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Teachers’ Experiences With the Use of Read-Alouds for Fourth- and Fifth-Grade Students
Get PDFThe research problem addressed in this basic qualitative study was the inconsistent use and implementation of teacher read-alouds among fourth- and fifth-grade teachers in an urban district. Guided by Clark and Peterson’s cognitive process teacher model, Rumelhart’s schema theory, and Gough and Tunmer’s simple view of reading, the purpose of this project study was to explore teachers’ experiences and perceptions regarding their use of read-alouds as part of their regular reading instruction. Two research questions were developed to explore teachers’ experiences of the support received for using the read-aloud. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 fourth- and fifth-grade teachers. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis and inductive coding to generate themes. Teachers revealed multiple barriers such as curriculum requirements, negative perceptions, and time constraints, but expressed the desire for training. Needed training areas were structured support in integrating the read-aloud into their daily instructional routines, selecting appropriate resources aligned with content-area demands, and accessing opportunities to observe peer modeling to enhance their confidence and implementation of the practice. Based on these needs, a three-day professional learning course was proposed. This research has the potential to promote positive social change by improving teacher implementation of read-alouds and contributing to stronger reading proficiency among students prior to their transition to middle school
Factors Affecting the Level of Grief Experienced by Men Whose Female Partner Died in the United States
Get PDFGrief is an emotional reaction to the loss of a loved one through death. Although grief is a universal human experience, its perspective is unique, and research has often ignored the varied experiences of racial/ethnic and cultural groups, particularly men of color in the United States. The purpose of this quantitative study was to measure the level of grief experienced by men whose female partner died and to determine whether ethnicity, having a prior mental health diagnosis, social support, and traumatic or anticipated loss significantly impacted their level of grief. The study was guided by the social-ecological model to explain any revealed associations. Descriptive statistics and linear multiple regression were used to analyze N=208 Amazon Mechanical Turk electronic survey responses. Results revealed that social support and type of loss had statistically significant associations, R² = .254, p \u3c.001, and R² = .284, p = .019, respectively, with the level of grief in men whose female partner died. The findings indicated that for every 1-unit increase in perceived social support, the severity of grief decreased by 6.1%, 95% confidence interval (CI) [-0.097, -0.025]. For every 1-unit change in anticipated loss, the severity of grief decreased by 156%, 95% CI [-2.350, -0.784]. There were no statistically significant findings for ethnicity or prior mental health diagnoses. The findings may contribute to positive social change by helping public health practitioners support men who have lost a female partner. More targeted grief support could improve the lives of grieving men and their families and communities
Respiratory Health and Environmental Risks Among California Children: The Role of Socioeconomic Status
Get PDFAbstract Air pollution has been cited as a factor in the development of respiratory illness in children. Socioeconomic differences can intensify the effects of air pollution exposure on low-income children compared to higher-income children. This correlational study examined the relationship between air pollution exposure and respiratory health outcomes among California children, as well as the moderating role of socioeconomic status. The study was guided by the environmental health disparities framework and used secondary data from the California Environmental Health Tracking Program, analyzing data from 49 California counties (n = 49). Independent variables were PM2.5 concentrations and the number of ozone exceedance days. The dependent variable was pediatric asthma emergency department visit rates, and socioeconomic status served as the moderating variable. Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analyses showed a significant positive association between PM2.5 exposure and pediatric respiratory health outcomes (r = .58, p \u3c .01). Socioeconomic status significantly moderates this relationship (β = .22, p = .03), with children in lower-income areas experiencing greater respiratory burden at similar pollution levels. These findings may inform public health interventions and resource allocation in low-income and minority communities with elevated exposure to air pollution
Fort William First Nation People’s Perceptions of Receiving Nursing Care to Meet Their Wholistic Health Needs
