STUDENT: Summer Franklin

ADVISOR: Khalid Almasloukh

ABSTRACT:

COVID-19 is a virus that has been invading the world for the past 3 years. Knowledge on COVID-19 is expanding, and as information is being gathered, it is continuously changing, making matters more challenging, especially for those in the nursing profession. In nursing practice, a nurse’s duty entails treating, educating, and advocating for patients. Yet today, they also have the responsibility of dealing with the burden of COVID-19 and a broken healthcare system. With the pandemic putting increased stress on nurses there is more opportunity for mistakes to be made while treating patients. Studies have been and still are being done on the use of mindfulness and its effectiveness on different populations. The studies that have been done show a positive correlation on its effectiveness. If mindful worked for others who are under stress, then perhaps it can benefit nurses who are under pressure with COVID-19. The purpose of this research study is to evaluate the effect that mindfulness has on nurses working through this specific time.

First Place in Poster Category – Nursing: Injury and Disease

STUDENT: Kayla Kozlowski

ADVISOR: Khalid Almasloukh

ABSTRACT:

Needle exchange programs started to spread across the United States in the early 1980s. During this time, the first patient tested positive for HIV in the U.S., and the hepatitis C virus (HCV) was discovered. These blood-borne diseases have run rampant amongst IV drug abusers for decades. As these diseases are spread, and without proper treatment, individuals could develop AIDS or cirrhosis of the liver (which are potentially fatal). These programs provide clean needles to drug users, and also offer STI screening, infectious disease pamphlets, and wound care. This study has significance in nursing because nurses should be able to educate patients on these programs, and they have the skill set to volunteer for them. My research is being conducted through the collection of data and statistics from other systematic reviews and meta analysis. The preliminary results of this research confirms that needle exchange programs are effective. The efficacy of needle exchange programs and how well they slow the spread of blood-borne diseases will be discussed in this presentation.

STUDENT: Paige McClain

ADVISOR: Khalid Almasloukh

ABSTRACT:

Keywords: Manuka Honey, Honey and Burns, Honey benefits, Honeys effect on burns, Manuka Bandages

Honey is a sticky, concentrated mixture that contains sugars that are produced by honeybees. The bees collect and use nectar from flowers or sweet juices on other plant species to produce honey. Honey has been used for nutrition and health since prehistoric times, along with increasing wound healing. The effectiveness of wound healing has caused a decrease in infections. Manuka honey comes from the nectar from the leptospermum scoparium bush (Saling, 2021). This tree is native to the area of Australia and New Zealand. Bandages containing Manuka honey have shown improvement on healing the burn site. Another property that honey has is that it can also be applied to skin grafts to increase the rate of healing (Subrahmanyam, 2007). Through research it has been found that honey is the preferred treatment when compared to sulphadiazine. This is evidence by honey being used 5.5 % of the time for treatment, while sulphadiazine was only used 1% of the time. In superficial and partial thickness burns, when treated with honey, these wounds showed better healing than when treated with sulphadiazine and (Subrahmanyam, 2007).

STUDENT: Debbie Acosta

ADVISOR: Khalid Almasloukh

ABSTRACT:

Keywords: autism, cannabidiol, aggression, meltdowns, autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

Abstract: Autism is a disorder that affects a larger population. Individuals with autism experience severe meltdowns that come with aggression. For many years, researchers have been studying treatments to help reduce the frequency of these meltdowns and aggression. One of many treatments being studied is cannabidiol (CBD). In this research paper, I reviewed studies done to treat aggression seen in those with autism with CBD. In many of these studies, CBD has improved behavior and reduced aggression amongst people with ASD. The results of these studies will be further discussed in this presentation

STUDENT: Anne Murdoch

ADVISOR: Khalid Almasloukh

ABSTRACT:

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be explained as a developmental disability that affects an individual’s ability to communicate, interact socially, and regulate their behaviors and interests (Mcdonald, 2021). There is no known cause for autism, but there are several genes that are thought to contribute to the diagnosis, and it is thought to be inheritable (Mcdonald, 2021). There are several other factors that can contribute to autism as well; these can include parental age, pre- and post-natal traumas, health and nutritional deficits (Mcdonald, 2021). Diagnostics for autism spectrum disorder can be complex due to the lack of specific testing. Instead, the physician will assess how the child or individual has met developmental milestones and examine their behavior to diagnose ASD. The occurrence of autism has increased significantly; currently in the United States, 1 in 58 people have a diagnosis of autism, making this developmental disorder a more common occurrence than it was 60 years ago when 1 in 2,000 people had the diagnosis (Mcdonald, 2021). Autism spectrum disorder can affect people at any age, although it is typically diagnosed during childhood. This disorder can make it difficult for the person effected to understand social cues and respond to them (D’Amico & Lalonde, 2017).

Art therapy is a tool that can be helpful for patients suffering from chronic illnesses, cancer, and developmental disabilities, in addition to countless other illnesses (Bitonte, & DeSanto, 2014). One of the largest benefits of art therapy is that it is customizable to each individual patient’s needs, interests, and abilities (Bitonte, & DeSanto, 2014). This form of therapy can be helpful in developing cognitive, social, and emotional abilities in most patients because of the nonverbal nature of the therapy (Bitonte, & DeSanto, 2014). Art therapy uses art media, such as drawing, painting, music, dance and acting, as a method for communication and self-expression (Hu et al., 2021).

