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Preventing Female Inmates’ High Recidivism in One Parole Reentry Program
Get PDFRecidivism among formerly incarcerated women is a challenging issue for one state prison system. Effective and fully enrolled programs to support recently released women are essential to stopping recidivism, as women often face problems such as trauma, abuse, or mental health disorders, all of which may require special care. The purpose of this study was to determine the primary outcomes of the One Parole Reentry Program’s (OPRP) effectiveness in preventing female recidivism at prison facilities and what improvements may enhance future outcomes. The state’s parole program curriculum assessment guidelines and their rehabilitation model were used as the framework to assess the program outcomes. Data were collected from an open-ended survey of staff participants, including correctional officers, parole officers, counselors, and program specialists. They shared unique perspectives about opportunities and benefits of the program, outcomes, and organizational historical outcomes data. Deductive coding was conducted, and eight themes were revealed. Findings indicated that the OPRP, specifically designed for incarcerated women, was beneficial overall, and the curriculum met stated outcomes before prison release. However, prison space for reentry programs was limited. Increasing participation is possible if adequate resources, such as additional space, are provided. An executive summary of the research and recommendations was provided to the OPRP prison leadership team. Adopting successful characteristics of reentry programs designed for women is an important practice change. Positive community change might be possible if paroled women attend programs with proven outcomes, as women transition successfully from prison into local communities
Reducing readmission rates in a mental health hospital
Get PDFSummary I designed this clinical practice guideline (CPG) doctoral project to address the critical practice problem of high readmission rates in a mental health unit at a large academic medical center. This quality improvement initiative focused on developing and evaluating CPG to improve discharge planning. I aimed to address gaps in continuity of care, inadequate discharge education, and limited post discharge follow-up, which had been identified as contributing factors to early psychiatric readmissions. The practice-focused question guiding this project was: What evidence supports the development of a discharge planning CPG designed to reduce readmission rates in a mental health unit? The purpose of this doctoral project was to create, validate, and evaluate a CPG designed to improve discharge planning processes and reduce readmissions. Analytical strategies used in the project included a comprehensive literature review, synthesis of evidence, expert panel review using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument, and stakeholder feedback. The findings showed strong support for the proposed CPG, with high ratings across items in all AGREE II domains. In the project, I produced a finalized CPG, expert feedback summary, and recommendations for future practice. Implications for nursing practice include the standardization of discharge planning, improved interdisciplinary collaboration, and the potential to decrease costs associated with readmissions. Positive social change may be promoted by improving mental health outcomes in underserved populations, emphasizing health equity and continuity of care
Exploring the Lived Experiences of Rural Women of Color Seeking Police Intervention During an Intimate Partner Violence Crisis
Get PDFExploring the lived experiences of rural women of color in the United States who seek police intervention during an intimate partner violence crisis is a necessity. In rural regions, many African American and Caribbean Blacks in rural communities endure physical assaults perpetrated by their partners throughout their lives. IPV among women of color, especially the obstacles that they face in requesting police intervention. The findings of this research study provide valuable insights that can support the establishment of intervention centers for rural women of color by involving key stakeholders, such as police departments in these regions. This study used semi-structured interviews to collect data, and it followed a generic qualitative research design. Participants who were recruited had to be at least 18 years old and identify as a woman of color. Eight participants were recruited by audio-recorded and phone interviews for those who could not meet in person. The study also stands to contribute to a more comprehensive approach to the barriers that prevent people from obtaining police help. For this study, intersectionality theory and feminist theory were the conceptual frameworks for explaining how oppression systems predicated on race and gender manifest as forms of discrimination. Women of color and their societal attitudes, concerning victimization and seeking assistance. These findings can contribute to positive social change by offering valuable insights to determine the development of intervention tactics that are specifically designed to assist rural women of color
Reducing Hospital Readmissions for Medicare Patients with CHF and COPD
