Tag: Health and Nursing

Student: Samantha Sashko

Advisor: Dr. Khalid Almasloukh

Opioid use disorder poses a significant public health problem with widespread consequences for individuals, families, and communities. Bias towards patients with opioid use disorder can result in substandard care in a variety of healthcare settings, including the emergency department. The purpose of this study is to acquire information that is current and relevant to the effects of nursing education and advocacy for patients with opioid use disorder and the standard of care provided in the emergency department. The standard of care provided in the emergency department without specialized nursing education and advocacy for opioid use disorder may lack depth in addressing the multifaceted needs of patients with addiction. Four articles were collected from the databases PubMed, CINAHL, and ProQuest for this literature review, and the results were analyzed. The findings concluded that education can effectively change how healthcare providers internalize and process care of patients with opioid use disorder and can alter behavioral outcomes to encourage acceptance and de-stigmatization of patients with opioid use disorder. Future research could explore the effect of this intervention in other healthcare settings.

Keywords: opioid use disorder, nursing education, nursing advocacy

Student: Alyssa Miller

Advisor: Dr. Khalid Almasloukh

Postpartum depression is a devastating condition affecting many women across the globe, yet it remains a taboo topic in today’s society that is poorly understood, lacking attention amongst researchers. The purpose of this literature review is to examine different interventions in the treatment of postpartum depression, namely physical activity-based interventions and pharmacological interventions. This review includes three meta-analyses and one randomized control trial analyzing these interventions and seeks to explore their efficacy in producing positive outcomes for patients experiencing postpartum depression. The analysis reveals that both exercise and pharmacological methods show improvement in the treatment of depressive symptoms. This research provides valuable insight into the treatment of postpartum depression, an important condition to resolve for the well-being of both mother and child. The postpartum period marks the beginning of the maternal-infant bond, and this relationship is vital in the growth and development of the infant in addition to infant safety.

Keywords: postpartum depression, exercise, physical activity, pharmacological intervention

 

Student: Briana René Dawkins

Advisor: Dr. Khalid Almasloukh

Breastfeeding and formula feeding effect the infant’s body in different ways. While research has been done to determine the benefits of breastfeeding over formula feeding, there are several negative effects of formula feeding on an infant’s health and psychological bond to others, especially towards the mother. This literature review evaluated the effect of breastmilk versus formula milk on infant health and attachment to their mother. An advanced search in PubMed and CINAHL were used to locate quantitative studies relative to the research topic. The findings revealed that infants who are solely fed formula milk are more likely to suffer health complications and experience a weaker psychological connection to their mother. Additionally, infant formulas have faced challenges in terms of nutrient balance, which has led to health complications such as digestive issues, allergic reactions, and nutritional imbalances. Further, formula milk feeding is correlated to a weaker connection to others, especially towards the infant’s mother. Since formula milk use has increased in popularity recently, nurses should expect to encounter these complications in the infants they care for. Nurses should be educated or have access to education on the effects of formula milk to be able to educate parents on avoidance and treatment of complications.

Keywords: Breastfeeding, breast milk, formula milk, infant bonding, infant nutrition

Student: Makayla Seeram

Advisor: Dr. Khalid Almasloukh

Energy drinks are beverages marketed for their alleged enhancement of focus and attention, however, their consumption among adolescents is evolving into a dangerous social norm and a profound threat to their cardiovascular health. This study evaluated the cardiovascular risks of energy drinks versus the cardiovascular benefits of coffee and tea to provide two healthier alternatives. An advanced search on PubMed and IMR Press provided quantitative data indicating the cardiovascular risks of frequent energy drink consumption and the cardiovascular benefits of coffee and tea. The findings revealed that frequent energy drink consumption within the adolescent population has led to the most common etiologies of arrhythmias and fatal myocardial infarctions. In contrast, the beneficial consumption of coffee and tea has reduced atherosclerosis due to the anti-inflammatory properties of these beverages. Nurses can advocate by instituting campaigns within the school setting to educate adolescents on the adverse effects of energy drinks and to suggest healthier alternatives. Nurses may also advocate for future research on this topic.

Keywords: energy drinks, cardiovascular risks, coffee, tea, cardiovascular benefits

Second Place Literature Review Category

Student: Fagr Mahana

Advisor: Dr. Khalid Almasloukh

Skin-to-skin contact, commonly referred to as kangaroo care, is a fundamental practice in neonatal care known for its significant impact on newborns’ well-being. This literature review explores the effects of prolonged kangaroo care on neonatal thermoregulation and maternal-infant bonding. This literature review utilized PubMed and CINAHL databases to find three quantitative and one qualitative article relevant to the topic. The studies reviewed found that kangaroo care benefits babies by regulating temperature, preventing hypothermia, and fostering emotional bonds with their mothers. Studies further showed that kangaroo care not only supports the establishment of a strong emotional bond between the mother and infant but also enhances the mother’s mental well-being by reducing anxiety and postpartum depression symptoms. In conclusion, the findings underscore the multifaceted benefits of kangaroo care, emphasizing its crucial role in promoting neonatal well-being, enhancing maternal-infant bonding, and supporting maternal mental health.
Keywords: skin-to-skin, thermoregulation, kangaroo care, maternal-infant bonding.

