archives.northwestu.edu/handle/nu/68285 2022-2023. Tue, 07 Apr 2026 06:25:24 GMT 2026-04-07T06:25:24Z archives.northwestu.edu/handle/nu/92610 The Significance of Telehealth as a Viable Tool in the Overall Treatment of Postpartum Depression in Rural Areas Gendreau, Eileen C. Postpartum depression (PPD) is a major mental health issue that affects about 10–15 % of new mothers during the postpartum period. Women in rural areas have a higher incidence of PPD due to social isolation, limited healthcare access, and a shortage of mental health professionals. The stigma surrounding mental illness can make it harder for women to seek the support they need. Telehealth has become a valuable way to help postpartum women in rural areas access mental health services that they might not be able to get otherwise. This paper presents a project that plans to assess the effectiveness of telehealth as an adjunct to in-person care for the treatment of PPD.; Using a retrospective observational design, the project will conduct a review of electronic medical records (EMR) from a multihospital system in Washington State, focusing on women diagnosed with PPD between November 30, 2019, and November 30, 2024. A purposive sample of at least 50 patient records (25 receiving telehealth and 25 receiving traditional care) will be extracted, and inclusion criteria will include rural residency as defined by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and use of telehealth modalities. Comparisons will be made of patient scores on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) or the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) pre and post-treatment. While data collection is pending, the literature review suggests that telehealth interventions are as effective as in-person care for improving PPD outcomes and that telehealth offers a viable solution to address disparities in maternal mental health care for rural populations. This project also highlights nursing’s leadership role in screening, care coordination, and advocacy for equitable access. Findings may inform future healthcare policies and clinical practice guidelines by promoting the broader adoption of telehealth to support postpartum women in underserved communities. A scholarly project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Nursing at Northwest University. Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT archives.northwestu.edu/handle/nu/92610 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z archives.northwestu.edu/handle/nu/92611 The Role of the Nurse Care Integration Specialist in Co-Occurring Disorders: the Integrated Team to Increase Rates of Substance Use Treatment Johnson, Abigail Substance abuse and mental health disorders have been identified by many governmental and public health stakeholders as diagnoses necessitating new interventions. Expanded outpatient treatment options are needed to support patients’ co-occurring substance use care, psychiatric care, and physical health care. To combat existing service gaps for patients with co-occurring substance use disorder and mental illness diagnoses, nurses have been identified as a key member of the outpatient interdisciplinary care team to support patients. An addiction nurse care integration specialist assesses mental health, physical health, and substance use; provides care coordination; and engages in clinical recommendations to the care team regarding plan of care. Utilizing Peplau’s Interpersonal Relations Theory to adapt a care pathway for patients with cooccurring disorders, the intervention of a Certified Addiction Registered Nurse care integration specialist role was created to increase rates of treatment for substance use disorder at an integrated clinic that houses both psychiatric and primary care. Intended to be implemented over a 12-month period in the community-based clinic, the role’s success would be measured through rates of medication prescribed for opioid and alcohol use disorders (buprenorphine and naloxone) before and after the role’s implementation.  A scholarly project submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Nursing at Northwest University. Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT archives.northwestu.edu/handle/nu/92611 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z archives.northwestu.edu/handle/nu/92612 Impact of a Structured School Nurse Onboarding Program on Reported Job Satisfaction Le Page, Mariel Few nurses enter the specialty of school nursing as true novices; most are experienced nurses who subsequently transition to the role. A search conducted to find articles pertaining to the transition to school nursing and existing onboarding programs revealed a lack of information specific to this transition. The search was expanded to include information on new-to-specialty nurse transitions, which revealed the themes of a need for role clarification, acquisition of new skills, a supportive environment, and regular feedback. Meleis’ Transitions theory was applied to understand how this information could be used to develop an onboarding program for experienced nurses transitioning to the school setting. The result was a structured, cohort-based onboarding program that spread content delivery over the course of an academic year, utilized peer mentoring, and provided opportunity for regular feedback. To evaluate the impact of the onboarding program on job satisfaction, the Index of Work Satisfaction will be administered to new school nurses in the cohorts prior to and after implementation of the program. A scholarly project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Nursing at Northwest University. Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT archives.northwestu.edu/handle/nu/92612 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z archives.northwestu.edu/handle/nu/92613 Keeping an Eye on the Brain: Neuromonitoring With Automated Pupillometry During Pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Olsen, Jessica Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is an advanced form of respiratory and cardiorespiratory life support. While it can be an extremely effective form of life support, it comes with significant risks including the risk of severe neurologic injury. Even if a patient survives their initial illness, neurologic injuries sustained while receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation can lead to lifelong impairment and disability or even death. Accurate neurologic monitoring for the duration of therapy is critical to ensure timely recognition of neurologic changes and subsequent prompt intervention; however, current modalities for neurologic monitoring are severely limited in the pediatric patient population. Automated pupillometry is a relatively new, noninvasive, handheld device for quantitative pupil assessment that does not rely on the interpretation of the individual assessor. This project was designed to assess whether automated pupillometry provides an earlier indication of neurologic injury than clinician suspicion of injury among children receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Using the Synergy Model as a framework, this paper describes how the use of this bedside neuromonitoring tool may improve nursing advocacy for critically ill patients by allowing for earlier detection of signs of neurologic injury and subsequent timely intervention. A scholarly project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Nursing at Northwest University. Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT archives.northwestu.edu/handle/nu/92613 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z