Get PDFHospital readmissions for Medicare beneficiaries with congestive heart failure (CHF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) contribute to increased healthcare costs and adverse outcomes. Evidence-based interventions, such as discharge planning, multidisciplinary care coordination, and patient education, have been implemented to reduce ambulatory care-sensitive admissions (ACSA), yet challenges in care continuity persist. This integrative review examined strategies adopted by healthcare organizations to reduce ACSA among Medicare beneficiaries with CHF and COPD. Guided by the utilization management framework, the review analyzed 19 studies and identified six primary themes: (a) integrated care models, (b) discharge and transitional care, (c) patient-centered interventions, (d) economic and resource efficiency, (e) technological innovations, and (f) cultural and operational challenges. While the first five themes represent effective intervention strategies, cultural and operational challenges were framed as factors organizations successfully navigated through context-specific alignment and adaptive implementation strategies. The 12 subthemes included multidisciplinary approaches, care pathways and bundles, early planning, structured education, tailored care, community engagement, cost-effective practices, hospital readmission reduction programs, telehealth, data-driven insights, generalizability, and bias and response issues. A key finding of this review is that tailoring interventions to organizational culture and workflows improves adoption and scalability. This review promotes positive social change by identifying scalable, evidence-based practices that enhance care coordination, improve patient self-management, reduce system burden, and advance health equity in chronic disease management
Challenges K-12 School Administrators Encounter Supporting the Cultural and Academic Needs of African American Male Students
Get PDFResearch shows that students with educational support aligned to their cultural and academic needs have better outcomes. K-12 school administrators were challenged to support African American male students’ cultural and academic needs. Guided by cultural mismatch theory and critical race theory, this basic qualitative study aimed to explore the perceptions of K-12 administrators concerning the cultural and academic needs to support African American male students. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with eight K-12 school administrators having at least 2 years of experience in administration in a southeastern public school district in the United States. Thematic analysis of interview data was conducted using open, inductive coding. Themes related to cultural barriers, independent raising, community influence, educational values, and academic deficiencies emerged from the data. Findings suggest that to maximize cultural and academic support for African American male students, K-12 administrators must foster a sense of community and belongingness while acknowledging the role students play in raising themselves and their siblings due to parental absence. Culturally informed school supports may be beneficial in creating sense of belongingness which may aid in overcoming declines in educational value, academic deficiencies, and academic gaps in performance of African American male students. The study offers guidance to K-12 school administrators and other key stakeholders in developing policies and practices to support African American male students culturally and academically effectively by attending to all students’ needs to foster positive social change over time
International Space Station Deorbit: A Qualitative Study on Aerospace Employees Perceptions of Their Job During Decommission
Get PDFThe decommissioning of the International Space Station (ISS) represents a significant organizational transition. Despite parallels with previous National Aeronautics and Space Administration program closures, research has not fully examined the human impact of such mission-driven disruptions. Employees face uncertainties regarding job roles, the relevance of specialized skills, and the future within a rapidly commercializing space sector. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore how aerospace employees perceive and navigate the psychological and professional challenges associated with the ISS decommissioning. Bridges’ transition model and affective events theory grounded this study. The participants were 12 current aerospace employees who were professionally involved with the ISS program. Data were collected using semistructured interviews. Seven themes emerged from the thematic analysis: (a) career drivers and aspirations, (b) professional and personal identity, (c) emotional experience and well-being, (d) organizational climate and alignment, (e) job security and stability, (f) commercial space sector appeal, and (g) space mission purpose and innovation. Findings support the need for transparent leadership, career realignment, and institutional knowledge preservation. Aerospace leaders can implement these identified strategies to enhance understanding of employee adaptation in mission-critical sectors and offer guidance for managing emotionally complex transitions. The implications for positive social change include the potential for aerospace leaders to use psychologically supportive transition strategies that promote resilience, retain talent, and sustain purpose-driven cultures amid organizational transformation in the evolving aerospace landscape
Successful Strategies Used by Leaders in the U.S. Medical Device Industry to Increase Employee Engagement
Get PDFDisengaged employees present significant challenges to firm profitability and competitiveness in the U.S. medical device industry. Leaders of U.S. medical device firms are concerned disengaged employees could negatively impact organizational sustainability. The purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry study was to explore strategies used by leaders in the U.S. medical device industry to enhance employee engagement. Purposeful sampling of six medical device leaders in Massachusetts was used; participants held leadership roles, had at least five years of leadership experience, and were directly involved in employee engagement. The study was grounded in Kahn’s engagement theory, focusing on psychological meaningfulness, safety, and availability. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analysis of publicly available documents, then analyzed using thematic analysis. Three themes emerged: emphasizing a greater purpose, proactively addressing employee challenges to foster engagement, and building authentic leader-employee connections. A key recommendation is for leaders of medical device firms to connect employees’ work to patient outcomes, support eliminating barriers, and focus on building trust and open communication. The implications for positive social change include the potential for organizational leaders in the medical device industry to build more engaged, resilient workforces, improving patient outcomes and contributing to stronger communities and long-term economic growth
