with CHG baths remains low due to factors such as patient refusal, inadequate staff education, and improper administration.
Purpose: This QI (quality improvement) project aimed to increase compliance with daily CHG baths in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) by implementing a provider order within the electronic medical record (EMR), ensuring the task was added to nurses' daily workflow. A secondary objective was to assess provider adherence to the EMR order and its impact on CHG bath compliance by comparing pre- and post-intervention compliance rates.
Methods: This QI project implemented a provider order for daily CHG baths within the EMR to improve compliance in the ICU. A retrospective chart review compared compliance rates before and after the intervention, analyzed using a Friedman rank sum test and Fisher’s exact test.
Results: Compliance with daily CHG baths increased from 37% pre-intervention to 85% post-intervention. A significant association was found between the presence of a provider order and CHG bath administration (p = .039), with patients 8.84 times more likely to receive a CHG bath when an order was in place (OR = 8.84).
Conclusion: This project demonstrates the potential of evidence-based interventions to improve compliance of daily CHG baths in the ICU, enhancing patient outcomes and quality of care
Youth.gov
Get PDFYouth.gov, a US government website previously entitled FindYouthInfo.gov, was created
by the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs to “create, maintain, and strengthen
effective youth programs.” The intended audience is individuals or organizations that are
involved in creating, administering, and funding youth programs in their communities
Supporting Neurodiverse Students in Academic Libraries
No full textLiberal arts colleges (LACs), with their small class sizes and personalized learning environments, are uniquely positioned to support neurodiverse students. This chapter explores efforts at one LAC to foster neurodiversity awareness and build cross-campus collaborations that connect neurodivergent students with academic and community support. Neurodiversity encompasses a range of neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions, often intersecting with other marginalized identities. Given the rising prevalence of autism, ADHD, and mental health disorders among college students, academic libraries have a critical role in creating inclusive spaces and reducing stigma. By curating resources, promoting awareness, and applying universal design principles, libraries at LACs can lead efforts to support and celebrate neurodivergent students, contributing meaningfully to their academic success and well-being
This e-learning tool makes finance simple-maybe too simple.
Get PDFFinancialFit provides robust, vetted content in an interface that is engaging and easy to navigate. But its focus on topics relevant to early to middle adulthood narrows its audience
Reducing Medically Unnecessary Primary Cesarean Section Rates
No full textCesarean sections (c-sections) are the most crucial and effective method of delivery to prevent maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Although a c-section is necessary in many cases, such as malpresentation of the fetus, arrest of cervical dilatation or fetal descent, fetal distress, or maternal health, the overuse of this method of delivery could impact maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality, if completed unnecessarily. C-section rates are increasing worldwide and have become a public health concern (Parveen et al., 2021)
Length of Intensive Hospital Stay Post-CABG for Diabetics and Non-diabetics
Get PDFThe purpose of the study is to answer the research question, “Is there a difference in length of stay in the ICU post CABG for diabetic patients versus non-diabetic patients?” The study determines if there was a significant difference in length of stay in the CVICU for those patients’ post-CABG who are diabetic compared to those who are not diabetic. The research question has significant applicability to healthcare and results of the study are applicable to nursing and nursing practice as it adds to the body of knowledge.
This study was completed using a retrospective chart review. The Institutional Review Board of Lenoir-Rhyne University as well as the acute care facility, located in Western North Carolina, granted approval for the completion of this research project.
A total of 60 men and women, 30 diabetics and 30 non-diabetics, created the sample for this study. The data collected from these individuals included: age, gender, race, diabetic status, total length of stay within the ICU, and comorbidity diagnosis’.
The findings demonstrated that there was not a statistically significant difference for length of stay in CVIVU for those that are diabetic versus those that are not diabetic. A two-tailed Mann-Whitney U test demonstrated u = 486, z = -0.3, p = 0.762 which was not significant. However, there was a statistically significant difference found in BMI for those who were diabetic to those who were not diabetic, t = 3.54, p < 0.001. There was also a statistically significant difference in number of comorbidities for those with diabetes versus those not diabetic, t = 2.5, p = 0.015
Reducing Medically Unnecessary Primary Cesarean Section Rates
No full textCesarean sections (c-sections) are the most crucial and effective method of delivery to prevent maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Although a c-section is necessary in many cases, such as malpresentation of the fetus, arrest of cervical dilatation or fetal descent, fetal distress, or maternal health, the overuse of this method of delivery could impact maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality if completed unnecessarily. C-section rates are increasing worldwide and have become a public health concern (Parveen et al., 2021)
A Personalized Phone Call Intervention to Improve Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Screening Adherence in Patients Aged 50-54 at a Rural Family Practice
No full textBackground: Adherence to colorectal cancer (CRC) screenings is an area of cancer screenings that needs ongoing improvement. Colorectal cancer is the second most deadly type of cancer in both men and women (SEER, 2024). Screening recommendations from the U.S. Preventative Service Task Force (USPSTF) have been updated to include ages 45-75. There are still numerous individuals who do not have a single screening on file at the age of 50.
Purpose: Screening interventions have proven effective in improving CRC screening adherence. During this project's implementation, a personalized phone call intervention was utilized. This allowed patients to ask questions and verbalize any fears or barriers to CRC screening nonadherence. The goal of this quality improvement (QI) project was to improve screening adherence in individuals aged 50-54 in a rural family practice office who do not have screenings on file.
Methods: A rural family practice has voiced the desire for improvement in CRC screenings, especially in ages 50-54. There were 115 identified individuals within the practice who did not have screenings on file, consisting of both men and women. The most common screening types are a colonoscopy, which is the most accurate and reliable, fecal occult blood tests (FOBT), fecal immunochemical tests (FIT), and DNA analysis tests. The primary goal was to get patients who were provided the phone call intervention to agree to one of these screening types. The number of referrals for one of these screening types was measured.
Results: Forty of the 115 patients agreed to a referral for screening. Almost 35% of the patients who received a phone call intervention agreed to obtain a CRC screening. Most of these patients did not have prior screenings on file. A McNemar’s chi-square test was utilized to compare pre- to post-screening. The results of the test were significant based on an alpha value of .05, χ2(1) = 19.61, p < .001, suggesting that there was a difference between the number of individuals who chose to get screened post-intervention.
Conclusion: A phone call intervention proved to be an effective intervention in gaining adherence to CRC screenings, with 41 participants agreeing to a type of screening. This intervention could be applied to other preventative screenings. It allowed patients to ask questions and achieve a sense of confidence and ease around screenings. They were also informed of the risks and insidious nature of CRC