Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection
Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University proudly showcases the work of undergraduate honors students by sharing this collection exclusively with the ASU community.
Barrett accepts high performing, academically engaged undergraduate students and works with them in collaboration with all of the other academic units at Arizona State University. All Barrett students complete a thesis or creative project which is an opportunity to explore an intellectual interest and produce an original piece of scholarly research. The thesis or creative project is supervised and defended in front of a faculty committee. Students are able to engage with professors who are nationally recognized in their fields and committed to working with honors students. Completing a Barrett thesis or creative project is an opportunity for undergraduate honors students to contribute to the ASU academic community in a meaningful way.
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Description
The inherent risk in testing drugs has been hotly debated since the government first started regulating the drug industry in the early 1900s. Who can assume the risks associated with trying new pharmaceuticals is unclear when looked at through society's lens. In the mid twentieth century, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published several guidance documents encouraging researchers to exclude women from early clinical drug research. The motivation to publish those documents and the subsequent guidance documents in which the FDA and other regulatory offices established their standpoints on women in drug research may have been connected to current events at the time. The problem of whether women should be involved in drug research is a question of who can assume risk and who is responsible for disseminating what specific kinds of information. The problem tends to be framed as one that juxtaposes the health of women and fetuses and sets their health as in opposition. That opposition, coupled with the inherent uncertainty in testing drugs, provides for a complex set of issues surrounding consent and access to information.
ContributorsMeek, Caroline Jane (Author) / Maienschein, Jane (Thesis director) / Brian, Jennifer (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Often equated with hospice or end-of-life care, palliative care is the expansion of traditional disease-model medical treatments to include the goals of enhancing quality of life, facilitating patient autonomy, and addressing physical or emotional suffering. This interdisciplinary model is essential throughout the cancer continuum and offers the best patient outcomes when initiated at the time of diagnosis. While extensive research exists on the purpose and benefits of palliative care, substantial barriers to early and effective implementation remain. This study aims to examine and integrate current research literature on oncology nurses' perceptions of palliative care, including comparison to evidence-based preferred practice. Synthesis of qualitative findings offers transformative reconceptualization aimed to inform nursing education and improve patient care.
ContributorsScheller, Makena (Author) / Stevens, Carol (Thesis director) / Holcomb, Cynthia (Committee member) / Arizona State University. College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine perceptions of medical-surgical nurses of alcohol-abusing patients admitted to an acute care facility Background: Studies report that many nurses have negative feelings about substance-abusing patients (Neville & Roan, 2014). It has been found nurses report a lack of knowledge about substance abuse disorders, as well as a view that substance abusing patients are more emotionally challenging and dangerous, often leading to decreased motivation and lower levels of job satisfaction (van Boekel, Brouwers, van Weeghel & Garrestsen, 2013). However, studies have found that additional education can positively impact nurses' perceptions (Arthur, 2001). Methods/Approach: This study is a descriptive design using a 17-question 2-part survey. The first part of the survey includes seven demographic questions pertaining to the participants' characteristics and experiences. The second part of the survey is adapted from the Short Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Perception Questionnaire (SAAPPQ), a valid and reliable instrument used to assess healthcare providers' attitudes toward working with alcohol-abusing patients. Results: Eighty four medical-surgical nurses participated in the study. Over half reported having four hours or less of continuing education on alcohol abuse disorder. Regression analyses identified positive relationships between factors, particularly continuing education, on perceptions of alcohol-abusing patients. Conclusions/Implications: Results of this study can be used to determine what factors contribute to nurses' perceptions of alcohol-abusing patients in the medical-surgical unit, therefore aiding in identifying and developing effective policies, protocols, and interventions aimed at improving quality of patient care in this specific patient population.
ContributorsScalise, Bailey Nicole (Author) / Hosley, Brenda (Thesis director) / Baumhover, Nancy (Committee member) / Todd, Michael (Committee member) / Arizona State University. College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
The national average of children aged 19-35 months receiving all recommended vaccines was under 75 percent for the year 2014. In Arizona the average was 65.1 percent, ranking them as 46th in the nation. Language, availability and education are all barriers affecting the rates in Arizona. Appropriate education has the biggest impact on vaccination rates in Arizona. A review of resources available in Arizona was conducted and presented for parents of children in need of the vaccines. A poster designed to educate the population and promote vaccinations was created and distributed to the Maricopa County Department of Public Health and Mayo Clinic Hospital as well.
