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Factors Affecting the Educational Status of Children in Nigeria
Get PDFThe problem addressed in this study is that irrespective of active involvement of Nigeria in Universal Basic Education, the nation still records the highest number of out-of-school children globally. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine how geopolitical location, socio-economics of the household, parental education, role of the child, age of the child, and gender of the child predict the educational status of children in Nigeria. This study is grounded in conflict and social systems theories. The most recent national secondary data on education from the 2015 Nigerian Education Data Survey was used. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate logistic regression was applied to model the relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variable. Statistically significant (p \u3c 0.05) predictors of educational status of children in Nigeria were geopolitical location, socio-economics of the household, age of the child, and parental education. Children in northern Nigeria as well as children from lower socio-economic households had 5.44 and 0.73 odds of never attending or dropping out of school respectively. However, children whose parents were educated as well as younger children had higher chances of being enrolled and retained in schools. The study findings emphasize the need to leverage knowledge of these predictors in developing programs tailored to improving educational outcome
Physical and Mental Health Experiences of Obese Men Living in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Get PDFThe COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented challenges to public health worldwide, significantly impacting vulnerable populations like obese men in the United States. This qualitative descriptive study involved exploring how these men perceived the pandemic’s impact on their physical and mental health, addressing a critical gap in existing literature. The research question that guided this study was: How did obese men living in the United States perceive the stressor that was the COVID-19 pandemic on their physical and mental health? Guided by the biopsychosocial model, the study involved using semi-structured interviews with 15 participants who were recruited online through social media. Thematic analysis revealed five key themes: unhealthy lifestyle and coping strategies, worsened quality of life, physical and mental health declines, value of social support during isolation, and realization of the need for better self-care. By addressing experiences of this population group, the study contributed to positive social change by informing development of targeted public health initiatives and healthcare practices that support needs of obese men during times of crisis
Experiences of Former Foster Youths With Learning Disabilities Who Transitioned Into Adulthood
Get PDFFoster youths with learning disabilities face numerous challenges as they transition out of care, including housing instability, unemployment, and mental health issues. Despite these barriers, research focusing on this specific population is limited. Guided by Taormina’s adult personal resilience theory, this qualitative case study explored the experiences and perceptions of former foster youths with learning disabilities to inform interventions and improve service delivery and policy improvements. The research questions addressed the experiences of former foster youths with learning disabilities transitioning out of care, the unique challenges associated with transitioning out of foster care as experienced by former foster youths with learning disabilities, and how former foster youths with learning disabilities experience determination, endurance, adaptability, and recuperability in their transition out of foster care. Data was collected from semistructured interviews with a purposive sample of eight former foster youths, self-identified as having learning disabilities, and four service providers working with this population. Thematic analysis revealed six themes and one subtheme: housing instability, employability, longing to belong, impact of learning disabilities, lack of support, survival, and unresolved closure. The findings underscore the need to develop effective support systems that facilitate smoother transitions and enhance overall well-being of foster youths with learning disabilities
Implementation of an Educational Program to Improve Nurses’ Knowledge of Basic Ostomy Care
Get PDFThis staff education project aimed to determine if an educational program would improve nurses’ knowledge of basic ostomy care in a surgical unit. Nurses in the surgical unit lack the knowledge and skills to perform proper ostomy care. Regardless of the years of experience, nurses may lose skills over time if they do not refresh their knowledge on basic ostomy care. The PICO (population, intervention, comparison, and outcome) question for this project was as follows: Does participation in an educational program focused on basic ostomy care improve the ostomy knowledge of staff nurses working on a surgical unit? This project focused on educating surgical nurses on the basics of ostomy care. A PowerPoint presentation was used as a visual description of ostomy care along with hands-on learning using ostomy appliances. A pre-and-post-test design was used to determine the project\u27s outcomes. Results from the pre- and posttests showed improvement in knowledge following a 45-minute educational program. Descriptive statistics showed improvement in test scores in the posttests. The Wilcoxon signed rank nonparametric test showed a significant difference between the pretest and posttest scores (p value \u3c 0.05). Nurses also verbalized satisfaction with the educational program. The outcomes of this project showed the need for frequent ostomy education and refresher courses. The availability of staff education to improve knowledge among nurses has potential to improve patients’ experiences and quality of life, leading to a positive social change
