<p> Basic nursing education is no longer sufficient to meet the escalating demands of today&rsquo;s complex healthcare environment. Recognizing the need for the advanced cognitive skills incurred by these demands, increasing numbers of registered nurses (RNs) have been enrolling in online Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs. The problem identified in the RN to BSN degree completion program at a large Midwestern university was the lack of information as to how online teaching and learning strategies were experienced by students. Research has demonstrated that the online community of inquiry (CoI) model facilitates higher order thinking through collaborative learning strategies and the interaction of teaching, social, and cognitive presence. The purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed methods study was to investigate the perceptions of RNs enrolled in the program about a recently completed course utilizing a 34-item CoI survey and semi-structured interviews. The data from 109 completed survey responses were analyzed via descriptive statistics and indicated that student perceptions of social and teaching presence were lower than perceptions of cognitive presence, meaning that the perceived establishment of online relationships and instructor engagement were not as high as were the perceived experiences of higher order thinking. Interviews with 15 purposefully selected students were analyzed for emergent themes and suggested limited online collaboration, which is considered to be fundamental to higher order learning. Based on these findings, a faculty development workshop was designed using the CoI model to encourage collaboration. A potential increase in RN proficiency in higher order thinking fostered by the CoI model will optimize the quality of patient-related decisions, minimize medical errors, and provide the impetus to challenge the status quo in health care.</p>

Thesis (MA)--University of Chicago. / Includes bibliography.

<p> Adolescents and young adults use more tobacco than all other adults, yet the percentage of this younger population eventually quitting the use of tobacco is lower. There is little evidence-based research to support adolescent smoking cessation programs. Using social learning theory (SLT) and the stages of change model, the purpose of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Not-On-Tobacco (N-O-T) program, an evidence-based adolescent smoking cessation program, in reducing or preventing the number of cigarettes smoked by high school boarding students and to evaluate how best to individualize the program for this high school going forward. The DNP questions were asked to see to what extent the N-O-T program would reduce the prevalence of student smoking and what changes to the current program curriculum should be made to tailor the program to this particular high school. Pre- and post survey data were obtained from 10 students 15-17 years of age enrolled in the N-O-T program for violating the campus&rsquo; tobacco-free policy. A secondary data analysis using paired samples t test did not determine a statistically significant effect on smoking cessation in this small population of students. The findings did show a significant positive correlation between those who found the program &ldquo;very helpful&rdquo; and a decrease in the number of cigarettes smoked pre- and post program. Content analysis of student data resulted in recommendations to modify the program to make it more effective for this school. Awareness of interactions and relationships with others and successfully dealing with social changes through a program like the N-O-T program will lead to increased life-long health benefits, decreased medical costs, and lost productivity associated with tobacco use. School nurses are in an ideal position to implement a successful smoking cessation program. </p><p>