6810 research outputs found
Sort by
Dear Celeste
No full textDear Celeste explores a widow’s journey to rekindle the love she has denied herself since losing her husband of 28 years. Having given up on finding a suitable partner for herself, our protagonist has chosen to give advice to seniors in the Oakmont 55-plus community eponymous newspaper column, Dear Celeste, penning witty responses to older singles, as they uncover the pitfalls and opportunities of online dating. A semi-retired real estate agent in Northern California’s wine country, who likes things “just so”, Celeste meets The Professor, who she deems inappropriate: too short, too bohemian, too attractive, too chivalrous. He has a suspicious entanglement with his housemate, the lovely Eva Torres. Celeste’s daughter Brianna is protective of her mom’s heart, while her group of female friends encourage her to live life to the fullest. Will the lure of adventure at Burning Man entice her to seek sexual awakening, and rediscover her long forgotten youthful polyamorous exploits? “Damnit Eleanor, I’m too old for this nonsense.” But the reader will see that there is still some adventure and spirit left in Celeste’s soul
Life After Pediatric Hemorrhagic Stroke: Family and Survivor Perspectives
No full textBackground: Pediatric Stroke is one of the top ten leading causes of mortality under the age of 18 years old (Gerzon et al., 2018). Survivors often face “lifelong residual neurological, motor and functional impairments” (O’Keefe et al., 2017, p. 428). Pediatric stroke literature is well anchored in the medical model, yet there is limited qualitative research examining the survivor and caregiver lived experiences, well-being, and engagement in their meaningful occupations post-stroke (Barnett et al., 2023; Champigny, 2023).Purpose / Research Question: The purpose of this research was to examine the well-being and lived experiences of survivors and caregivers after pediatric hemorrhagic stroke (PHS). Research question: What are the well-being and occupational engagement lived experiences of family and pediatric hemorrhagic stroke (PHS) survivors in daily life post stroke?Design/Methods: Interdisciplinary, qualitative, and phenomenological research. Semi-structured interview protocols for PHS survivors and caregivers were written with Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) principles and focused on eight aspects of well-being (social, intellectual, emotional, physical, occupational, financial, environmental, & spiritual) in the occupational contexts of home, school & community. Recruitment was completed through the UCSF Center of Excellence in Pediatric Stroke and included English and Spanish speaking caregivers and survivors. This study’s whole sample was 21 participants (N=11 PHS caregivers with two of the 11 Spanish speaking, and N=10 PHS survivors). This preliminary analysis looked at a subsample of 5 participants, 3 PHS caregivers (n=2 English and n=1 Spanish) and 2 PHS survivors. Preliminary Findings & Implications for Occupational Therapy: The results of this study revealed a primary theme of intersectionality of multiple aspects of well-being across different iv contexts, thus impacting occupational engagement. This qualitative, interdisciplinary research displays how consideration of multiple aspects of well-being directly impacts meaningful occupational engagement and how PHS survivor and caregiver lives are often changed upon returning to their homes, schools and communities. Further this research reflects how best practices in clinical care including interdisciplinary collaboration and employment of TIC principles can be productively incorporated into qualitative research design, expanding upon the current body of PHS literature. This research also incorporates the voices of the survivors, which fills a gap in literature and broadens our understanding
Caring for Native American Elders: Developing Cultural Knowledge and Comfort Levels of Senior Nursing Students in Northern California
Full text linkProviding appropriate care to patients in the healthcare setting includes being aware of their culture. Nurses play an important role in caring for patients and need to know how to be culturally sensitive toward their patients. Various research articles highlight the lack of knowledge and comfort that current nurses and nurse educators have when caring for culturally diverse patients. Research also shows that a lack of overall knowledge about how to be culturally competent, knowing how to care for patients from different backgrounds, and understanding the effect cultural beliefs have on modern-day medicine poses a challenge when trying to provide the best care for an individual patient (Brottman et al., 2020). There is a gap in research about the knowledge and comfort that nursing students have when caring for culturally diverse patients. Native Americans are a commonly overlooked culturally-sensitive population, especially the Elders within their community. This research proposes a quasi-experimental study to determine whether or not an educational intervention increases student nurses’ knowledge and comfort level when caring for Native American Elders. In this study, a convenience sample of 100 senior nursing students from a university in Northern California will take a pre-test, complete an educational module intervention program, then complete a post-test. Descriptive statistics will be used to analyze the means and medians of both the pre-test and post-test. In this analysis, higher means indicate an overall higher knowledge and comfort level
