Pacific McGeorge School of Law
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Using DNA barcoding to identify female Rhyacophila and work toward morphological identification
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What\u27s My Research? with Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
No full textPlease join us on Thursday, September 18th, from 12pm to 1 pm in the DUC conference room 211 A and B for a special edition of What’s My Research? featuring the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs staff. During this session, we will discuss how we can help you find funding opportunities for your work, our support services throughout the grant process, internal policies for submission, IRB/IACUC protocols, and undergraduate research opportunities available for students. A light lunch will be served
Improving Maternal Mental Health Awareness and Support in Perinatal Black and Latina Women
No full textBackground: Black and Latina women in California experience disproportionately high rates of perinatal mental health disorders due to limited access to care, stigma, and systemic inequities.
Aim: In collaboration with BeMomAware, this Quality Improvement project aimed to enhance maternal mental health literacy among Black and Latino individuals in the Oak Park community of Sacramento. The project sought to increase awareness, knowledge, and access to culturally appropriate mental health resources through an educational video and community session.
Methods: Interventions included a short educational video and an in-person community session providing culturally relevant information about perinatal depression and anxiety disorders, available resources, and strategies for seeking help. Participants completed pre- and post- surveys to assess knowledge and attitudes before and after the intervention.
Results: Results from a two-tailed independent samples t-test indicated a statistically significant improvement in post-survey knowledge scores (p \u3c 0.05). Participants also reported greater confidence in identifying perinatal mental health symptoms (p = .005).
Conclusion: This Quality Improvement project demonstrated that culturally sensitive education can effectively improve maternal mental health literacy within underserved communities. By promoting awareness and reducing stigma, the project supports the integration of nursing practice and public health efforts to advance health equity. Sustained collaboration with community organizations such as BeMomAware will further strengthen maternal mental health education and support for communities of color in Sacramento.https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/nursing-portfolios/1032/thumbnail.jp
Enhancing Pediatric Sun Safety: A Parent-Focused Intervention in El Dorado County
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Childhood ultraviolet (UV) exposure is the most significant modifiable risk factor for skin cancer, yet proper sun protection remains inconsistently practiced by parents. In El Dorado County, California, where high altitude and intense sun exposure amplify UV risk, knowledge gaps and misinformation persist despite resource availability. This quality improvement (QI) project aimed to strengthen parental knowledge, confidence, and modeling of sun-safe behaviors for their children through an evidence-based community education program.
Aim: The goal of this QI initiative was to improve parental attitudes, self-efficacy, and photoprotective behaviors by implementing a three-part, nursing-led educational intervention focused on UV risk awareness, myth correction, and modeling of sunscreen application.
Methods: Using the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice (JHNEBP) Model, the “Sun Smart Families” program was conducted at Steve Wallen Swim School with 32 parents of children aged 3–8. Over four weeks, participants attended three interactive sessions addressing UV risks, sunscreen myths, and parental role modeling. Pre- and post-intervention surveys adapted from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SunWise Program and O’Riordan et al. (2003) measured changes in knowledge and behaviors. Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney and chi-square tests.
Results: Participants demonstrated a statistically significant increase in composite Likert-scale scores for sun-safe attitudes and behaviors (M = 25.4 to 40.6, p = .039). Five of ten survey items improved significantly, with one knowledge item (correct sunscreen volume) showing marked post-intervention gains (χ² (1) = 8.47, p = .0036). Parents reported greater confidence and intent to model photoprotective behaviors.
Conclusions: Brief, community-based education improved parental self-efficacy and sun safety attitudes, aligning with Healthy People 2030 objectives to reduce childhood sunburns. The project demonstrates a sustainable, scalable model for integrating nursing-led prevention into community recreation settings.https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/nursing-portfolios/1034/thumbnail.jp
Staying Ahead of the Pressure: A Multimodal Intensive Care Unit Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injury Quality Improvement Project at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento
No full textBackground: Hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) are a major quality and safety concern, particularly in the intensive care units (ICUs) where critically ill and immobile patients face elevated risk. At Sutter Medical Center Sacramento (SMCS), nine confirmed HAPIs and two under investigation were reported within the medical ICU, cardiac ICU, and neurosurgical ICU by May 2025, exceeding the hospital’s target and prompting a system-wide quality improvement initiative.
Aim: The aim of this project was to: (a) reduce ICU-acquired HAPIs to fewer than four cases per quarter by December 2025 and (b) increase nursing compliance with early and ongoing prevention strategies, including repositioning, nutrition optimization, and risk assessment accuracy.
Methods: Guided by the Iowa Model Revised, this quality improvement project was implemented across the Cardiac (CICU), Medical (MICU), and Neurosurgical (NSSICU) ICUs. Interventions included: (1) staff education, (2) Wound Champion designation, (3) wound care supply room reorganization, (4) nutritional supplementation with Juven and enteral feeding catch-up protocols, (5) wedge repositioning trials that led to full implementation, and (5) beta testing of the Braden and Cubbin–Jackson (CJ) scales for enhanced risk identification. In addition, beta-test data from the Leaf and Atlas mobility monitoring systems were collected to assess repositioning adherence but not adopted for routine use. Enteral feeding data was verified through EPIC chart audits and bedside rate checks, documented in Excel for trend analysis.
Results: Among 22 ICU patients assessed, the CJ scale identified 55% as moderate to high risk compared with 18% using the Braden scale, suggesting improved sensitivity for critically ill patients. Leaf system data showed high repositioning adherence (87% and 84.7%), while nutrition audits revealed declining compliance with Juven implementation and documentation (58.8% → 20% → 0%) and enteral feeding catch-up goals. As of October, a total of twenty-one HAPIs were reported across three ICUs, with an estimated 33.6 HAPIs prevented during the reporting period.
Conclusion: Integrating evidence-based interventions strengthened prevention practices and early risk recognition. Sustained progress will require leadership engagement, standardized audit tools, and policy integration of nutritional and positioning protocols to maintain improvements in patient safety.https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/nursing-portfolios/1038/thumbnail.jp
Dragon Dash
No full textDragon Dash is a 2D top-down survival and growth game inspired by mechanics from snake.io, developed using Python and the Pygame library. The objective of the game is for the player-controlled dragon to navigate a large scrolling map, collect fish to grow in size, and avoid being caught by enemy dragons. The game features an adaptive camera system that smoothly zooms out as the player grows, providing increased visibility while maintaining gameplay balance. Enemy dragons use a probabilistic AI system that allows them to dynamically choose between chasing the player or pursuing the closest collectible, creating unpredictable and engaging gameplay interactions. The project also implements collision detection, map-boundary constraints, and a resource respawn system to ensure continuous gameplay flow. This game demonstrates fundamental concepts in game design such as movement physics, AI behavior, camera control, and user interaction while maintaining extensibility for future sprite integration and visual enhancements