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Effective Leadership Strategies That Enhance Banking Employees’ Productivity
Full text linkIneffective leader-follower relationships in banks can negatively affect productivity. Branch bank leaders in New Jersey are concerned that low productivity reduces the quality of service provided to clients. Based on leader-member exchange theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project is to identify and explore effective strategies that some leaders in the banking industry in New Jersey use to build leader-follower relationships for increasing and sustaining worker productivity. Participants were six bank managers in New Jersey who had implemented strategies. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and a review of publicly available industrial documents, and three themes were identified with thematic analysis: (a) transparent relationship and communication strategy, (b) leadership support for work–life balance, and (c) employee turnover in the banking sector. The key recommendation is that bank leaders in New Jersey must prioritize transparency while maintaining consistency and honesty in their employees’ communication. Implications for positive social change include the potential for banking leaders to foster more effective leadership strategies, thereby improving both the work environment for banking professionals and the quality of care provided to clients
Evaluation of Unmet Needs of Vulnerable Populations and At-Risk Communities Through Disaster Management Planning
Full text linkThis community-based non-profit organization aimed to aid those most in need by providing critical social services. The client organization has been selected numerous times as a recipient of federal disaster case management programs, often not until a year after the disaster, resulting in distrust of the federal government and organizations contracted to perform recovery services. Providing services to areas impacted has been difficult due to contract delays. The practice research question addressed in this study was: How can a client organization address the one-year service gap frequently associated with federal contracts through a disaster management planning system? The purpose of this qualitative study was to equip the client organization with a post-disaster needs assessment and disaster recovery plan by using a logic model, which was the primary deliverable, that can be used to evaluate and address unmet needs among vulnerable populations. Data collection consisted of 15 participants, which included 10 surveys and five in-person and virtual interviews with emergency management practitioners. Analytical techniques included creating themes that were identified during transcription, and analysis was conducted through triangulation. Findings included that the client organization could address its service gap through procurement contracts, immediate disaster case management, fee-for-service, sponsorships, and volunteer disaster case management. This study contributes to public administration practice by providing methods to shorten recovery times. This project has the potential to promote positive social change by providing additional information related to the unmet needs of vulnerable populations and at-risk communities through future disaster planning
Staff Education to Improve Nurses\u27 Knowledge and Confidence in Suicide Risk Assessment
Full text linkThe purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice staff education project was to strengthen nurses’ knowledge and confidence in suicide risk assessments. Suicide remains a crucial patient safety issue, and nurses report uncertainty in early recognition and intervention; therefore, brief, practice-proximal training is essential. The practice-focused question that informed this project’s purpose was whether a short education module with pre- and post testing improves nurses’ knowledge and confidence in suicide risk assessment. Three nurses participated in a structured session covering risk factors, warning signs, standardized screening, and safety planning. I then used descriptive analysis to compare their pre- and posttest scores and self-reported confidence ratings. Findings showed clear, short-term gains: Participants’ mean knowledge scores increased from 60% on the pretest) to 90% on the posttest, and their self-rated confidence rose similarly, suggesting that even a concise, practice-proximal education module can improve nurse readiness to screen and respond. The project included the education module and a brief testing tool to track participants’ knowledge and confidence. My recommendations to leadership are to institutionalize periodic refresher training; embed universal suicide-risk screening and safety-planning prompts into workflows; and monitor implementation, such as completion rates and documentation quality, to sustain gains over time. The project’s implications for nursing practice include more consistent, earlier identification of risk and clearer escalation pathways. Regarding positive social change centered on diversity, equity, and inclusion, the project promotes equitable access to suicide prevention by normalizing universal screening and encouraging culturally responsive safety planning for diverse patient populations
Strategies to Improve Team Cohesion Among Hybrid and Remote Teams to Improve Customer Satisfaction
