Monroe F. Swilley, Jr. Student Research Award
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The Monroe F. Swilley, Jr. Student Research Award was offered for the first time in 2012. The Swilley Research Award recognizes students who incorporate the use of University Library collections and services and demonstrate active critical thinking. Research conducted by individual students or by student teams is eligible. Research in all disciplines studied on the Atlanta campus or regional academic centers is eligible for the Swilley Research Award. Submissions must document the use and application of library and information resources in any format (online, print, web, media, etc.). Some examples of eligible research projects include: research papers, laboratory or clinical research investigations, photography, film or video, database development, Web sites, or product or prototype development. The Swilley Research Award carries with it a cash prize.
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Acute Pancreatitis: Evaluation and Management Recommendations in a Critical Care SettingAcute pancreatitis (AP) is the most common cause of gastrointestinal hospitalizations in the United States. Gallstones and alcohol abuse are its most common underlying etiologies. With AP consistently adding to the hospital burden across America every year, initial management and prompt recognition of a severe AP presentation have become cornerstones for decreasing morbidity and mortality in AP patients. The introduction of severity scoring to the evaluation of AP patients has been essential for drastically decreasing morbidity and mortality. However, with so many severity scores to choose from, along with the controversies with management, how can we ensure that we are providing the best care for AP patients? It is crucial to understand the principles of evaluating and managing AP in order to provide excellent care for patients with this common disease. My capstone project looks to compare and contrast severity scoring systems while also providing evidence for the best diagnostic and management modalities for AP patients.
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Outcomes and Characteristics of Patients with Potentially Inappropriate Classification of Clostridium Difficile Infection at a Community Hospital"The objective of this study was to evaluate the difference in clinical outcomes between patients with definite community onset CDI and those who may have been inappropriately classified as healthcare facility onset due to delayed stool sample collection or physician orders for Clostridium difficile testing at a community hospital."
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The Prince Charming Effect: An Analysis of the Effect Unrealistic Portrayals of Men Have on Relationship Satisfaction within Romantic RelationshipsFrom the problem statement: "In a culture that is filled with romantic imagery through multiple media outlets, it is no surprise that an identified potential reason for idealistic expectations is the media. According to Baran and Davis (2003), modeling from the media allows individuals to efficiently learn behaviors and solutions to problems quickly without sustaining harm. With the mass media being filled with idealistic representations of romantic relationships and partners, the viewing of this romantic media leads to an internalization of these unrealistic beliefs; especially towards one’s partner (Segrin & Nabi, 2002; Hefner & Wilson, 2013; Chernin & Fishbein, 2007; Galloway, Engstrom, & Emmers-Sommer, 2015; Shapiro & Kroeger, 2007). Thus when the research is connected, there are important implications to be studied regarding the media, the media’s effect on unrealistic romantic expectations, and how the media’s portrayal of romantic relationships and romantic partners may effect romantic relationships in reality."
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Exploring Cultural Competency Perceptions of Pharmacy StudentsStudy: Objectives a.To examine the perceptions of pharmacy students with regard to cultural competence before and after a seminar b.To examine the relationship between student demographics and perceptions of cultural competence
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Impact of a Pharmacist-Led Intervention Program on the Readmission Rates of Elderly Heart Failure PatientsPurpose: Heart failure accounts for over 6.5 million hospital days and an estimated $37.2 billion is spent on heart failure management annually in the United States.1,2 Since the establishment of Hospital Readmission Reduction Program by Affordable Care Act, hospitals have been trying to reduce the hospital readmission rate of all the patients. The purpose of this study is to determine whether pharmacist intervention would reduce the readmission rate of elderly patients aged 60 years and over. Methods: A pilot study compared to historical control group conducted at a teaching hospital. Retrospective chart review was conducted for heart failure elderly patients admitted to the hospital from March 1st, 2013 to June 30th, 2014. Heart Failure elderly patients admitted from July 1st, 2014 to October 31st, 2015 received the pharmacist intervention during their hospital stay including post discharge follow up. The primary outcome was the readmission of the patients within 30-day post discharge. Results: The primary outcome occurred in 12 of 97 patients in the intervention group (12.4%) and 20 of 80 patients in the control group (25.0%). Of the heart failure patients included in the study (N=177), there was statistically significant reduction in the patients in the intervention group compared to the control group. Conclusion: Pharmacist intervention significantly reduced the primary outcome of readmission to the hospital within 30-day post discharge among the elderly population. Future studies can focus on readmission rate of patients with other disease states.
