Student Research Conference

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Chronic anterior bilateral exertional compartment syndrome management following fasciotomy: A Case Report
Background and Purpose Chronic exertional compartment syndrome occurs most often in individuals that are athletes, especially avid runners, and military personnel. Fasciotomy is the gold standard medical intervention for individuals who wish to return to their prior level of activity. Currently, there is very limited research on the most effective rehabilitation program following fasciotomy. Case Description The subject of this case report is a 34 year old female avid runner that was diagnosed with bilateral anterior chronic exertional compartment syndrome. She underwent surgical decompression surgery to release the fascia on her left lower leg only. The purpose of this case report is to describe a rehabilitation program for a patient following anterior compartment fasciotomy. Outcomes The lower extremity functional scale (LEFS) and foot and ankle ability measure were used to track progress of lower extremity function overtime. Single leg stance (SLS) was used to measure balance. The six-minute walk test (6MWT) was administered to assess progression of walking distance. Girth measurements were taken to measure swelling and edema. Goniometry and manual muscle testing (MMT) were used to capture improvements in range of motion (ROM) and strength. Discussion The results of this intervention include improvements in LEFS, FAAM, SLS, 6MWT, girth measurements, ROM, and MMT at time of self-discharge on the left lower extremity. Self- discharge was due to becoming symptomatic on the right lower extremity during running activities. Although results were favorable in this case report for the left lower extremity, further research is necessary in order to establish the most effective rehabilitation course for this population.
Colorectal cancer screening in African American Men
African-American men have a one in 20 lifetime chance of developing colorectal cancer. Despite guidelines from the American College of Gastroenterology that African-American men with average risk start screening for colorectal cancer at age 45, only 56% are current with screening. Patient navigation is one intervention that has been utilized to combat barriers to colorectal cancer screening. Patient navigation includes patient education, scheduling assistance, and reminders by telephone or mail. The aim of the study was to investigate whether patient navigation as an intervention increases colorectal screening rates in African American men. A thorough appraisal of the literature revealed that patient navigation significantly raised colorectal screening rates. Furthermore, research demonstrated that either professional or peer navigators are equally effective. Early detection of colorectal cancer improves treatment options and quality of life for patients. Patient navigation is a cost effective, patient-centric evidence based practice that facilities increasing rates of colorectal cancer screening.
Consumption of Color & Race in Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire
Many scholars and academics have discussed Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles as encompassing the themes of sexuality, feminism and post-feminism, introspection, postmodernism, psychoanalysis, religion and immortality, and various other themes. By examining vampirism in Anne Rice’s novel, Interview with the Vampire, I argue that the vampire behavior of the consuming colored bodies represents how white male racism seeks to hinder and control people of color. Rice’s rehabilitation of the perception of colored bodies as natural allows for the individual’s choice of accepting or rejecting of white male racism. To present these viewpoints, I will discuss the vampires Louis and Lestat, as white males, and their perception on the preying on people of color, which demonstrates the oppression that is imposed on individuals and groups of color by white males in the late 1700s. The preying and the feeding behaviors of these vampires influences the perception to accept or reject vampire consumption, which further influences interaction between bodies of color and white male bodies. This will include a discussion of Louis’ of rejection the vampire nature of consumption from colored individuals. Louis does not challenge or mediate the issue of white male racism, rather he avoids the issue altogether. Lastly, I will explain how Lestat accepts the vampire nature of consumption, enforcing white male racism on colored bodies, as well on female and other bodies.
Costa Rica Service-Learning Project: What Education Students learned from Individuals with Severe Disabilities
In August 2014, Marymount students (n=9) in a graduate-level education course conducted a service-learning (S-L) project at Fundación Hogar Manos Abiertas in Costa Rica. A residential program, Manos Abiertas provides full-care for abandoned individuals who have severe disabilities including autism, intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, blindness, and deafness. Most residents are nonverbal, use wheelchairs, and have fine motor skill difficulties. In collaboration with teachers at Manos Abiertas, the Marymount team prepared relevant, multisensory, intercultural lesson activities, designed to promote self-advocacy and self-determination. In “structured” reflections we wrote about our interactions with residents during the activities we conducted at Manos. Back home we analyzed the contents of pre-& post reflection assignments to discover major themes as we sought to determine: (1) collective research foci drawn from our pre-trip questions about interacting and conducting activities with the residents; (2)the impact the experience had on us personally and professionally; especially the effects residents had on our initial assumptions, apprehensions, and questions about their disabilities and our capacity to provide appropriate instruction for them. Through this S-L research, the residents taught us a great deal about what it means to be human. Not only learned did we learn from them how to overcome substantial communication barriers, we also developed our capacities to assess, adapt, and scaffold for individual needs. Furthermore we acknowledged how this experience helped us gain confidence in our abilities to interact with, “get-to-know”, and teach individuals from diverse backgrounds and with a wide range of cognitive, physical, and communicative needs.