Full text linkA lack of team cohesion among hybrid and remote teams can negatively affect customer satisfaction. Customer service leaders require effective strategies to improve team cohesion in increasingly flexible work environments; however, limited understanding exists regarding the strategies these leaders use to foster cohesion in hybrid and remote work settings. Grounded in the composite conceptual framework of theories of group development and customer focus, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore effective strategies that some leaders in the South Central region of the U.S. customer service organizations use to improve team cohesion among hybrid and remote teams to improve customer satisfaction. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with six customer service organizational leaders in the south-central United States. Using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis, four themes were revealed: (a) communicating clearly and consistently, (b) promoting collaboration to enhance team member consistency, (c) fostering team cohesion through team building activities, and (d) cultivating a sense of belonging. A key recommendation for customer service leaders is to establish clear communication by defining channels for specific purposes, promoting open dialogue through active listening, and setting clear expectations for feedback and conflict resolution. This ensures that all voices are heard internally and that customers feel valued externally through consistent interactions. The implications for positive social change include the potential for increased job satisfaction, higher productivity and performance, and the promotion of inclusivity, diversity, and equity in the workforce, leading to a more reliable, efficient, and ethical marketplace
Staff Education to Streamline Congestive Heart Failure Education
Full text linkCongestive heart failure (CHF) is a progressive disease that affects a diverse population. Patient-centered education is key to lowering rehospitalizations and mortality rates. Although nurses are essential providers of patient-centered education, those in acute care settings often have unclear directions for implementing and documenting CHF education. Multiple educational materials within electronic health record (EHR) systems further complicate the process and highlight the practice gap. The aim of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to streamline CHF education by clarifying the role of nurses in education delivery and documentation, potentially enhancing nurse confidence and improving patient health outcomes, with implications for health equity and diversity. The project-focused question was, Does a CHF-focused tip sheet and educational Microsoft PowerPoint presentation, highlighting American Heart Association (AHA)-compliant educational topics and patient identification criteria, improve acute care nurses’ knowledge of CHF patient education, as measured by pre- and posttest results? A normalized Likert score was used to standardize the maximum values for the statistical analysis. The 54% learning gain indicated that both products, the educational presentation and tip sheet, were effective resources for improving the confidence and knowledge of acute care nurses. A recommendation is for nursing leaders to apply educational tools to support the nursing profession with a streamlined, equitable, and inclusive process for patients. Therefore, engaging patients with a structured, patient-centered education on CHF positively impacts social change by encouraging patient participation and accountability in their health and wellbeing
Clinical Practice Guideline: Self-care Management for Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Full text linkSummary The DNP project is a clinical practice guideline (CPG) quality improvement project to guide nurses in caring for patients admitted with chronic obstructive disease (COPD). The quality issue identified was an increased readmission rate for patients with COPD in the facility, of which knowledge and awareness remain extremely low. An annual target of 19.36% was set by the facility to track the readmission rate of patients with COPD, and according to statistics from the facility, from July 2021 to June 2022, the rate was 25.7%; from July 2022 to June 2023, the readmission rate increased to 26%, thus necessitating urgent intervention to curb the rate. The purpose of developing this guideline is to help guide nurses in providing information to improve self-care management for patients with COPD. I developed the guidelines based on current evidence-based information and followed the disease-specific education guide established by the project organization. Three experts evaluated the CPG to determine its quality and usability using the AGREE II questions document and recommended the guidelines for use in the facility. It is believed that appropriate management can result in symptom control, potentially slow the progression of the disease, reduce the frequency and severity of exacerbations, improve lung function, improve the patient’s quality of life, and reduce COPD-attributable costs (Hosseinzadeh & Shnaiget, 2019). Through this, the facility will meet its target readmission goal, and no funds will be lost to the Medicare and Medicaid readmission program. Furthermore, education on the self-management of COPD has been shown to improve patients’ quality of life and reduce hospital admissions. I recommend integrating the guidelines into the EPIC system so that nurses can easily access them
Navigating Blended Family Dynamics: Lived Experiences of Newly - Married Black American Couples with Children