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The Stilling of the Storm in Matthew 8:23-27The stilling of the storm is among the ranks of nature miracles found in the Synoptic gospels. The stilling of the storm in Matthew 8:23-27 is distinctive in the author’s choice of words: using the more dramatic language of σεισμός and ἐπιτιμάω. The narrative also reflects OT motifs where Jesus is depicted doing what God has previously done and holding the same power over the sea as a representative of primordial chaos.
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A Review of Withdraw Strategies for Discontinuing Antiepileptic Therapy in Epilepsy and Pain ManagementPurpose: Pain management is complicated by unacceptable levels of opioid abuse with few safe alternatives. The need exists for analgesic agents with limited abuse potential and recommendations for their safe use. Since the 1960’s, antiepileptic drugs have been used as adjunctively in pain management. By virtue of their pharmacokinetic and risk profiles, antiepileptic drugs require more prescriber surveillance compared to other medications. However, there is no standard approach for discontinuing these drugs. The objectives of this review were to summarize the risk profile of tapering antiepileptic drugs used for epilepsy vs. pain management and to identify best practices for safe tapering. Methods: A retrospective review was performed of literature addressing discontinuation of antiepileptic drugs. Articles were collected from PubMed and Ovid using keywords: anticonvulsant, antiepileptic, withholding treatment, taper and withdrawal. The limitations included English language only publications, regardless of country of origin, and publication between 1990 and 2013. Results: Findings revealed 25 published randomized controlled trials, reviews, case reports and editorials. While no taper guideline was found, many studies used a gradual taper protocol ranging from one month to more than four years for discontinuation. However no consistency was found between protocols. Risks for continuation and inappropriate discontinuation of antiepileptic therapy were aggregated from FDA labeled information and published case reports. This constituted the risk profile. Risks of acute discontinuation in epilepsy and pain management manifest differently. In epilepsy, documentation of acute discontinuation of AEDs results in recurrence of epileptic episode. Tapering therapy to discontinuation in epilepsy results in a higher risk of seizure recurrence in the first six months of withdrawal compared to patients continuing therapy. In pain management, acute discontinuation of AEDs results in a benzodiazepine-like withdrawal syndrome with symptoms such as diaphoresis, agitation and altered mental status. However unlike true benzodiazepine withdrawal, acute discontinuation of AEDs in pain management is unresolved by benzodiazepine administration. Conclusion: Tapering antiepileptic drugs when discontinuing therapy in epilepsy is common practice though there is no standard taper regimen documented consistently throughout the literature. Tapering strategies for discontinuing antiepileptic therapy when used in pain management are not well documented. This review identifies gaps in the literature concerning safe discontinuation of antiepileptic drugs used both for the primary indication as well as pain management. Clinical pharmacists would be greatly benefited by future research into appropriate regimens for tapering patients off of antiepileptic therapy with consideration of the effect removing antiepileptics from the body would have on other drug therapies the patient continues.
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Alzheimer’s Disease: A Summary of Economic OutcomesPurpose: To provide a comprehensive source document on previously published cost-saving data on the FDA approved Alzheimer’s medications in the United States. This study reviews published pharmacoeconomic analyses of FDA approved drugs classes for Alzheimer’s disease management.
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Drug Disposal: Addressing Current Drug Disposal Practices and PharmacovigilanceObjective: The purpose of the study is 1) to review current drug disposal best practices in the United States, 2) to assess effects of drug disposal on human health, and 3) to discuss how pharmacists may implement proper drug disposal techniques to promote pharmacovigilance.