The Cultural Approach to The Human Resource Management in Nepalese Organization
The purpose of this research paper is to understand the role of national cultural dimensions on human resource management (HRM) practices in Nepal. The theoretical framework of this paper is based on Hofstede’s national cultural dimensions. Nepal is considered an upcoming country in Asia with lots of opportunities for multinational companies (MNCs). Nepal has an abundant untapped cheap and talented workforce and other specific country resources. An understanding of the “best” local HRM practices can lead to practical insights for MNCs in their business entry decisions. This conceptual paper uses a variety of sources such as scholarly, non-scholarly and institutional articles to provide comprehensive information on Nepalese HRM practices.This research suggests that most of the local firms adopt employee referrals in their hiring practices reflecting their collectivist orientation. The power and authority held by supervisors in organization are reflected in biased hiring and performance appraisal systems. Compensation practices are dictated by local laws which multinational firms should be aware of. This research will detail these HRM practices and provide practical guidelines to global managers.
Do telehealth medical visits compared to traditional office visits improve glycemic control in adult patients with diabetes?
Over 25 million people in the United States currently are diagnosed with diabetes and require ongoing care in order to manage their disease successfully. For some individuals, travel to point of care in order to receiving critical health information is a challenge. Telehealth medicine uses phone and video conferencing technology to offer virtual, synchronous communication between patients and caregivers to address important diagnostic and health information, thus eliminating barriers such as travel access, costs, and time. The aim of this investigation was to determine whether telehealth modalities compared with traditional office visits improved glycemic control, as measured by glycosylated hemoglobin levels (Hemoglobin A1c), in adult patients with diabetes. A thorough review and appraisal of the literature was conducted using the CINAHL, PubMed, ProQuest, and Cochrane databases and using the search terms “diabetes,” “telemedicine,” and “hemoglobin A1c.” Results indicated a small but statistically significant decrease in HbA1c levels following telehealth interventions as compared to traditional office visits. These results indicate that telehealth patient interactions contribute to enhanced glycemic control in adults with diabetes. Continued research is needed to determine the economic, logistical, and legal implications of using telehealth services in diabetic patients
Early Interventions in Mental Health Disorders
Early intervention increases positive outcomes in mental health disorders, yet little is known about the characteristics of people most likely to intervene. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a person’s level of knowledge of mental health disorders would influence their willingness to intervene in a hypothetical scenario. There were two hypotheses in this study: 1. People with a higher level of knowledge of mental health disorders will have more positive perceptions of people with mental health disorders. 2. A higher level of knowledge of mental health disorders is correlated with a greater willingness to intervene. There is significant stigma around mental health disorders, yet research shows that if people are treated early, their outcomes are vastly improved. In trying to highlight the variables associated with individuals most likely to intervene, we hope to identify who the “ideal” intervener might be. This study surveyed 98 Marymount University students regarding their perceptions and knowledge of mental health disorders. The survey consisted of three parts: (a) perceptions of mental health disorders, using a 5-point Likert Scale (adapted from Aromaa, Tolvanen, Tuulari, and Wahlbeck (2011)); (b) knowledge of the symptoms associated with specific disorders; and (c) vignettes of typical or atypical chosen disorders, including anorexia nervosa, depression and schizophrenia. Hypothesis 1: Supported Results of a One-Way ANOVA revealed a significant effect of knowledge on perceptions of mental health disorders (F (2, 96) = 2.59 p = .08). Those with lower levels of knowledge had lower perceptions than those with a moderate level of knowledge. Extremely knowledgeable participants had lower perceptions than all other groups, possibly attributable to reduced sample size in this group. Hypothesis 2: Not Significant Results of a Pearson Product Moment Correlation revealed a no significant relationship between level of knowledge and willingness to intervene in mental health disorders. By acknowledging differences amongst the level of familiarity with mental health, people can begin to realize their own prejudices towards those with mental health disorders and ultimately, destigmatize these disorders to get people the help that is needed. By gathering the baseline level of knowledge of the population, we’ve learned that knowledge truly is power in combating negative stereotypes relating to mental health.

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