Factors in Teacher Turnover Within a Nonpublic Special Education Setting
Get PDFThe persistent turnover among special educators poses significant challenges to the quality of education provided to students with disabilities. The problem addressed in this study was the significant rate of turnover of special education teachers in a nonpublic special needs school on the east coast of the United States. Guided by Maslow’s theory of motivation and hierarchy of needs, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate the experiences of special education teachers and factors that influenced their decision to remain within the classroom environment. Eight special educators participated in semistructured interviews sharing the experiences they perceived as contributing factors to remaining within the classroom environment. Additionally, four nonpublic school program administrators provided their perspectives on teacher turnover and school-wide supports to promote special education teacher retention. Thematic analysis using open coding was conducted. Results revealed that special educators (a) often felt isolated within the school community, (b) required more direct support and involvement from school administration, and (c) expressed a strong desire to connect with colleagues through mentorship opportunities, professional growth, and team collaboration. Findings were used to inform a professional development plan aimed at fostering mentoring and building support for special educators within the school community. By strengthening the partnerships among school administrators and special education teachers a more inclusive, supportive educational community with the potential for decreased teacher turnover may be created, thereby fostering positive social change over time
Employee Perspectives on Reporting Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: A Study of Lived Experiences and Outcomes
Get PDFDespite numerous laws and policies, sexual harassment remains a significant public concern that has failed to be resolved through contemporary measures. This research study presents a comprehensive review and analysis of sexual harassment focusing on why employees who were victims of sexual harassment may not report such an incident and how reporting of these incidences subsequently impacted the workplace experiences of those who report the issue. The foundation of this qualitative study was feminist theory and twelve participants were recruited through a LinkedIn ad and semistructured interviews were conducted via Zoom or phone with audio-recording. Thematic analysis of the data revealed key factors in the decision to report that included fear of retaliation, mistrust in reporting mechanisms, and stigmas. Reporting sexual harassment revealed systemic organizational shortcomings that included inadequate follow-up, superficial resolutions, and insufficient accountability for perpetrators. Participants described profound emotional and professional impacts, including isolation and intent to leave. The study results indicate that organizational policies to prevent sexual harassment are not enough to ensure the safety of workers, and they fail to provide meaningful support for victims. The study identified pre-reporting factors of fear of retaliation, support or lack of support of colleagues, organizational conditions, and trust and post-reporting experiences of unclarity, negative responses, changes in perceptions of professionalism, and a lack of accountability. This study can contribute to positive social change by informing organizational auditing practices of sexual harassment policies and mitigation strategies
Level of Consensus for a Forward-Thinking Cyberterrorism Model
Get PDFCyberterrorism jeopardizes national security and fiscal systems and its potential gains and risks to public safety. U.S. corporate and government leaders must understand the ineffective collaboration to mitigate cyberterrorism risks. The purpose of this qualitative e-Delphi study was to develop information that may reveal a consensus among a panel of corporate cybersecurity experts as to the elements of an appropriate and feasible forward-looking collaborative model between U.S. corporate and government leaders for mitigating the risks of cyberterrorism. The research questions were used to gather experts’ perceptions on the solutions or deterrents to collaboration across the public and private sectors. Pruitt-Mentle’s C3 framework grounded this study. Data collection consisted of a survey sent to 49 participants in round one and 30 in round two. Survey rounds consisted of questions on desirability, feasibility, and the importance of elements for a collaborative model. The data analysis techniques were exploratory and thematic. Themes emerged, and open-ended questions led to additional exploratory questions for future research. The four findings showed (a) consensus among private and public sector leaders of a collaborative framework for cybersecurity, (b) agreement of the elements necessary surfaced among all leaders, (c) difficulty with privacy in attempts to collaborate with others, and (d) consensus regarding next steps to build a forward-thinking model. The findings may be significant and affect positive social change in practices and policies in the public and private sectors, as it is imperative that private leaders work with public leaders to safeguard shared values and the U.S. infrastructure
