The Impact of Nonpharmacological Pain Relief Strategies on Labor Pain Perception, Maternal Satisfaction, and Psychological Outcomes

Tiffany Zhu, Verrazzano Class of 2026, completed major in Nursing

When I first began my capstone project, I knew I was interested in researching maternal health. During my clinical experiences on labor and delivery, I witnessed a laboring client undergo an epidural procedure. The physical discomfort of the procedure and the anxiety she experienced made me wonder if there are alternative ways of alleviating pain for patients undergoing labor. This led me to explore nonpharmacological pain relief strategies and their impact on pain perception, maternal satisfaction, and psychological outcomes during vaginal birth.

Through this project I learned that nonpharmacological methods, such as labor support, hydrotherapy, breathing techniques, music, massage, acupressure, use of birthing balls, and TENS (electric impulses on the lower back), can reduce anxiety and stress, increase feelings of empowerment, and significantly improve overall birth satisfaction. Nonpharmacological pain management offers much more than simply reducing pain intensity while also shaping the emotional experience of childbirth.

One of the most difficult parts of this project was simply getting started, but once I began putting my thoughts on paper, the ideas started to flow more naturally. Organizing the discussion section was also particularly challenging because some studies reported mixed outcomes regarding pain intensity and I had to analyze why those differences existed, such as study design, sample population, and individual variation in pain perception. Despite the challenges, this project strengthened my understanding of evidence-based practice and its direct impact on patient care. I also became more aware of the systemic barriers that may limit the use of nonpharmacological methods, such as staffing shortages, limited resources, and institutional routines that prioritize medical interventions.

 If I were to expand this research further, I would explore the cultural dimensions of pain perception as this project did not deeply examine specific ethnic groups and cultural backgrounds, although pain tolerance may differ among them. Examining these factors could provide a more holistic understanding of pain management. I also hope this project will raise awareness of the overmedicalization of childbirth and encourage institutions to expand access to comprehensive antepartum childbirth, consider integrating birthing centers within hospital settings, and address healthcare providers' implicit biases toward nonpharmacological pain methods.

Improving Sepsis Prevention and Early Detection in Immunocompromised Patients Through Targeted Nursing Interventions

Aldina Tafa, Verrazzano Class of 2026, completed major in Nursing and Psychology, and minors in English Linguistics and Speech Language Pathology

Working on my capstone project became one of the most meaningful academic undertakings of my nursing education. When I first began this project, I knew sepsis was a critical issue in healthcare, but I had not yet understood the extreme vulnerability of immunocompromised patients or how consistently their early symptoms can be overlooked. As I progressed through the literature and developed my analysis, I realized how crucial nurses truly are in bridging the gap between early recognition, prevention, and lifesaving intervention. The process changed the way I view nursing practice, health equity, and my own role as a future clinician.

One of the most important things I learned through this project was how different sepsis looks in immunocompromised populations. Many patients do not present with the “classic” signs that nurses are traditionally taught to look for, no fever, no elevated white blood cell count, and often no obvious signs of infection. Understanding these atypical presentations deepened my appreciation for the complexity of nursing assessment and the level of critical thinking required to protect high-risk patients. I learned that early detection is not just about following a set of guidelines; it requires situational awareness, strong clinical judgment, and a willingness to question whether something subtle might actually be the first sign of a life-threatening decline.

This project also taught me how essential prevention truly is. Much of the existing literature focuses on treatment, what to do once sepsis is already present, but preventing it from occurring in the first place is where nurses have the greatest potential to save lives. As I reviewed studies from 2020–2025, I found myself becoming increasingly passionate about hand hygiene initiatives, aseptic technique, early warning tools, and patient education. It was eye-opening to realize how many infections are preventable, and that something as “simple” as consistent hand hygiene can literally cut the risk of sepsis in half for immunocompromised patients. Working through the evidence reinforced how powerful nursing interventions are, even when they seem routine or basic.

A major part of this capstone experience was collaborating closely with my mentor, who encouraged me to dig deeper into the policy and systemic side of sepsis prevention. Through her guidance, I learned how research connects to real-world nursing practice, hospital protocols, and national initiatives like the CDC’s Sepsis Core Elements. It helped me see how bedside nurses contribute not only to individual patient outcomes but also to broader quality improvement and institutional change. This mentorship made the project feel personal, meaningful, and tied to my future role in nursing leadership.

If I were to continue developing this research, I would want to build a project that examines sepsis prevention directly within clinical environments, particularly in oncology units, transplant floors, and long-term care facilities, where immunocompromised patients are cared for daily. I would also like to explore how technology, such as machine-learning prediction models, can be integrated into nursing workflows to support earlier recognition of subtle symptoms.

Another area worth expanding is patient and family education: creating clear, accessible tools that teach high-risk individuals how to identify early infection signs before a hospital visit.

Impact of Night Shift on the Mental Health of Nurses

Melanie Akilova, Verrazzano Class of 2025, completed major in Nursing 

After conducting research and trying to find the perfect topic to develop a capstone on, I landed on mental health and the impact it holds on nurses who work the night shift. I was inspired by reading blogs and listening to stories on how some nurses do not enjoy working the night shift due to the impact it has on their mental and physical well-being.

