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Effective Strategies for the Implementation of Environmental Social and Governance Initiatives to Improve Brand Value
Get PDFSome business leaders lack effective strategies to develop and implement their organization’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives to improve the value of the organization’s brand. Business leaders, in particular, are concerned with balancing the improvement of brand value while addressing stakeholder expectations and navigating regulatory complexities. Grounded in institutional and legitimacy theories, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore effective strategies for the implementation of ESG initiatives to improve brand value. Participants included five senior leaders from the energy, nonprofit, technology, and consulting sectors who had implemented ESG initiatives. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and publicly available documentation. Through thematic analysis, five themes were identified: (a) ESG strategy integration, (b) authenticity and value creation, (c) challenges in ESG implementation, (d) stakeholder influence and engagement, and (e) regulatory and market pressures. A key recommendation is for business leaders to embed ESG initiatives in core business strategy, driven by leadership and transparency. The implications for positive social change include the potential for organizational leaders to enhance transparency and accountability in corporate and community efforts thereby fostering more ethical and sustainable corporate-community relationships
Implementing Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Screening in Adult Mental Health: A Staff Education Initiative
Get PDFThis project was a staff education program aimed at the use of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) as a universal depression screening instrument within a mental health facility. The project was conducted in an urban area of the United States at an outpatient behavioral health facility and was focused on addressing the stagnation in the staff’s correct use of evidence-based measures of depression screening that inhibits the prompt detection and treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). The practice focused question was: Following participation in a staff education program, will staff demonstrate increased knowledge on depression screening and use of the PHQ-9? As analytical strategies, I used descriptive statistics to assess participants’ knowledge gains in the form of pre- and posttests and coded a qualitative review of program evaluation forms. Results demonstrated a mean knowledge increase of 25%–40% among participants. The implementation of the PHQ-9 increased the staff’s confidence, quality of documentation, and clinical decision-making. Some of the major deliverables are the curriculum plan, PHQ-9 slide deck, handouts, and case study booklet. The project contributes to the betterment of nursing practice by equipping nurses with a standardized, evidence-based tool to identify depression, enhancing their ability to provide accurate assessments and timely referrals. This ensures that patient care decisions are based on validated data rather than subjective observation, strengthening overall clinical judgment and workflow efficiency. The initiative also promotes equitable mental health screening and early intervention, which are essential to reducing disparities in patient outcomes
Strategies Managers Use to Retain Financial Advisors New to the Industry
Get PDFHigh employee turnover can negatively affect a business. Some financial advisor managers are concerned about the retention of financial advisors who are new to the industry, as addressing this issue is vital for organizational efficiency, given the high costs of employee replacement. Grounded in social exchange theory, the purpose of this qualitative, pragmatic inquiry project was to explore the strategies financial advisor managers use to improve the retention of financial advisors who are new to the industry. The participants comprised eight financial advisor managers with successful retention strategies. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and by reviewing organizational websites and annual reports. Through thematic analysis, four themes were identified: (a) mentoring, (b) training and development, (c) total rewards, and (d) the availability of resources. A key recommendation is for financial advisor managers to actively mentor and coach new financial advisors. The implications for positive social change include the potential for financial advisor managers to implement retention strategies that reduce recruitment costs and increase profitability, benefiting local economies through enhanced community investment
Rurality’s Impact on Alaska Native Elders’ Levels of Physical Activity and Obesity