Get PDFThere was limited knowledge of First Nations people’s experiences receiving nursing care to meet their wholistic health needs in Northern Ontario. The purpose of this qualitative interpretive description study, grounded in the two-eyed seeing framework and the Indigenous wholistic theory, was to explore First Nations people’s descriptions of receiving nursing care to meet their wholistic health needs in Northern Ontario. The study took place in the community of Fort William First Nation, a First Nations community in Northern Ontario. With approval from the Chief and Council of Fort William First Nation, semistructured interviews were conducted in person and on Zoom with Fort William First Nation participants alongside a local community knowledge holder. Data were analyzed using manual hands-on coding and thematic analysis. Three themes emerged: negative nursing experiences resulting in unmet needs, nursing practice and nursing education needing change, and a need to honor and integrate First Nation beliefs. Addressing racism, discrimination, and prejudice in nursing practice and nursing education is an urgent priority to promote positive social change. Future research that honors and integrates cultural beliefs and traditions into nursing care and nursing education may improve health outcomes and ensure nursing graduates can deliver culturally appropriate care to First Nation people’s that is free from racism and discrimination and honors their cultural beliefs
Strategies Some Small Business Owners Use to Implement New Accounting Technology
Get PDFAbstract Small business owners often face challenges when implementing accounting information systems, resulting in inefficiencies and reduced competitiveness. The study was grounded in the technology acceptance model (TAM), which guided examination of how small business owners implemented, evaluated, and sustained accounting software use while addressing implementation challenges and leveraging internal and external support. Data were collected through semi-structured interview questions from six small business owners who used accounting software such as QuickBooks, and thematic analysis identified five themes: (a) change management and organizational culture, (b) importance of external support and strategic partnerships, (c) measuring effectiveness through operational and client metrics, (d) challenges and overcoming barriers, and (e) business sustainability and lessons learned. Findings indicated that successful implementation of a company’s accounting information system (AIS) was dependent on early staff involvement, structured training, and vendor collaboration. Business leaders who integrated technology with people-centered management achieved greater efficiency and client satisfaction. A key recommendation is to develop clear and actionable performance metrics to guide accounting software implementation. The project extends the TAM by emphasizing vendor support and organizational learning as drivers of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Potential implications for positive social change include empowering small business owners to leverage technology for greater economic resilience, job creation, and community growth
Reflective Parenting, Psychological Needs, and Parental Interpretation of Children’s Negative Emotions
Get PDFParents’ ability to understand and respond effectively to children’s negative emotions plays a critical role in children’s emotional development and regulation. However, it remains unclear whether parents interpret negative emotions as potential signals of underlying psychological needs. Based in the conceptual framework of parental reflective functioning and basic psychological needs theory, and grounded in interpretivist- constructivist paradigm, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine how parents interpret children’s negative emotions and how their meaning-making processes relate to basic psychological needs. Semistructured interviews were conducted with parents of children between ages 3 and 9 years old (N = 14) and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis, involving hybrid inductive-deductive coding and theme development. Seven themes were identified indicating that parents consistently treated emotions as meaningful disclosures of the child’s lived experience, varied in the depth and accuracy of their interpretations, inferred underlying psychological needs both within and beyond basic psychological needs, and achieved effective emotion regulation when their interpretations accurately identified those needs. These findings may contribute to development of parent education programs, clinical practice, and caregiver training that aim at strengthening responsive and developmentally supportive co-regulation during children’s negative emotions
Strategies for Retaining Employees in the Global Healthcare Industry
Get PDFHigh healthcare employee turnover rates pose a significant threat to organizational productivity, workforce stability, and patient outcomes. Healthcare leaders are concerned with high employee turnover because it contributes to rising operational costs, employee burnout, and a decline in the quality of patient care. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation, this qualitative, pragmatic inquiry identified and explored effective strategies that healthcare leaders use to retain employees to maintain organizational productivity and enhance patient outcomes. Data were collected from nine healthcare leaders in the United States using semistructured interviews and publicly available documents. Through thematic analysis with triangulation and member checking to ensure trustworthiness, five themes were identified: (a) fulfilling employees’ intrinsic motivation enhancement and psychological needs, (b) prioritizing relational trust building and organizational advocacy, (c) providing personalized professional development and trajectory advancement, (d) fostering an inclusive organizational culture and decision-making dynamics, and (e) implementing adaptive organizational structures and integrated employee well-being. A key recommendation is to foster authentic and transparent leadership through clear communication, ethical decision-making, and open team engagement. The implications for positive social change include the potential to improve workforce stability, reduce burnout, and enhance patient care in healthcare settings. This social change may specifically benefit healthcare leaders through greater employee well-being and retention, patients through higher-quality care, and underserved communities through more reliable access to healthcare services