Strategies for Improving the Transition Process Home After Skilled Nursing for Chronically Ill Residents Who are 65 Years or Older
Get PDFWhen skilled nursing facilities fail to implement, enforce, and follow up with the discharge planning process before and after the resident transitions home, it can lead to a hospital admission. The purpose of this integrative review was to synthesize the literature to identify how the chronic care model (CCM) can support skilled nursing facilities with the pre- and postdischarge planning process and make recommendations for strategy or policy revisions. The review question was focused on determining how the CCM can be effectively implemented within SNFs to optimize pre- and postdischarge planning for residents with chronic conditions and what strategy revisions are necessary to facilitate this integration. A thorough integrative review was conducted using empirical and nonempirical literature published between 2016–2024, employing the John Hopkins evidence-based practice model to help determine what strategies can be incorporated into the pre and postdischarge planning process. Several themes emerged from the review, including coordinated care transitions and clear and consistent communication. The subthemes were early assessments, medication reconciliation, interdisciplinary team collaboration, resident and family engagement, follow-up visits, transition to home planning, addressing concerns, resident-centered communication, and clear instructions. Further studies are needed to examine the effectiveness of evidence-based interventions using the CCM on the overall health status of residents. Implementing these strategies can promote positive social change via collaborative efforts between skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, primary care and home health agencies to provide a seamless transition home
Parent-Teacher Communication in the Infant-Toddler Setting
Get PDFThere is a lack of understanding in terms of how to support effective parent-teacher communications in infant and toddler education programs. Early childhood educators are necessary to communicate with parents about what occurs in classrooms as parents are vital sources about what occurs in homes. The purpose of this study was to explore parent and teacher perspectives on parent-teacher communication to determine ways to improve and support home-school communication and support early learners. Bronfenbrenner\u27s theory of ecological systems, particularly the mesosystem, which involves interactions between two or more settings such as homes and schools, guided the research. For this basic qualitative design, in-depth interviews were collected from 10 participants (five parents and five early childhood teachers) who had children or taught in an infant toddler setting in a school district in the Northeastern state. Data analysis included identification of codes and themes and revealed four themes: parent-teacher communication strategies, classroom engagement barriers, developmental milestones, and lifestyle convenience for parents in circumference of their homes. A recommendation was made for additional studies with larger school districts addressing effective communications in infant and toddler settings. This study addresses elements of positive social change in that it promotes development of new strategies that would strengthen parent-teacher communication which could enhance effective outcomes in the infant-toddler setting
Staff Education on the Use of GAD-7 to Screen for Anxiety
Get PDFSummary This staff education project aimed to implement the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale for anxiety screening during routine patient visits. Integrating such tools into nursing practice is essential for early identification and timely intervention of anxiety disorders. The project investigated the effectiveness of staff education on the use of GAD-7 in enhancing the identification and management of anxiety in patients during routine visits. Its purpose was to equip providers with the skills to use the tool effectively, improving their ability to manage anxiety disorders. The practice focus question “Will an interactive educational program improve the knowledge of the use of the GAD-7?” Data on the NPs\u27 knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported practices regarding anxiety screening pre and post the intervention were collected. The findings showed that all 15 nurse practitioners acknowledged the value and effectiveness of using the GAD-7 for anxiety screening after the educational sessions, with a significant increase in their confidence, 16.99%, and competence, 25%. The findings suggest that staff education enhances the use of screening tools in clinical practice, suggesting that similar initiatives should be implemented across different healthcare settings to foster early anxiety disorder detection. This approach benefits nursing practice by improving patient outcomes, strengthening nurse-patient. relationships, optimizing resource use, and promoting equitable mental health care, which helps reduce health disparities and supports holistic patient care