Teachers’ Perceptions of the Benefits of Art Education for Elementary Students With Autism
Get PDFThe problem addressed in this study was the lack of knowledge regarding art teachers’ perceptions of the social and emotional benefits of art classes for elementary school students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore elementary school art teachers’ perspectives regarding the social and emotional benefits of school-based art education for elementary school students with ASD. Schweizer et al.’s art therapy model was the conceptual framework. Semistructured interviews from 12 elementary school art teachers were used to collect data. Data were analyzed using axial coding procedures and thematic analysis. Results produced the following themes: (a) art teachers perceived that individualized instructions have social and emotional benefits for elementary students with ASD, (b) art teachers perceived that art education results in overall improvement among elementary students with ASD, (c) art teachers perceived that appropriate and targeted projects have social and emotional benefits for elementary students with ASD, (d) art teachers perceived that efforts were made to engage students in art class, (e) art teachers perceived that efforts were made to provide a consistent structure for students, and (f) art teachers perceived that efforts were made to help students with ASD achieve progress in art class. This study may contribute to social change by improving social and emotional factors for students with ASD based on elementary school art instruction. Educators and families of elementary students with ASD may use this study’s findings to raise awareness, expand funding, and promote arts programs at school and home, ultimately benefiting students with ASD
Maintaining Number Sense Mastery in Urban Primary Grades
Get PDFThe problem addressed in this study was that urban kindergarten to third grade students demonstrated decreased levels of number sense mastery on state-mandated assessments as they matriculated across grade levels. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore school-based educators’ perceptions on what they believe are the reasons urban students demonstrated decreased levels of number sense mastery, and to identify what improvements are needed to support teachers in determining students’ zone of proximal development (ZPD) while scaffolding students towards number sense mastery. The conceptual framework comprised Bruner’s theory of instruction and Vygotsky’s ZPD. A purposeful sample of six kindergarten to third grade teachers, one instructional coach, and one administrator from an urban, Title I school participated in semistructured interviews. Through thematic analysis, including open and a priori coding, four themes emerged that reflected the participants\u27 own accounts of their difficulties, their evaluations of the support they actually received, and their direct suggestions for future enhancements: explanations for decreased mastery, effective support systems, ineffective instructional supports, and improvements needed to enhance current support systems. These findings may contribute to positive social change as participants shared what was needed to improve the quality of mathematics instruction and how they could better support the students they serve. In turn, more students in this urban, Title I setting may master number sense to meet grade-level standards. This mastery may increase students’ comprehension and understanding of mathematics and increase students’ abilities to continue successfully in school and be well prepared to master the new mathematics standards each school year
Provision of Transportation to Psychiatric Follow-up Appointments
Get PDFThis quality improvement initiative is focused on the lack of transportation as a significant barrier to obtaining health care services for patients with severe psychiatric disorders. Transportation issues remain an important factor that hinders the attainment of health care services by the members of this population. Transportation challenges should be addressed as much as possible for improving healthcare accessibility and providing timely care. Prior to the implementation of the transportation service, only 30% of patients with severe mental illness (SMI) attended their scheduled appointments, demonstrating the need for intervention. This project focused on whether providing transportation services would improve compliance with follow-up appointments in psychiatric patients. The goal of the quality improvement initiative coordinated by the clinic was to improve attendance for patients with severe mental illness by ensuring transportation services are readily available for the clients. Data were collected from two locations of a mental health clinic over six months from October 2024 to March 2025. Patients were notified about this service through emails, text messages, and phone calls. The project set a target goal of achieving at least 50% appointment attendance by the sixth month of implementation. This target was substantially exceeded at both clinic locations, with attendance rates reaching as high as 82.0% by March 2025. This represents a 173.33% increase in patient appointment compliance. This intervention demonstrates how addressing transportation barriers can improve patient outcomes, potentially reduce emergency department use, while providing a model for nursing practice that addresses social determinants of health