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Strategies for Selecting Legacy IT Systems for Cloud Adoption in an SME
Get PDFSmall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) information technology (IT) managers are concerned about the struggle to select suitable legacy systems for cloud adoption, which can lead to costly delays and poor legacy system alignment. Grounded in the technology acceptance model, this qualitative pragmatic inquiry explored strategies SME IT managers used to select legacy systems for cloud adoption. The participants were five SME IT managers from SMEs in the Southeast United States. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and by reviewing public documents. Through thematic analysis, four themes were identified: (a) cloud Strategy and planning, (b) cost, efficiency, and performance, (c) security, compliance, and risk, and (d) user-centered experience and uusability. A key recommendation is that SME IT managers should conduct structured business-IT alignment workshops that include stakeholders from both technical and business units to jointly assess which legacy systems are critical to operations, align with long-term goals, and are feasible for migration. The implications for positive social change include the potential for SME managers to reduce their organizations’ carbon footprint by replacing high-energy legacy systems with more energy-efficient cloud-based solutions
Factors Impacting School Social Workers’ Trauma-Informed Support of Students With Disabilities
Get PDFChildren with disabilities in underserved New Jersey communities are disproportionately exposed to trauma due to compounding systemic inequities. This basic qualitative study explored how school social workers support these students through special education case management. Grounded in disability critical race theory, the trauma-informed schools framework, and ecological systems theory, the study addressed the primary needs of trauma-exposed students with disabilities and the supports and challenges school social workers face in meeting those needs. Semi-structured interviews with 9 school social workers revealed core student needs: emotional and relational safety, access to school-based mental health services, trauma-informed individualized education program (IEP) supports, and family engagement. Identified facilitators included collegial collaboration, supportive leadership, access to community-based resources, strong student–family relationships, and social workers’ intentional use of self. Reported barriers involved high caseloads, emotionally taxing responsibilities, inconsistent trauma training, unmet IEP needs, reallocation of special education resources, unsupportive leadership and school climates, limited trauma and disability specific services, and broader sociopolitical stressors. Recommendations include workload reform, trauma-informed IEPs, adoption of schoolwide trauma-informed frameworks, training for leadership and staff, reflective supervision, elevated social worker leadership, strengthened caregiver engagement, and inclusive, disability-specific, culturally affirming supports. Findings support positive social change by advancing healing-centered, equity-driven, and sustainable practices in special education
Perceptions of Whole Plant-Based Diets and Weight among Hispanics in Miami, Florida
Get PDFBeing overweight or obese poses major public health concerns and contributes to the development of chronic illnesses. While researchers have explored how a total plant-based diet impacts excess body weight or obesity, there is still a lack of clarity about how Hispanics living in Miami, FL, perceive or understand this diet concerning overweight and obesity. Using a generic qualitative approach, this study was conducted on how Hispanics in Miami, FL, understand and view a whole plant-based diet (WPBD) for preventing and reducing overweight and obesity. Through interviews with 14 diverse Hispanic participants, the study revealed that they see WPBD as a healthful diet focused on whole, minimally processed plant foods while avoiding processed and animal products. Health knowledge, education, cultural and social factors influenced their perceptions. Participants noted experiencing health benefits, including lower lipid levels, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels; increased energy; and decreased inflammation. Despite obstacles like limited healthcare support and social challenges, they show strong confidence and dedication to the diet, considering it a sustainable and empowering method for weight and chronic disease management. The findings highlight WPBD’s cultural relevance and potential to improve health outcomes in the Hispanic community, offering important insights for health professionals to create culturally appropriate obesity interventions and foster positive social change
An Examination of Successful Reentry and Recidivism for Drug-Involved Offenders in Rural Areas
Get PDFIn rural communities, treatment and supportive resources are limited, putting ex-offenders (EXOs) at an increased risk for relapse or recidivism. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand, through semistructured interviews, the experiences of EXOs who completed the court residential treatment center, intermediate sanction facility, or substance abuse felony punishment facility, and returned to a rural county in Texas, along with the perspectives of 11 community supervision officers who worked closely with the EXOs. This study was guided by Agnew’s general strain theory, which posits that drug-involved offenders achieve successful reentry in rural areas when positive supports are present, and drug-involved offenders recidivate when barriers outweigh available supports. Thematic analysis revealed the themes of environment (e.g., prosocial networks, stigma, etc.) and resources (e.g., employment issues, transportation, financial strains, etc.) that impacted the reentry and recovery of EXOs. The findings emphasized the need for improved collaboration between agencies, providing additional resources, addressing barriers in rural areas, and enhancing the transition process. These recommendations could help reduce recidivism and increase positive recovery outcomes, thereby creating positive social change for EXOs, their families, and other members of the rural communities in which they live. This study may also provide important insight to probation departments, treatment facilities, policymakers, community leaders, and other changemakers working to reduce recidivism and improve recovery outcomes
