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What is Helpful in Social Support and Self-Disclosure: A Phenomenological Inquiry of Suicide Survivors
No full textNearly 48,000 people in the US died by suicide in 2022, creating as many as three million suicide survivors. Grief can cause significant life disruptions, increased risks for depression, suicidal ideation, and physical health issues. Furthermore, stigma, shame, rejection, and lack of social support exacerbate suicide survivors’ grief. Researchers find that self-disclosure (SD) and social support (SS) mitigate these risks. However, current research describes SD and SS through high-level self-report surveys. Therefore, we use phenomenological inquiry to discover what aspects of self-disclosure and social support experiences are helpful in suicide survivors’ grief journey. Thirteen suicide survivors responded to writing prompts. Responses were analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Social support themes include check-ins, understanding that grief is individual, professional help, sharing stories, and presence. Self- disclosure themes include listening, sharing on their timeline, validating the loss, and connecting with others of similar experience. The findings of this study highlight the importance of connecting with those bereaved by suicide, which could decrease the mental and physical health risks of suicide survivors. Implications of this study include the need to increase mental health support and education specifically addressing suicide survivorship. Suicide survivors need considerable support that is unique to them. They deserve support that is helpful, compassionate, non-judgmental, and accessible. In this study, suicide survivors tell us how to do that
The Effect of Education on the Early Identification and Reporting of Delirium Symptoms in an Acute Hospital Setting.
Full text linkBackground: There is a notable increase in delirium incidence in patients on an orthopedic unit of a large Twin Cities healthcare organization. The Confusion Assessment Method tool is completed upon admission, and staff nurses have a knowledge deficit pertaining to positive baseline results, and the understanding this correlates with patients exhibiting delirium symptomology. The nurses on the orthopedic unit frequently contact the evening cross-cover hospitalist with post-surgical patients experiencing agitation, change in cognition, and adverse events such as falls. Staff nurses and hospitalist providers must appropriately identify early signs or risk factors of delirium to provide proactive measures to prevent it and mitigate adverse events associated with the untoward symptoms (Inouye et al.,2001).
Problem: After conducting an informal discussion on an orthopedic floor of large urban hospital, nursing staff indicated a lack of confidence in appropriately identifying early signs or risk factors of delirium.
Methods: Nonparametric testing was used to compare pre- and post-questionnaire data. Additionally, the Wilcoxon signed rank test was utilized to determine the difference in means between the pre- and posttest questionnaires. The signed rank test utilizing Statistical Analysis Software (SAS) determined the change in nurse comfort level with delirium based on Likert scale questions that was submitted prior to the project implementation and results obtained three weeks post project implementation.
Interventions: A 60-minute nurse educational session on this quality improvement project as well as pertinent information on delirium and accurate assessment of cognitive baseline, including a high-level overview on the use and interpretation of CAM assessment tool results. The intended goal is to provide a structured educational approach to improve nurses\u27 understanding of delirium, the importance of cognitive baseline assessment on admission, and the accurate use and interpretation of the CAM assessment tool to assist with early detection.
Results: Each of the nine Likert scale survey questions were combined for a total confidence score (max score = 18). Per SAS, a Wilcoxon signed rank test indicated that the total post-test confidence scores were significantly higher than the pre-test scores with p=0.0149.
Conclusions: Providing education on delirium and the assessment of a cognitive baseline is associated with increasing orthopedic staff nurse knowledge on these topics. Including importance of the CAM assessment tool and interpretation use as an adjunct with the assessment of delirium. The intent is to reduce the impact of delirium and its adverse events for inpatients of the orthopedic unit
The Effectiveness of Grace and Courtesy Lessons in a Montessori Environment
Full text linkThis study explored the effectiveness of grace and courtesy lessons in teaching a specific set of social skills to young children as well as how this approach impacts children’s ability to navigate related social situations successfully and independently. Research took place over seven weeks in a Montessori primary environment, comprised of 26 children aged 33 months to six years of age. The school is located in an urban, low socioeconomic area and is a hybrid private early childcare center and K-6 charter school. Research data was gathered in the form of field journal notes to record the presenter’s general thoughts and feelings after each lesson, a tally sheet to record the number of children present at the lesson versus the number who repeated, a tally sheet for the number of interactions observed during morning observation periods, and an observation log for those observed interactions detailing who was involved and what happened. Results point to the effectiveness of this intervention as language was not only retained, but implemented independently by children in naturally occurring social interactions. More research should be done in how this method translates to other early childhood settings as well as how it translates across age groups
The Effect of Goal Setting and Reflection on Student Motivation in High School Classrooms
Full text linkSensory Gardens: Supporting Families and Therapists through Education
Full text linkBackground: Exposure to and engagement with nature is an essential element of healthy physical, emotional, and social development for all children. Sensory gardens combine many of the supportive pieces of outdoor play to increase participation for children of all abilities. Additional resources and education are needed to support children’s engagement with nature.