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Assessment of Intercultural Development of College Students in Study AbroadAccording to Patterson (2006), the “development of intercultural awareness, sensitivity, and competence is important for a person to compete in today’s workplace”. It falls on higher education to sharpen intercultural skills in college students entering the workforce. Institutions may seek to impart these skills through study abroad programs. A majority of the literature observed intercultural development through implementing quantitative surveys; selected studies compared change over time through pre-test and post-test while some compared perceived intercultural development of study abroad participants to a control group. In an effort to provide a comprehensive inclusion of students in different college campuses, the scope of this literature review looks at traditional, non-traditional, public and private institutions, and community college students. However, the resulting selection of articles primarily surveyed study abroad programs that occurred in Western Europe and Latin America, with the exception of the Dwyer’s retrospective longitudinal study (2004) of the alumni of the Institute for the International Education of Students. In examining literature published within the past ten years, different testing instruments emerged to measure specific values on personal development of study abroad students. This literature review is principally directed to provide insight on methods used to measure intercultural skills that are enhanced while students partake in a study abroad program; such insight may be useful to institution leaders looking to include study abroad programs in course requirements. Additionally, study abroad coordinators seeking to evaluate student development of their participants, may use this literature review to identify instruments available and select one suited for their respective program.
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Wrestling with Leviticus 18.22 and 20.13Many have used Lev 18.22 and 20.13 violently against homosexual people. Examples abound, but one illustrates this point all too well. Andy Gibson, a Southern Baptist minister and Mississippi Republican State Representative, commented on his Facebook page regarding President Barak Obama’s affirmative opinion on gay marriage. Gibson says, “The only opinion that counts is God’s: see Romans 1:26-28 and Leviticus 20:13. Anyway [SIC] you slice it, it is sin. Not to mention horrific social policy.” In a follow-up post he calls same-gender relationships “unnatural” and blames them for developing and spreading HIV/AIDS. Gibson goes on to say that such relationships are “harmful to children” and confuse the “important differences between men and women.” In response to public concerns about his citation of Lev 20.13, which calls for the death penalty, Gibson refused to apologize. “To be clear, I want the world to know that I do not, cannot, and will not apologize for the inspired truth of God’s Word. It is one thing that will never ‘change’,” wrote Gibson.
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The Development of the Cohort Block Pedagogical Design Model and Its Application in Asynchronous Online CoursesRecent literature suggests that large asynchronous online courses have relatively high rates of attrition and loss of student interest than do similar courses offered in smaller groups. The purpose of this research paper was to investigate the problem and develop an asynchronous online pedagogical model that could address issues without sacrificing social presence, cognitive presence, and teaching presence. The resulting model is the Cohort Block Pedagogical Design (CBPD). This research paper explores the application and feasibility of the model in small, large, and very large asynchronous online classroom settings. Suggested quantitative and qualitative testing of the model is proposed through a mixed-methods study. The quantitative component of the study is a quasi-experimental nonequivalent group design used to compare and analyze student perceptions via an instrument based upon the Community of Inquiry conceptual framework. The intervention is the CBPD model. The findings of this study may determine whether or not the CBPD is a viable online pedagogical design for addressing attrition and student-interest issues with regard to asynchronous online courses.
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Effect of Attachment on Marital Satisfaction and ParenthoodThe literature review presented herewith includes peer-reviewed articles integrating research from 1977 to 2009, with a two-fold purpose: To support the notion of the effect of attachment within the marital-parenting dyad, and to illustrate consistency in the body of work regarding attachment and relationships across time. Marital dissatisfaction during parenthood is an issue that continues to impact marriage and family counselors. Based on research studies, internal processes and unspoken conflicts within the couple dating back to the courtship phase seem to come to the surface during childrearing. All the samples used in the studies presented herewith were randomly stratified. Participants included in the articles reviewed for the current analysis consist of couples who had been married between six (6) months and 15 years with children ranging in age from infancy to adolescence. Limitations among the findings presented herewith include the application of self-reports, the short-term methodology, and the limited number of diverse participants in the samples.