Get PDFWhile there have been studies on obesity levels and physical activity levels across many populations and age groups, few studies have focused on Alaska Native Elders. The purpose of this study was to examine rurality (urban vs. rural counties), physical activity, and obesity level while controlling for sex, self-reported loneliness, and self-reported stress. The theoretical foundation for this study was based on the socio-ecological model (SEM), and the research questions in this study explored how rurality impacted obesity levels and how rurality impacted physical activity levels in Alaska Native Elders. The methodology of this study was a quantitative cross-sectional design analyzing data from 2023 CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data, including only Alaska Native Elder respondents aged 50 and over (N = 360). The data analytic procedures included bivariate analysis and complex sample multiple logistic regression to understand the impact of rurality on physical activity levels and obesity levels. Results indicated no association between rurality and physical activity levels or rurality and obesity levels; however, there was a significant association between obesity level and loneliness (Wald F = 85.630, p \u3c0.001) and stress (Wald F = 3.505, p \u3c0.001). The findings of this study highlight the impact of loneliness and stress on obesity levels in Alaskan Native Elder populations and could positively impact mental health care for this subpopulation. Future positive social change could also support increased physical activity levels and reduced obesity levels in this population, and more unified Elder Care programming across Alaska
Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection Prevention Staff Education for Medical- Surgical Nurses
Get PDFBackground: CLABSIs remain a significant cause of morbidity, mortality, and increased healthcare costs, particularly in hospitalized patients requiring long-term vascular access. Despite established guidelines, inconsistent adherence to central line dressing change protocols persists within the DNP project organization, often due to insufficient staff knowledge and variability in practice. This practice gap increases the risk of catheter site contamination and leads to preventable CLABSI events, creating a clear need for intervention. Method: A designed educational program that integrated interactive lectures, case studies, and simulation-based activities. A pre- and post-intervention assessment to measure changes in participants’ knowledge and self-reported confidence in applying the protocols. Results: Following the implementation of the staff education project on central line dressing changes, there was a marked improvement in participant knowledge. Posttest results demonstrated perfect scores across all items for all participants, indicating complete mastery of the content. This significant improvement reflects the effectiveness of the interactive training, simulation exercises, and hands-on return demonstrations Conclusion: Staff education project on central line dressing changes had a significant positive impact on the project site organization by enhancing nurses’ knowledge, skills, and confidence in adhering to evidence-based protocols for CLABSI prevention
Reintegration Experiences of Male Victims of Human Trafficking
Get PDFHuman trafficking continues to be a world-wide problem, despite attempts to mitigate it. Many human trafficking victims are saved each year, but many more do not make it out. When rescued, the victims of human trafficking need to be reintegrated back into society. Research on human trafficking survivors is mostly focused on female victims; there is little research focused on male victims. Due to this, the purpose of this research was to explore the experiences of men who have been through the reintegration process as children in America after they have been rescued from human trafficking. A phenomenological approach was used to explore the lived experiences of men who have been through the reintegration process as children in America after being rescued from human trafficking. Semistructured interviews were conducted with five male survivors of human trafficking. By focusing instead on the reintegration experiences of young men, this study can find possible barriers that have to be overcome by the victims. Barriers that were found included feeling like an outsider, lack of privacy, and being viewed as being associated with other men that hurt female victims of human trafficking. This in turn can lead to others finding possible solutions to them. This helps create positive social change
Exploring Challenges of Parents with Disabilities Affecting Custody of the Children
Get PDFDespite the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 promoting equality for people with disabilities, parents with developmental and intellectual disabilities experience high rates of involvement with child welfare services due to outdated terminology, information about disabilities, and policies. The purpose of this study was to identify the challenges of parents with intellectual and developmental disabilities and determine if they differ from those of parents without a disability. This was a generic qualitative study grounded in intersectionality theory. Education, employment, health and safety concerns, independence, assistive technology, social services involvement, and supports or resources were examined through the perspective of the parent with an intellectual or developmental disability and compared to the challenges of parents without a disability. The primary research question was an examination of the challenges for parents with intellectual and developmental disabilities while providing quality care to their child according to the state’s standards. Thirteen semistructured interviews were conducted, and thematic analysis identified 10 themes: impact of disability on parenting styles and abilities, financial strain and employment, emotional well-being, caregiving arrangements and support networks, access to resources and services, types and severity of disabilities, advocacy and systemic issues, support and resource availability, and societal attitudes and perceptions. Key conclusions contributed to positive social change in that they highlighted that parents with disabilities do not have significantly different challenges than parents without a disability and require changes in policy, education, additional research, and support for the population