ContributorsBandi, Miranda Christina (Author) / Sutter, Kimberlee (Thesis director) / Barnum, Leslie (Committee member) / Arizona State University. College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
In the medical industry, there have been promising advances in the increase of new types of healthcare to the public. As of 2015, there was a 98% Premarket Approval rate, a 38% increase since 2010. In addition, there were 41 new novel drugs approved for clinical usage in 2014 where the average in the previous years from 2005-2013 was 25. However, the research process towards creating and delivering new healthcare to the public remains remarkably inefficient. It takes on average 15 years, over $900 million by one estimate, for a less than 12% success rate of discovering a novel drug for clinical usage. Medical devices do not fare much better. Between 2005-2009, there were over 700 recalls per year. In addition, it takes at minimum 3.25 years for a 510(k) exempt premarket approval. Plus, a time lag exists where it takes 17 years for only 14% of medical discoveries to be implemented clinically. Coupled with these inefficiencies, government funding for medical research has been decreasing since 2002 (2.5% of Gross Domestic Product) and is predicted to be 1.5% of Gross Domestic Product by 2019. Translational research, the conversion of bench-side discoveries to clinical usage for a simplistic definition, has been on the rise since the 1990s. This may be driving the increased premarket approvals and new novel drug approvals. At the very least, it is worth considering as translational research is directly related towards healthcare practices. In this paper, I propose to improve the outcomes of translational research in order to better deliver advancing healthcare to the public. I suggest Best Value Performance Information Procurement System (BV PIPS) should be adapted in the selection process of translational research projects to fund. BV PIPS has been shown to increase the efficiency and success rate of delivering projects and services. There has been over 17 years of research with $6.3 billion of projects and services delivered showing that BV PIPS has a 98% customer satisfaction, 90% minimized management effort, and utilizes 50% less manpower and effort. Using University of Michigan \u2014 Coulter Foundation Program's funding process as a baseline and standard in the current selection of translational research projects to fund, I offer changes to this process based on BV PIPS that may ameliorate it. As concepts implemented in this process are congruent with literature on successful translational research, it may suggest that this new model for selecting translational research projects to fund will reduce costs, increase efficiency, and increase success. This may then lead to more Premarket Approvals, more new novel drug approvals, quicker delivery time to the market, and lower recalls.
ContributorsDel Rosario, Joseph Paul (Author) / Kashiwagi, Dean (Thesis director) / Kashiwagi, Jacob (Committee member) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
The stigma associated with mental illness has been and continues to be a considerable issue of concern in the care of persons with mental illness. Stigma affects not only those with mental illness, but also their families, healthcare personnel, the social community, and policy formation. Common themes of stigma associated with mental illness are fear, social rejection, stereotyping, negative impact, and a lack of knowledge and awareness of mental illness. Despite a more accurate understanding of mental illness, stigma still exists. Interventions to help reverse the stigma associated with mental illness include education, awareness and an environment of inclusion. Toward this end, a PowerPoint presentation will be gifted to Arizona State University College of Nursing to be shown during the psychiatric mental health rotation outlining mental illness and stigma, and what nurses and future nurses can do to combat this stigma.
ContributorsParsons, Chelsey (Author) / Fargotstein, Barbara (Thesis director) / Hosley, Brenda (Committee member) / Sayles, Judy (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Arizona State University. College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation (Contributor)
Created2014-12
Description
This project explores the dimensions that affect the success of a nonprofit organizations' web presence by using a dance and health nonprofit website as the foundation of the research and redesign. This report includes literature and design research, analysis, recommendations and a journal of the web design process. Through research, three categories were identified as the primary dimensions affecting the success of a website: content, technical adequacy and appearance. Furthermore, website success is influenced by how the strength of individual categories relies on one another. To improve the web design of Dancers and Health Together Inc., content implementations and redesign elements were both research and personal preference-based. The redesigned website can be found at www.collaydennis.com and will become inactive after May 31, 2015.