Educating Emergency Department Nursing Staff: Early Identification of Sepsis
Get PDFSepsis remains a life-threatening health challenge, contributing to significant morbidity and mortality within healthcare systems. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project aimed to address knowledge deficits among emergency room nurses regarding the early identification and management of sepsis, mainly through the implementation of the 3-hour sepsis bundle. The practice-focused question guiding this project was whether educating nurses on the 3-hour sepsis bundle would increase their knowledge. This project aimed to educate nurses on how to identify sepsis early and implement the sepsis 3-hour bundle in a timely manner, with the overall goal of improving nursing knowledge. The sources of evidence for this project supported the project. An educational intervention was provided to 30 nurses who voluntarily participated. Pretest and posttest questionnaires were administered to the participants. The analytical strategy used was a paired t test to statistically compare the nurses’ knowledge scores from the pre- and post-education intervention assessments. The findings discovered substantial gaps in sepsis knowledge. The pretest scores averaged a 20% to 86.7% scoring range. Following the educational intervention, the posttest scores improved significantly, reaching 100% in the majority of knowledge areas. Statistical analysis confirmed the effectiveness of the educational intervention, with a paired t test yielding a t value of 8.45, p value of \u3c .001. These results underscore the need for ongoing educational programs to enhance nursing competencies in sepsis management and early identification. Recommendations included establishing regular training sessions and integrating sepsis education into the onboarding process for new nursing staff
Polarization, Performance, Responsiveness, and Trust in Malawian Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Institutions
Get PDFPolitical trust matters for good governance and democracy. Although Malawi\u27s constitution affirms trust as a key component of authority, Afrobarometer surveys have revealed broad declines, hindering democratic consolidation and the achievement of the long-term Vision 2063 development goals. Prior researchers studying the country have fixated on qualitative analyses and overlooked affective polarization and differentiation across government branches. The purpose of this cross-sectional quantitative study was to examine the predictive relationship between perceived government performance, responsiveness, corruption, affective polarization, democratic satisfaction, and trust in the Malawi president, parliament, and judiciary, using generalized linear models to apply Easton\u27s political support theory to five Afrobarometer surveys from 2016 to 2025. Results suggest that performance is a prime predictor of presidential trust (χ² (1) = 523.62, p \u3c .001, OR = 2.01) with “expect presidents to steward the economy” (χ² (1) = 72.49, p \u3c .001, OR = 1.38), “parliament to tackle job creation” (χ² (1) = 14.23, p \u3c .001, OR = 1.15), and “judiciary to safeguard distributive justice” (χ² (1) = 14.34, p \u3c .001, OR = 1.15) having higher predictive odds. Democratic satisfaction predicted trust, elevating the odds for the president, parliament, and judiciary by 19%, 23%, and 23%, respectively. Presidential trust was vulnerable to corruption (χ² (1) = 47.08, p \u3c .001, OR = 0.76), and partisan alignment (χ² (1) = 22.42, p \u3c .001, OR = 0.48) and was prominent in crises. Policy makers could foster positive social change through tailored reforms, bolstering democratic governance and aligning with Vision 2063. Their actions could improve governmental responsiveness, foster institutional legitimacy, and mitigate corruption
The Exploration of the Housing Exclusion Impact Among Michigan Ex-Offenders
Get PDFEx-offenders possibly felt excluded when private landlords or property managers conducted background checks and decided to immediately deny ex-offenders housing opportunities. The problem this study addressed was how landlords and property managers’ exclusion of ex-offenders impacted reentry post-incarceration. There was a gap regarding how Michigan private landlords impacted ex-offenders’ success factor in securing safe housing upon reentry back to society. The key findings related to the literature in ways that showed how landlords acknowledged outside biases, yet described ex-offender tenants as appreciative, positive, and respectful. The purpose of this general qualitative study was to explore how state and federal policies may compel landlords/property managers to grant safe housing to ex-offenders in Michigan. The study included the social exclusion theory as a foundational framework and included an exploration of the dynamics of exclusion and its impact on ex-offenders during the reentry process. This general qualitative study included in-depth interviews with active, former, and retired landlords experienced with ex-offenders as applicants and or tenants in the state of Michigan. Landlords in Michigan reported mixed experiences, some highlighted positive outcomes like respectful tenants and improved self-esteem for ex-offenders. Participants desired a greater role of employment and vocational readiness from government sources in shaping housing opportunities for ex-offenders. The implication for social change was that Michigan ex-offenders who sought safe housing found community members who welcomed reentry and supported second chances
Staff Education on Oral Health to Night Shift Staff