Staff Education and Competency Assessment for Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection Reduction
Get PDFThis Doctor of Nursing Practice project was an educational initiative to provide comprehensive central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) prevention education program for staff working in an intensive care unit (ICU). CLABSIs pose a significant threat to patient safety, contributing to increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs, with annual expenditures estimated at 2.3 billion and mortality rates ranging from 10% to 30%. Despite existing protocols, the project site facility experienced persistent CLABSI rates. The purpose of the project was to provide a comprehensive educational program to ICU staff members on the unit. The practice-focused question guiding this project was: Does a comprehensive CLABSI prevention education program, including hands-on skills training, improve nurses’ knowledge and skills in CLABSI prevention? After the educational program, data were collected through pre- and posttests, skill competency evaluations, and qualitative feedback surveys. Quantitative analysis revealed an increase in participants’ knowledge scores (t =-8.206 (39), p\u3c.001), while qualitative insights highlighted areas for refinement with comprehensive strategies. Key findings underscored the program’s effectiveness in enhancing staff competency, with 24% deemed fully competent and targeted support identified for 16% requiring further development. Recommendations included increasing education and training on central line care, especially during new nurse on-boarding, addressing staff-identified barriers to CLABSI bundle compliance, such as ensuring proper staffing and promoting accountability. This initiative not only advances nursing practice by reducing preventable harm but also promotes equitable care delivery, aligning with broader public health goals and fostering positive social change
The Victims’ Experience: Emotional Spiritual Abuse in the Christian Community
Get PDFIn recent years, greater attention has been paid to the effects of sexual abuse within Christianity. There was a need for greater understanding of the psychological aspect of spiritual abuse within familial dynamics. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the phenomenon of emotional spiritual abuse that victims experience within Christian families. Using a theoretical foundation based on Bronfenbrenner\u27s ecological systems theory and Bowen\u27s family systems theory, this study focused on relationships within victims’ microsystem, mesosystem, and exosystem. It also explored the concept of emotional triangles in times of conflict. The data source consisted of one-on-one participant interviews featuring semi-structured, open-ended questions. The nine interviews were transcribed using Otter.ai and then inductively coded. The 37 identified categories were further coded into eight themes: traumatic stressors, clerical, prejudicial, activities, familial/relational, intimacy, satanic, and Biblical literature. The themes indicate the strategies and tactics utilized against the participants to commit emotional spiritual abuse. Identifying the common strategies and tactics that are used to commit emotional spiritual abuse may contribute to early identification. The study may also foster positive social change by informing professionals of the need for a more victim-centered approach to addressing emotional spiritual abuse
The Perceived Barriers to Services Among Hispanic Immigrant Community Members in Southern Connecticut
Get PDFIn this qualitative phenomenological study, the perceived barriers to services among Hispanic immigrant community members in Southern Connecticut were explored. The study was grounded in social disorganization theory and cultural conflict theory to identify the specific obstacles these communities face, understand the underlying causes, and examine the broader societal and criminal justice implications. Data were collected through open-ended anonymous questionnaires with participants from Hispanic immigrant communities. The findings revealed that fear of deportation, language barriers, and limited education about available services and resources were the most perceived barriers. These challenges were found to significantly affect the integration and well-being of Hispanic immigrants, contributing to a sense of cultural disconnect and reluctance to seek necessary support. Participants also highlighted strained relationships with law enforcement, hindering community policing efforts and outreach initiatives. The study contributes to positive social change by amplifying marginalized voices and providing insight to Hispanic immigrants. The research underscores the importance of empowerment, inclusion, and ethical considerations in addressing systemic issues by engaging stakeholders and emphasizing community collaboration. The implications extend to policy development, service provision, and community engagement strategies to foster trust and equity within immigrant populations