STUDENT: Ariana Petrillo

ADVISOR: Khalid Almasloukh

ABSTRACT:

Screenings for colon cancer with the general population of men and women start at the age of forty-five. There is also the importance of screening for those who have either a family history of colon cancer (screening would begin ten years before first line relative diagnosis or forty, whichever is sooner), self-medial history with predisposing factors, or those who are experiencing symptoms of colon cancer. This project will also include methods of screening, symptoms, diagnosis, dietary recommendations, treatment, and possibly complications or life changes that may accompany a diagnosis of colon cancer. Colon cancer is a highly preventable cancer with adequate screening and early intervention/detection.

STUDENT: Ashley Stangline

ADVISOR: Khalid Almasloukh

ABSTRACT:

Coronary artery disease is caused by the buildup of plaque throughout the walls of the two coronary arteries that supply the heart with blood. As the plaque continues to adhere to the arterial wall, it begins to narrow, and can eventually block the blood flow to the heart completely. Many individuals are affected by coronary artery disease as it is the leading type of heart disease in the United States. Some of the risk factors that are associated with this form of heart disease are obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy eating, and the use of cigarettes or tobacco. One of the biggest contributors to coronary artery disease is an individual’s diet. The average American diet is composed mainly of fats, added sugars, saturated fats, sodium, and refined grains. This diet causes an increase in the cholesterol levels and an overall increase in the risk for coronary artery disease. The plant-based diet is a diet composed mainly of fruits and vegetables and is low in fat, cholesterol, salt, animal products, and sugars. This diet has various benefits including the prevention and possible reversal of coronary artery disease and atherosclerotic plaque buildup. Through this research we will determine the effect of a plant-based diet on cardiovascular function in adults with coronary artery disease when compared to the effects of the average American diet.

STUDENTS: Megan Lucey, Lucy Adams, Logan DeSanto

ADVISOR: Dr. Michael M. Evans

ABSTRACT

Cellulitis is a bacterial skin infection that affects the deep dermis and subcutaneous tissue. This infection occurs when bacteria enter the dermis through an abrasion or ulceration. There are an estimated 700,000 cases of cellulitis in the U.S. annually. The area affected by cellulitis will present with erythema, pain, and swelling. Cellulitis most often occurs on the legs and feet, but can also occur in other areas. Risk factors for cellulitis include being overweight and having edema. Nurses have an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of cellulitis. Before appropriate treatment can begin, cellulitis must be accurately diagnosed. Cellulitis is commonly misdiagnosed and mistaken for other conditions such as eczema, lymphoedema, or lipodermatosclerosis. A misdiagnosis can result in unnecessary antibiotic therapy. It is important that nurses are aware of the presentation of cellulitis, so that the disease is properly diagnosed. In order to address the issues surrounding diagnosis and treatment of cellulitis, a case study was created, and a literature review was conducted to gather scholarly articles to determine the best practices and barriers for caring for a patient with cellulitis. The best practices include a careful medical history and physical examination, pain relief efforts, antibiotic administration, proper wound care, and preventative measures to prevent reoccurrence. Barriers to caring for a patient with cellulitis include inaccurate diagnosis, inadequate cellulitis prevention, and poor patient participation in the treatment plan. Using the case study and recommended best practices, nurses can provide high quality care to patients with cellulitis

STUDENT: Krina Patel

ADVISOR: Khalid Almasloukh

ABSTRACT:

Keywords: St. John wort or Hypericum perforatum, depression, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Depression can impact anyone; there is no age restriction. This study will focus on St. John’s wort’s herbs also known as Hypericum perforatum with effectiveness on depression. In order to determine the effectiveness of St. John’s wort to treat depression symptoms, four peer-reviewed quantitative studies were examined. The study results show that St. John’s Wort is effective to treat mild-to-moderate depression, but can cause serious side effects due to interactions with many medications. Since St. John’s wort has been found to be effective in treating to improve nursing practice by educating patients how effective use of St. John’s wort as a form of complementary therapy to treat depression.

Second Place in Poster Category – Nursing: Injury and Disease

STUDENT: Logan DeSanto

ADVISOR: Dr. Michael M. Evans

ABSTRACT:

Background: Nurses have been exposed to unique and challenging experiences while working throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

During this time, nurses were forced to care for critically ill patients while working short-staffed in stressful environments while also having to remain isolated from their loved ones due to fear of spreading the disease.

Purpose: To explore the experiences of front-line nursing staff during the COVID-19 pandemic and to explore the feasibility, acceptability, and perceived efficacy of storytelling with front-line nurses as both a qualitative methodology and a therapeutic group process for nursing staff.

Methods: A qualitative design using story circles was used to gather data from participants (n=14). Data was de-identified, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for codes and themes. Pre- and post-surveys were sent to participants to gather demographic data and participants’ perceptions of utilizing story circles as a therapeutic intervention.

Results: Two themes were identified from the data analysis – navigating uncharted waters and persisting through the COVID-19 storm. Each theme had multiple sub-themes that will be expanded on during the presentation. Post-story circle survey data showed that many participants found the story circle to be beneficial in sharing their story, helpful in validating their feelings for caring for COVID-19 patients and helpful to their mental well-being.

Conclusions & Implications: Nurses have proven to be resilient and innovative; but, not without changes in how they view the healthcare system, the nursing profession, and their communities. The data suggest that story circles are an effective methodology to help nurses not only share their stories but also works as a therapeutic to the participants. Based on the results of this study, future studies should examine interventions that can help nurses when navigating uncharted waters, the effectiveness of story circles in other populations to examine the feasibility as a therapeutic process, and replication of this study with a larger sample size using a longitudinal design.