Full text linkRemarriage offers the opportunity to create new family structures, giving individuals second chances to forge meaningful connections and develop new family dynamics. This study involved investigating the experiences of newly-married Black American couples with children as they faced challenges inherent to blended family dynamics. The objective was to understand how these families navigated the complexities of integrating different family systems during their formative years. Using a basic qualitative research design, the study was guided by Bowen’s family systems theory, which emphasizes how individuals construct knowledge within their socioemotional contexts. A convenience sample of nine spouses from blended families was purposefully selected to ensure a diverse range of perspectives. Data collection involved in-depth semi-structured interviews during which participants reflected on their daily interactions, communication patterns, and relational dynamics within their families. Thematic analysis was used to interpret data, revealing recurring patterns and themes that highlighted emotional, relational, and cultural complexities these families encountered. By examining sociocultural and emotional contexts of blended families, this study contributes to the literature on family studies, offering actionable insights and strategies to foster healthier relationships and greater resilience within these families. Findings include evidence-based recommendations for counseling, social work, and family therapy practitioners that are aimed at better supporting newly-remarried couples during their critical early years as blended families
Racial and Ethnic Minority Supervisees’ Experiences in Clinical Supervision
Full text linkClinical supervision practices, although essential to counselor development, often reflect limited cultural competence among supervisors contributes to unclear expectations, conflicting roles, and isolation, leading to stress, negative internalization, and compromised professional development. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of racial and ethnic minority supervisees in clinical supervision within the mental health counseling profession. The research question was: What are the lived experiences of racial and ethnic minority supervisees who have been involved in clinical supervision? The framework guiding the study was hermeneutic phenomenology. Data from interviews with eight participants were analyzed using the hermeneutic circle. Nine themes emerged, including cultural bias and neglect, ethical concerns, stress, nondisclosure, hierarchical power dynamics, and the positive influence of cultural humility, sensitivity, and collaboration. Findings may inform more culturally responsive and effective supervisory practices for diverse populations
Minority Leaders’ Impact on Corporate Diversity and Organizational Change
Full text linkWorkplace diversity continues to face criticism due to the limited representation of minority groups, with little progress made in the corporate sector. Despite corporations’ efforts to increase diversity and inclusion in the workplace, a notable lack of minority leadership persists in upper management roles. The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed-method study was to explore the factors that affect the selection of minority leaders and how corporate executives utilize diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives to foster significant organizational change, even in the face of ongoing underrepresentation in upper management. Social dominance theory, anti-egalitarianism, and social construction theory grounded this study. Qualitative data from 10 in-depth interviews, collected via the National Faculty Survey, revealed persistent obstacles such as inequitable promotion practices, insufficient mentorship, exclusion from informal networks, pipeline challenges, institutional data gaps, and perceptions of tokenism. These findings informed the quantitative phase, which analyzed survey data collected from 33 participants using the Workforce Diversity Questionnaire II. Descriptive statistics, reliability testing (α = .760), and Friedman’s analysis of variance (p \u3c .001) indicated significant differences in perceptions of program effectiveness. Results from both phases confirmed that DEI initiatives often fail due to a lack of leadership follow-through, entrenched structural inequities, and the absence of systematic evaluation. The implications for positive social change include the potential for leaders to implement transparent promotion systems, expanded mentorship and sponsorship opportunities, and data-driven accountability to ensure equitable access to leadership roles for minorities
Cancer Literacy and Social Determinants of Health: An Epidemiological Analysis of Trust, Digital Engagement, and Healthcare Utilization in Cancer Information Seeking
Full text linkThe rise of online health information has increased access to cancer resources but also amplified misinformation, creating trust gaps that threaten prevention, treatment, and health equity. This study examined how trust in cancer information sources, online information-seeking, and healthcare perceptions relate among U.S. adults. Guided by the health information seeking behavior, the socioecological model, and the structural influence model of health communication, data from the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey (N = 6,197) were analyzed with logistic regression, mediation, and moderation modeling, controlling for demographics. Trust in government agencies predicted greater cancer information seeking (odds ratio [OR] = 1.94, p \u3c .001) than trust in physicians (OR = 1.21, p = .07), suggesting trust in public institutions plays a stronger role than trust in individual clinicians in motivating people to seek cancer information. Digital confidence mediated the link between frequent internet use and lower frustration (β = 0.18, p \u3c .001), helping internet users feel less overwhelmed. Trust in government sources moderated the positive association between healthcare use and perceived care quality (β = 0.22, p = .002), while conflicting guidance reduced trust in scientists (β = –0.16, p \u3c .01). Institutional trust and digital confidence jointly shape equitable engagement with health information. Implications for social change include promoting digital health literacy, improving institutional transparency, and empowering underserved communities to make informed cancer decisions that improve prevention, access, and population health