The Power of Plate & Knowledge: Nutrition’s Role in PCOS Management for Asian American Women
Full text linkPolycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common metabolic endocrine condition with symptoms that severely impair women\u27s physical and reproductive health. However, individuals with PCOS, especially Asian American women, lack sufficient understanding of non-pharmacological symptom management options, such as dietary and lifestyle modifications. This research proposal explores whether culturally appropriate nutrition education can help manage PCOS symptoms and lessen the need for medical management. The literature critique focuses on addressing the knowledge gap regarding treatment management among women diagnosed with PCOS, health risks related to PCOS, ethnic differences, and nutrition. This proposal investigates the impact of a dietary education program tailored to align with traditional Asian eating patterns to help manage PCOS symptoms, grounded in the Health Belief Model (HBM). According to the HBM paradigm, people are more likely to adopt health behaviors, such as dietary modifications, when they realize their vulnerability to health problems, understand the benefits of taking action, and feel supported in overcoming hurdles. The study\u27s findings aim to encourage culturally sensitive nursing methods while also empowering women to control PCOS symptoms through realistic and culturally relevant dietary changes
Psychological Impact of Ulcerative Colitis on Pregnancy and Postpartum Period
Full text linkhttps://scholar.dominican.edu/nursing-student-research-posters/1160/thumbnail.jp
Neural expression of Abd-B on dietary restriction: modulating aging variance in Drosophila melanogaster
No full textIn this study, we used the model Drosophila melanogaster to investigate mechanisms of aging variance by modulating neural expression of the developmental HOX gene Abdominal-B (Abd-B). We hypothesized that neural expression of Abd-B is sufficient to drive aging and that Abd-B shortens lifespan through its role as a transcription factor, modulating expression of other interactor genes. Our lab conducted a Drosophila Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) targeting aging regulators, which indicated Abd-B to be a candidate for regulating aging variance. We tested this association using a dietary restriction (DR) diet to model Abd-B expression, as DR has been established as a robust method of lifespan extension. The lifespan effects we observed from Abd-B modulation on DR flies indicated Abd-B’s role in aging variance— the suppression of a proven lifespan-extension method from the overexpression of a lifespan-shortening gene illustrated that Abd-B\u27s overexpression drives aging. Our lab has seen changes in Abd-B transcription with age, particularly in neurons, so this study assessed the tissue specificity of Abd-B expression and determined that neural expression was sufficient to modulate aging variance. Modulating Abd-B expression in the brain was then shown to influence lifespan variance and health. Through RNA sequencing, we determined Abd-B to enact these aging effects through upregulation of the mTOR pathway, a known aging driver
The Effects of Medical Misinformation about Vaccines on Parents of Pediatric Patients
Full text linkAbstract Purpose
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention designed for parents of pediatric patients who are vaccine hesitant and its impact on childhood vaccination rates. This research proposal aims to assess whether targeted education addressing vaccine misinformation, safety concerns, and benefits influences parental decision-making and improves vaccine uptake. Methods
Parents of pediatric patients will be recruited from pediatric clinics and community health centers. Participants will complete a baseline survey before receiving an educational intervention addressing vaccine misinformation, social media-driven misconceptions, and hesitancy. A post-intervention survey will then assess changes in vaccine hesitancy, and vaccination rates will be monitored through medical records. Results
If the findings are statistically significant, then it will prove the hypothesis that an educational intervention addressing medical misinformation about vaccines will improve vaccination rates among vaccine-hesitant parents of pediatric patients. Conclusion
The results gained from this study will highlight effective communication strategies and evidence-based educational approaches that can better equip healthcare providers, particularly pediatric nurses, with the necessary information to address vaccine hesitancy. Additionally, findings may contribute to healthcare policies aimed at improving immunization coverage and reducing the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases in pediatric populations
Paternal Negative Lifestyle Choices Affect on Maternal Pregnancy and Birth Outcomes: BMI, Smoking, Drinking, Domestic Violence, Partner Involvement
