Welcome to Paw Prints
Paw Prints organizes, preserves, and makes accessible the scholarly and creative outputs of the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith. For more information see the Paw Prints guide, or contact repository@uafs.edu
Recent Submissions
Item Evaluating the Effectiveness of Nutrition and Exercise Interventions in Adults with Chronic Obesity; Exercise--Health aspects(2025-12)This graduate project examines the extent to which nutrition and exercise interventions reduce body mass index (BMI) and improve functional mobility among American adults with chronic obesity. A literature-based research design was used to identify and assess peer-reviewed studies published between the years 2013 and 2025 that evaluated different lifestyle and behavioral interventions. The data collected was public information with no individual privacy concerns. The project also explored administrative implications for integrating these strategies. A hypothesis is used to test whether or not exercise and nutritional interventions are effective in reducing body mass index and improving functional mobility. Findings from the reviewed studies suggest that interventions are effective in reducing both BMI and improving functional mobility. Specific results varied depending on the individual and the method of intervention being tested. The findings consistently showed that combining nutrition and physical-activity methods produced more consistent improvements in weight and mobility outcomes than single-component programs. A significant barrier to positive results was found to be long-term adherence. The findings suggest the need for future research on more specific variables, including the long-term use of medication for weight management.Item Shift Length and Error Frequency in Plasma Donation Centers(2025-12)Plasma donation centers across the United States are currently facing staffing shortages, leading to longer work shifts and increased operational pressure on existing personnel. These high-risk environments require exceptional precision, especially in donor identification, phlebotomy, and sample handling, where human errors can result in serious safety breaches or compromised plasma quality. While broader healthcare literature has documented the negative effects of extended shift lengths on clinical performance and error rates, few studies have directly examined how these dynamics play out within plasma donation settings. This study aims to explore the relationship between shift length and the frequency of documented errors made by donor-facing staff in plasma donation centers across the Midwestern United States. Using quantitative, correlational research design, and retrospective data from staffing and incident logs, this research will analyze whether longer work shifts are statistically associated with increased error rates. Common errors include mislabeling, donor misidentification, and documentation lapses, with high-severity incidents disproportionately occurring in shifts over 11 hours. The findings support the implementation of evidence-based scheduling policies, fatigue management protocols, and real-time quality monitoring systems. Recommendations include limiting shift length to 8–10 hours, optimizing staff-to-donor ratios, and integrating change management strategies to improve safety culture. This research contributes to a growing body of evidence advocating for sustainable workforce practices in plasma collection environments and offers actionable insights for healthcare administrators and policymakers.Item Walls of Fort Smith, 1840(Made digitally available by the U.S. National Archives. Made digitally available by the Boreham Library at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith., 1840)Item GEOGRAPHICAL REGIONAL ASSESSMENT OF HOSPITAL-ASSOCIATED INFECTIONS IN PRE VS POST COVID-19 PANDEMIC(2025)Nosocomial or healthcare associated infections (HAI) impact patient safety, healthcare financial performance, and quality improvement in acute care hospital settings. With a $45 billion price tag, the mission to reduce or prevent HAIs is a concern for the healthcare industry, federal and state agencies, policymakers and providers. This capstone project evaluated HAI occurrences pre (2018) and post (2022) COVID-19 to determine if implementation of the new clinical guidelines have reduced HAI occurrences in acute hospital settings. With the use of statistical analysis, geographical regional differences in standardized infection ratio (SIR) were evaluated to determine if there was a statistical significance in the mean SIRs for each region. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to evaluate overall differences in mean SIR among the regions. In addition, pairwise comparisons between regions were performed using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. In the analysis comparing SIRs between year for each region, Wilcoxon signed-rank test was applied. For all analysis, statistical significance was defined as p<0.05. The results indicated that HAIs occurrence have decreased since COVID-19 for some HAIs but not all infections. Future studies are needed to determine what aspect of the new guidelines played a significant role is reducing HAI and strategies to improve infection rates for HAI that showed no reduction in occurrence.Item Impact of Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems on Quality of Care in Rural Communities(2025)Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems have revolutionized diabetes management by providing real-time glucose data, enabling more precise control of blood sugar levels. However, access to these advanced technologies remains unequal, particularly in rural America, where healthcare resources are often limited. This paper examines the impact of CGM systems on individuals with diabetes living in rural areas of the United States. It explores how these systems improve diabetes management, health outcomes, and quality of life, as well as the challenges rural residents face in accessing and affording CGM technology. Through a combination of qualitative interviews and quantitative data, this study highlights barriers such as geographic isolation, limited healthcare infrastructure, and financial constraints, while also showcasing the potential of telemedicine and community health programs to improve access. The findings suggest that while CGM systems offer significant benefits, policy initiatives are essential to ensure equitable access and maximize their impact for rural populations with diabetes.
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