 

University Libraries’ Excellence in Information Literacy Awardee

Student: Holly Bidwell

Advisor: Dr. Khalid Almasloukh

Violence toward emergency room nurses is becoming more prevalent and leads to nursing burnout. This can impact a nurse’s mental health and their ability to properly care for their patients. The purpose of this paper is to explore the effects that workplace violence protection programs have on decreasing the amount of violence in the emergency room. A literature review was conducted to collect qualitative and quantitative studies using the databases Science Direct, Cochrane Library, and PubMed. The results of the five articles were inconclusive. There was no correlation between violence protection programs and a decrease in patient violence. In conclusion, more in-person and scenario-based studies need to be conducted over a longer period of time in order to see if violence protection programs can be used to decreased patient violence on emergency room nurses.

Student: Solei Lasanta

Advisor: Dr. Khalid Almasloukh

Vaping involves the inhalation of flavored vapor, simulating tobacco smoking. This has become an increasingly alarming issue for today’s youth since a concerning amount of adolescents and young adults have been found to use these harmful products, yet the long-term health effects remain unknown. The addictive nature of vaping creates obstacles when trying to stop, which is why effective prevention and intervention methods are needed. A search was conducted using CINAHL and PubMed to find articles addressing whether the use of pharmacologic or non-pharmacologic interventions are more effective in aiding adolescents in vaping cessation and prevention. After reviewing data collected from four studies, the analysis revealed there are minimal pharmacologic interventions that have potential efficacy when combined with non-pharmacologic intervention, and some non-pharmacologic interventions have shown minimal to no effectiveness. While these studies yielded few positive results, further research is needed to determine the best interventions to aid the younger population in vaping cessation and prevention.

Keywords: vaping, teens, adolescents, young adults, vaping cessation, nursing interventions, prevention, pharmacologic, nonpharmacologic

 

 

Student: Brianna Graff

Advisor: Dr. Khalid Almasloukh

Migraine headaches are widely known and can be debilitating. However, vestibular migraines are rare, affecting only 1% of the population, and are often misdiagnosed which has led to a decrease in research on treatment options. This research seeks to identify whether pharmacological or non-pharmacological treatment options are more effective in decreasing symptoms in people who experience vestibular migraines. While there have been studies conducted for treatment options of migraines, there are few studies comparing these options for symptom management of vestibular migraines. Comparing the data collected from five studies regarding pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options indicates that while most people experience relief with pharmacological treatment options, medications are not for everyone. Some patients have successful outcomes while using non-pharmacological treatment options, including stress relief and dietary or lifestyle changes. While these studies yielded predominantly positive results, further research is needed to fully determine the best treatment combinations for people diagnosed with vestibular migraines.

Keywords: vestibular migraines, pharmacological treatments, non-pharmacological, vestibular migraine in nursing

Student: Alexis Tanana

Advisor: Dr. Khalid Almasloukh

In this literature review, the side effects on an infant from breastfeeding and formula feeding are being evaluated. In this research, both qualitative and quantitative data are being utilized to evaluate the link between infection and formula-fed infants. To examine this topic, PubMed, CINAHL, and ProQuest were utilized to find one qualitative and three quantitative articles relevant to the study. Data from all four articles showed that in breast milk, bioactive agents help the function of the infant’s immune system and gastrointestinal tract to adapt, which reduces the risk of infection. The findings support the use of breastfeeding for the first six months of an infant’s life to reduce the risk of developing infection. When working with expecting parents, nurses can educate the parents of the benefits and risks of both options to help determine the best choice for them. Future studies can explore other benefits to breastfeeding.

Keywords: breast milk, infant, infection, immune system, formula feeding

Student: Teresa Allen

Advisor: Dr. Khalid Almasloukh

Early mobilization has a significant impact on patient recovery. However, early mobilization is not a frequent plan of care for patients on mechanical ventilators. Numerous studies conducted research on the diverse types of physical and occupational therapies and their effects on patients’ physical abilities while intubated. The results demonstrated that early mobilization such as turning in bed, limb exercises, passive or an active transfer to a chair, standing, and walking improved respiratory and musculoskeletal function and shortened their duration of stay. As a result, it is suggested that nurses will need to integrate safe and effective mobilization into their practice by not using a ‘one size fits all’ method, but instead a multi-factorial method that includes a prominent level of clinical thinking and decision making.

Keywords: Mechanical ventilation, early mobilization, occupational therapy, physical therapy