Full text linkPaternal lifestyle choices are often overlooked yet are a crucial factor in maternal pregnancy and fetal outcomes. While maternal health behaviors have been the primary focus that determines a healthy pregnancy and child outcomes, this thesis explores how a paternal\u27s (father\u27s) harmful behaviors such as high body mass index (BMI), smoking habits, alcohol consumption, exposure to domestic violence, and lack of partner involvement, can contribute to diminishing the health of both mother and baby. After analyzing six research articles, this thesis revealed how a father\u27s negative lifestyle choices affect maternal pregnancy and fetal outcomes. Using a quantitative, non-experimental descriptive design, this thesis proposed a pilot study surveying at least 25 pregnant, recently pregnant, or with a child up to the age of five years old from shelters who have been exposed to one or more negative paternal behaviors. The survey was developed to investigate how a father\u27s negative lifestyle choices leave an adverse effect on both pregnancy and birth outcomes. The ultimate purpose of this research is to implement effective interventions to aid mothers and their children exposed to harmful paternal behaviors. The end goal is to incorporate nursing interventions that can reduce damaging father behavior, empower a mother\u27s self-care, and improve child outcomes
Wings and Wounds: Stories of War, Truth, and Other Casualties
No full textWings and Wounds: Stories of War, Truth, and Other Casualties is a hybrid thesis that combines fiction and nonfiction to explore the emotional and psychological cost of military service. It begins with an autobiographical essay that describes the author’s medical separation from the military, followed by a craft essay that outlines his approach to writing about trauma. Drawing on these two essays, this thesis ends with an excerpt from a satirical war novel set during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, inspired by the author’s own military service. Together, these works explore the power of Narrative Medicine, showing how the act of storytelling—whether fictionalized or factual—can become a tool for processing trauma, improving wellbeing, and help others feel less alone in their pain
The Effectiveness of Botulinum Toxin Injections in the Management of Chronic Neck and Shoulder Myofascial Pain: A Nursing Perspective
Full text linkAbstract Background
Chronic neck and shoulder myofascial pain has long been challenging patients and medical professionals due to its limited response to traditional therapies on top of high recurrence. Physical therapy, oral analgesics, and trigger point injections have only provided partial or short-term relief. As a result, botulinum toxin type A injections have been explored as an alternative treatment. Previous studies have shown promising short-term outcomes, but concerns regarding long-term safety, cost-effectiveness, and potential adverse effects, particularly in older adults, have remained unresolved. These gaps have highlighted the need for comprehensive evaluation from both clinical and nursing perspectives. Objective
The purpose of this study is to assess the clinical effectiveness of botulinum toxin type A injections in reducing chronic neck and shoulder myofascial pain compared with conventional treatments. Special attention is given to adults aged 70 and above to highlight any age-related risks. Findings will be used to support nursing practices, including intervention planning, patient education, and safe implementation strategies for long-term care. Method
All procedures and monitoring will be coordinated by nurses. Data will be collected over 12 weeks, including pain scores, functional improvement, and side effect monitoring. Nurses will be responsible for administering assessments, conducting patient education, and recording patient-reported outcomes during follow-up visits.
Results
It is hypothesised that participants who receive BoNT-A injections will experience reduced short-term pain and improved functional outcomes compared to those who receive placebo. Pain scores will be measured by the Wong-Baker Pain Scale. Among older adults (70+), the treatment was generally well tolerated, but side effects such as mild dysphagia and fatigue were more commonly reported than in younger participants. These side effects were detected using tools like the Gugging Swallowing Screen and Fatigue Severity Scale. Subgroup analysis confirmed that although BoNT-A was effective across all age groups, careful monitoring is needed in the elderly due to a slightly higher risk of adverse effects. Overall, the findings support the clinical use of BoNT-A for CNSMP and confirm the critical role of nurses in managing side effects and ensuring safe treatment practices.
Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize baseline characteristics, pain scores, functional outcomes, and the incidence of side effects. These will include means, standard deviations, and frequency distributions. To evaluate group differences, paired t-tests will compare pre- and post-treatment changes within each group, while independent t-tests will compare outcomes between the BoNT-A and placebo groups. Subgroup analysis will be conducted between younger adults and elderly patients (70+) to assess age-related treatment responses. A p-value \u3c 0.05 will be considered statistically significant