Purpose: This portfolio outlines the development, implementation, and evaluation of educational materials for caregivers and nature- based therapists related to sensory gardens.
Approach: Educational materials were developed and distributed via an interactive online learning platform, Thinkific, and evaluated through surveys completed by participants.
Outcomes: At the time of the survey closure date, 45 individuals had enrolled in the course and nine completed the course and survey (three parents and six practitioners). While parents reported positive experiences with the course, online learning was not identified as a preferred delivery format for educational materials. Enrollment, participation, and completion of the course continued following survey closure date.
Recommendations: Tailoring educational materials to meet the unique needs of the caregivers, providing a variety of materials, and allowing time to complete materials will increase any future engagement with educational programs. Additionally, it is essential to prioritize education for practitioners as this will ensure knowledge gets distributed to the intended audience without overwhelming parents who may already be at their maximal capacity and have limited time to spend completing educational materials
Communicating the Need for Continued Funding to Non-Profit Stakeholders: The Impact of Education on School-Aged Girls in Senegal
Full text linkWhere would you be without an education? A safe place to call home? Or rather, where do you want your education to take you? These questions were asked to female students in Tambacounda, Senegal upon receiving funding for a newly built hostel wall and classroom resources. This portfolio describes the development of a Senegal program presentation that reflects the impact that Sisters Rising Worldwide (SRW) funding has on vulnerable communities and further the need for continued funding from donors to support these programs. This also includes the creation of student and Sister surveys as well as a SRW donor survey. The Senegal presentation includes a glimpse of the positive impact before and after funding occurred, two articulated main themes of safety and education, and compelling contributions from 11 students in Tambacounda. This project suggests the importance of advocacy to address areas of injustice and serve in-need communities. Implications of this project include opportunities for advocacy at the community and patient level
Improving Student Critical Thinking Skills Through Explicit Teaching Strategies
Full text linkThis action research project aimed at finding the impact of teaching critical thinking skills through teacher modeling, guided practice, and independent activities. The eight-week intervention took place with a third grade group of students in a midwest suburban elementary school. Data was collected before the intervention, at the midpoint of the eight weeks, and then after the intervention was completed. Student self-assessment surveys as well as teacher observations were used to gather data around both the application of skills and the student confidence levels of that application. Through the interventions that were implemented, students showed positive growth in both confidence levels and the specific skills of critical thinking
The Impact of Direct Integration of Social Emotional Lessons with Montessori Upper Elementary Children
Full text linkThis action research study aimed to analyze the impact of direct social-emotional lessons on students\u27 emotional intelligence in a Montessori upper elementary classroom. This study explored the impact of combining social-emotional vocabulary with social-emotional learning (SEL) skill development. The study used quantitative and qualitative data, including pre- and post-assessments, follow-up work, observation logs, and SEL elements added to the students’ weekly work plans. SEL curriculum materials and follow-up work were created for this study following the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) framework and their SAFE acronym: sequenced, active, focused, and explicit. The data showed that teaching SEL vocabulary and the five competencies’ qualities positively impacted student understanding and SEL skill development. Based on these results, Montessori teachers could positively impact students\u27 emotional intelligence, normalization in the classroom, and overall student well-being by integrating SEL lessons into the cosmic curriculum
The Impact of Cognitively Guided Instruction on Students’ Mathematical Mindsets
Full text linkThe purpose of this research was to analyze the impact of an inquiry-based word problem-solving framework, known as Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI), on students’ mathematical mindsets in an early elementary Montessori classroom. Students received one word problem-solving lesson per week over a six-week period. Students completed a pre-intervention and post-intervention mathematical mindset rubric, as well as CGI assessment. Both qualitative and quantitative results show that students had an increase in their variety of word problem-solving strategies, were able to solve word problems more accurately, and showed increased levels in self-efficacy, perception, and affinity towards math. Based on these results, CGI could be utilized as a supplementary instructional method to build students’ mathematical mindsets and word problem-solving skills in Montessori classrooms. Further research is needed to know if these results hold true for other student populations
The Impact of Role-Play on the Self-Regulation of Preschoolers Following the COVID-19 Pandemic
Full text linkThis Action Research Project examined the impact of role-play on preschoolers’ self-regulation development in a Montessori primary classroom. The class consisted of 18 students; ages 3-5 years old. Four of the nine students in the intervention had delays, disruptions, or modifications to their Montessori experience, possibly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Role-play scenarios were performed by the students for four weeks. The results show that role-play positively impacted self-regulation in the primary classroom. The average percentage of self-regulated behaviors increased by 28.5% from the pre-intervention week through the last intervention week. Modeling of self-regulated behaviors increased, and modeling of dysregulated behaviors decreased during the intervention. Role-play is a fun and engaging way to help young children learn, practice, and model self-regulated behaviors in the classroom