ContributorsDennis, Collay Carole (Author) / Coleman, Grisha (Thesis director) / Hosmer, Anthony Ryan (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
In the United States, more than 22 million people are estimated to be affected by the chronic illness, asthma (American Lung Association [ALA], 2014). Of those 22 million, approximately 7.1 million are children (ALA, 2014). An important factor in trying to curb the frequency of asthma attacks is education. Particular elements of asthma education include symptom recognition, self-management skills, correct administration, and understanding how medications are used to control asthma. A review of the literature shows that multimedia education holds some promise in increasing asthma-knowledge retention. This creative project involved the creation of an asthma-education video with a concomitant asthma-education comic book. Of the two creations, the asthma-education video was used in a former Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) student’s study to supplement a session at a clinic with an asthma educator. The tools included in the study, the Asthma Medication Use Questionnaire (Moya, 2014) and the Asthma Control TestTM (ACTTM; QualityMetric Incorporated, 2002), were completed by the participants prior to and after the implementation of the session that incorporated the video. The results suggested that the video had an effect on asthma control as measured by the ACTTM (QualityMetric Incorporated, 2002), but not on daily preventative asthma inhaler usage as measured by the Asthma Medication Use Questionnaire (Moya, 2014). The comic book has not been evaluated yet. Both multimedia education tools—the comic book and the video—were created as a requirement for the Barrett thesis.
ContributorsVanhkham, Sophia (Co-author) / Wells, Amanda (Co-author) / Stevens, Carol (Thesis director) / Vana, Kimberly (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Arizona State University. College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation (Contributor) / Department of English (Contributor) / School of Art (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
Mentorship is important to learning because it provides a frame of reference and the guidance necessary to succeed for those who are inexperienced. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of a one-semester mentorship program for freshman Barrett nursing students. Specifically, it was hypothesized that freshman Barrett nursing students (mentees) would experience higher levels of confidence as they enter their second year. With improved confidence and better preparation in handling stress, freshman Barrett students are more likely to stay in the Barrett program throughout their time at a university in the southwestern United States. The mentorship program included freshman Barrett students pursuing a degree in nursing as the mentees and Term 8 (senior) Barrett Nursing students as the mentors. The mentorship program supported freshman students in reaching out to their mentors for study tips, class advice, homework help, and use them as a general resource throughout the application process. Quantitative data was collected in a pre- and post-survey in order to analyze the confidence scores of mentors and mentees. The survey asked participants questions regarding their level of self-confidence and asked them to rank their responses on a Likert scale with 1 being strongly disagree and 5 being strongly agree. The results showed that confidence levels based on the quantitative data either stayed the same or was improved in every participant. Specifically, there were multiple statistically significant findings based on the paired t-tests that were run. Findings suggest the mentorship program improved the confidence levels in both freshman Barrett students and their Senior mentors.
ContributorsZurbriggen, Abigail Marie (Author) / Quillman, Jill (Thesis director) / Stevens, Carol (Committee member) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-12
Description
The spread of fake news (rumors) has been a growing problem on the internet in the past few years due to the increase of social media services. People share fake news articles on social media sometimes without knowing that those articles contain false information. Not knowing whether an article is fake or real is a problem because it causes social media news to lose credibility. Prior research on fake news has focused on how to detect fake news, but efforts towards controlling fake news articles on the internet are still facing challenges. Some of these challenges include; it is hard to collect large sets of fake news data, it is hard to collect locations of people who are spreading fake news, and it is difficult to study the geographic distribution of fake news. To address these challenges, I am examining how fake news spreads in the United States (US) by developing a geographic visualization system for misinformation. I am collecting a set of fake news articles from a website called snopes.com. After collecting these articles I am extracting the keywords from each article and storing them in a file. I then use the stored keywords to search on Twitter in order to find out the locations of users who spread the rumors. Finally, I mark those locations on a map in order to show the geographic distribution of fake news. Having access to large sets of fake news data, knowing the locations of people who are spreading fake news, and being able to understand the geographic distribution of fake news will help in the efforts towards addressing the fake news problem on the internet by providing target areas.
ContributorsNgweta, Lilian Mathias (Author) / Liu, Huan (Thesis director) / Wu, Liang (Committee member) / Software Engineering (Contributor) / Computer Science and Engineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05