Clinical Practice Guidelines for Suicide Risk Assessment
Get PDFIn this doctoral project, I developed a clinical practice guideline (CPG) to address the lack of a standardized suicide risk assessment protocol at a Texas mental health clinic. At project initiation, suicide risk assessment at the facility was inconsistent due to the absence of a CPG. The guideline incorporated the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), a validated instrument that improved early detection of suicidal ideation and behaviors, which were often under recognized in older adults. This inconsistency led to the following clinical question, Does the evidence support the development of a CPG for assessing suicide risk among high-risk patients using the C-SSRS, as measured by a quality score via Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II tool from an expert panel and receives approval by end-users for use in practice? The purpose of this project was to create and evaluate a CPG to increase early detection and intervention for suicidal risk. I used the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice (JHEBP) model to review 14 sources spanning evidence Levels I-V. Literature was obtained from CINAHL, PubMed, Cochrane, and PsycINFO to ensure comprehensive coverage. A panel of four content experts assessed the guideline using the AGREE II instrument. All domain scores surpassed the 70% quality threshold, ranging from 76% to 88%. The first global assessment item received unanimous ratings of 7 (strongly agree) from all reviewers, indicating the highest possible quality rating, and the second item received full endorsement for implementation. The social significance of this project was demonstrated by the standardization of the C-SSRS tool, which aimed to improve early detection and management of suicide risk and to promote a consistent assessment approach for older adults
Staff Education to Improve Patient Safety Using Standardized Medication Transcription Verification
Get PDFThis staff education project was a quality improvement initiative aimed at reducing medication transcription errors by implementing a standardized verification protocol. The project addressed the critical practice problem of transcription-related medication errors, which contribute to wrong medication administration, adverse drug events, and patient harm. The practice-focused question was: How does implementing a staff education program on standardized medication transcription verification processes in healthcare institutions affect the rate of wrong medication administration compared to traditional transcription methods without education? The project was implemented over 8 weeks in an outpatient clinic with 20 participants (8 prescribers and 12 nurses). The primary data collection tool was a structured pre- and post-intervention Likert-scale survey, developed to assess staff confidence, satisfaction, and knowledge retention. The findings showed significant improvements following the intervention. Transcription errors dropped from 20% to 13% (a 35% reduction), and compliance with verification protocols rose from 62% to 88%. Confidence in using the protocols increased from 45% to 92% among participants, while overall staff satisfaction with the training improved from 50% to 90%. Sustaining the improvement will require continued staff education, periodic competency assessments, and routine audit feedback. Overall, the project demonstrates that nurse-led educational interventions can lead to measurable enhancements in minimizing transcription errors, improving communication between nurses and prescribers, and strengthening a culture of safety, confidence, and professional accountability in clinical practice
A Comparative Analysis of Rural and Urban Mental Health Counselors’ Burnout Levels During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Get PDFThe COVID-19 pandemic substantially increased occupational demands on mental health counselors, intensifying burnout and threatening clinician well-being, workforce sustainability, and quality of care. Guided by Resiliency Theory, this quantitative cross-sectional study examined burnout among rural and urban mental health counselors during the COVID-19 pandemic, with geographic location serving as the independent variable. Participants included 108 licensed master’s- and doctoral-level counselors in the United States who provided direct clinical services in rural or urban settings between March 1, 2020, and March 1, 2021. Data were collected using an online survey that included a demographic questionnaire and the Maslach Burnout Inventory–Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS), which measures Emotional Exhaustion (EE), Depersonalization (DP), and Personal Accomplishment (PA). Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted. Results indicated that geographic location significantly predicted PA, F(1, 106) = 4.741, p = .032, R² = .007; however, geographic location did not significantly predict EE (p = .085) or DP (p = .937). These findings suggest that while emotional exhaustion and depersonalization may be experienced similarly across practice settings, professional fulfillment is more context-dependent and influenced by structural supports and professional opportunities. From a social change perspective, addressing contextual disparities in counselor support systems may reduce burnout, strengthen resilience, and promote equitable access to quality mental health care during and following a global pandemic