Get PDFHospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) remains the most common hospital-acquired infection in the United States, with nonventilated adult patients particularly at risk. This doctoral project focused on improving oral care practices among night shift nursing staff on a medical-surgical unit to reduce the risk of HAP. The practice gap identified was the inconsistent and inadequate delivery of oral hygiene during night shifts, primarily due to staff knowledge deficits, time constraints, and a lack of standardized procedures. The project was guided by the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice model and addressed the following question: In adult patients on a medical-surgical unit, will staff education on the importance of evidence-based oral care, compared to usual care without targeted education, improve the quality of oral care, specifically the time spent brushing patients\u27 teeth? A targeted educational intervention was implemented, incorporating a PowerPoint presentation, a fact sheet, a hands-on return demonstration, pre- and post-training knowledge/confidence surveys, and a commitment pledge. 14-night shift staff participated, including registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and nursing assistants. Descriptive statistics were used to measure knowledge gain, confidence improvement, skill proficiency, and behavioral intent. Results demonstrated an 80.7% increase in knowledge, a 41.4% increase in staff confidence, a 125% improvement in skill proficiency, and 100% pledge completion. Staff acknowledged the role of oral hygiene in pneumonia prevention. Qualitative feedback identified barriers such as time constraints and supply availability, but reflected strong engagement with the intervention. This initiative successfully improved the consistency and quality of oral hygiene delivered during night shifts, emphasizing the importance of including night shift staff in quality improvement efforts. Recommendations include integrating oral care education into onboarding and annual competency training, standardizing documentation, and maintaining readily accessible supplies. The project\u27s implications extend beyond the local site, supporting the scalability of oral care education to reduce preventable harm in nonventilated patients. By prioritizing staff engagement, infection prevention, and health equity, this work fosters enhanced nursing practice, improved patient outcomes, and better organizational quality goals
The Motivating Factors of Volunteer Engagement: A Study of Youth Sports Organizations
Get PDFThe decline in volunteer engagement within nonprofit organizations poses a significant challenge, particularly in youth sports where volunteer support is essential to program success. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the organizational factors that influenced volunteer motivation and satisfaction in a youth sports nonprofit. The practice focused research question for the study was: what factors within the organization either motivate or demotivate current individuals to volunteer in youth sports? Guided by Herzberg’s two-factor theory and self-determination theory, the study utilized the Modified Volunteer Functions Inventory for Sports survey to collect responses from 21 coaches and board members. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression. Results showed that intrinsic motivators, including achievement, interpersonal relationships, and a sense of purpose, were most influential, while extrinsic motivators such as career advancement and networking were less important. The findings revealed that organizational support positively predicted satisfaction, while superficial recognition negatively influenced it, highlighting the need for authentic acknowledgement of contributions. Based on these findings, a volunteer engagement strategy was developed, offering actionable recommendation to strengthen recruitment, retention, and overall engagement. Implications for public administration included evidence-based approaches to improve volunteer management and organizational sustainability. Positive social change may be achieved through more stable volunteer programs, enhanced youth development opportunities, and stronger community connections
Staff Education to Improve Knowledge of Venous Leg Ulcer Prevention
Get PDFThis Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) staff education project implemented a standardized program to strengthen knowledge, confidence, and adherence to venous stasis ulcer (VSU) prevention among staff in an outpatient vascular clinic. The practice problem was the lack of standardized staff education, leading to inconsistent patient teaching and recurrent ulceration. VSUs are a significant public health challenge, increasing morbidity, healthcare utilization, and reducing quality of life (He et al., 2024). The practice-focused question for this project was: In frontline medical staff at a vascular outpatient clinic, does a staff education program on a standardized approach to patient education for VSU prevention, compared to pre-education knowledge assessment, improve staff knowledge, confidence, and intent to change practice over 12 weeks? The purpose of this doctoral project was to increase staff knowledge and improve patient outcomes through evidence-based education that promoted consistent preventive practices and reduced preventable complications (Probst et al., 2020; Senft et al., 2022). The results of the descriptive analysis of the pre- and post-knowledge assessment revealed a significant increase in staff knowledge and greater confidence in applying VSU prevention strategies following the education program. The implications for the organization included improved staff proficiency, protocol adherence, and standardized patient education. This project concludes that structured nurse-led education strengthens evidence-based practice and care quality. Recommendations include expanding to other clinics, refresher training, and ongoing audits. This project has the potential to positively impact social change by fostering professional growth, promoting equitable preventive care, and reducing complications to improve outcomes (Dang et al., 2021)