I learned a lot while developing the paper and the poster and I would like to share this experience with others to prepare them for their capstone as a Verrazzano student.

Originally, I was lost on how to begin my research, what websites to look for, which articles to apply, and how to narrow down my search. I reached out to my mentor, Professor Hunton, in the Nursing department. She helped me tremendously in making this capstone come to life. My biggest advice to anyone starting their capstone is, do not wait until the last minute and research something you are interested in and passionate about!

My capstone highlights how disruption of sleep patterns can significantly impact a nurses’ wellbeing, causing them to feel burnout, increase the likelihood of making mistakes, and possibly struggle with mental health issues. I discovered that young and less experienced nurses are the most vulnerable population within nursing, which applies to me. To help minimize these effects for me as a new graduate nurse, I have learned that I need to have a consistent sleeping routine, even on days off, and practice relaxation techniques to ease the mind and body.

With all this information at hand, I had to sit down and put everything on paper which seemed easier said than done. After sorting out and trying to cut down bits and pieces of data, I found myself having a hard time meeting the 12-page count requirement, even when I thought this topic would be detail heavy enough to write continuously.

Throughout my capstone experience I learned the importance of mental health, which is a topic that is not discussed as openly as it should be. Devoting every single hour of my day to develop my paper showed me how dedicated I was in voicing this idea to the nursing community.

The most important takeaway is, always advocate for yourself and put your well-being before others. Feeling burnt out as a nurse is more likely to do harm than good and can put patients at risk. Taking a mental health day, learning how to say no, and going to sleep a few hours earlier on days of work can tremendously play a role in improving mental health.

A Comparative Analysis of Emergency Room, Urgent Care Centers and Physician Office Visits

Katherine Ebrahim, Verrazzano Class of 2025, completed major in Nursing 

For my capstone project I reviewed literature on the utilization of the Emergency room (ER), Urgent Care centers (UCC) and Physician offices (PO). The aim of this literature search was to analyze why patients may choose to go the ER over UCCs and POs, and explore how health care professionals can guide patients to the appropriate care settings and provide solutions to direct patients to the best option. Each of these three locations provide a slightly different service. Comparing the overlap and fine tuning their use can result in better overall care to patients.

A large factor that affects patients is access to care. If patients are in a location where they only have an ER as a close option for care, they might choose to go there even when an UCC would suffice. If a person’s PO or UCC is closed at the time that they are seeking care they would be forced to go to the ER for medical treatment or risk not being able to receive any care.

Ensuring that UCC’s remain open to patients can allow them to seek treatment. It is also important to remember that some patients do not have regular visits with a health care professional. This lack of connection to a primary care physician may be the cause of a lack of access to PO visit.

This data could help to identify when each location is used, and how accurately patients are selecting the appropriate location to visit. This can lead to improving patient decisions through healthcare guides and decreased unnecessary ER visits.

I chose this area of research because the ER is something I am very passionate about. I was also interested in how to help both patients and the health care team. The research for this project was very interesting and there were a variety of papers that I found compelling. Learning more about this topic and being about to speak about it to friends and family has made me appreciate the patients that ER workers have to treat. I found it surprising how many articles I was able to find on my topic because I was worried I wouldn’t find enough. Overall, I have learned that researching about a topic you are interested can be rewarding and teach you more about your topic.

Shot or Not? An Analysis of Parental Vaccine Hesitancy in the United States

Julianna Ficarra, Verrazzano Class of 2025, completed major in Nursing

For my capstone, I chose to complete a literature review about pediatric vaccine hesitancy among parents in the United States. I am particularly interested in this topic because I have worked for a pediatrician for several years and have been exposed to parents making decisions about their children's vaccines almost every day. Many parents would look to me for advice, and I realized that even though I would never push my personal opinion on them, I didn't even have any factual information to guide them with! The office provides printed supplemental information from the CDC website for parents about each vaccine, and gives them time to do other research as they see fit, and I wanted to do some research of my own.

I had a great experience writing my capstone paper with the tremendous help form Professor Brillhart, who also played a part in inspiring me to choose this topic. I also spoke to another wonderful Professor of mine, Professor Erichsen, about some ideas I was brainstorming, and she reinforced the idea to look into pediatric vaccines as well. I am very fortunate to have met these two professors through CSI's Nursing program and continue to learn from them even after completing their courses.

I expected that completing this capstone project would be time-consuming, challenging, and eye opening, and I was correct! It was easy to write about something I'm passionate about once I got started, and I was surprised by how much information is out there to support both points of view regarding pediatric and adolescent vaccine administration. I also looked into how the United States compared to other countries on this topic, such as Australia. I would further explore the personal fears and opinions of parents in my community regarding pediatric vaccine administration.

Through my research, I found that many of the driving factors that influence parental vaccine hesitancy are socioeconomic challenges, traditional and cultural beliefs, social media misinformation and overall lack of knowledge. Many parents were also influenced by a study published in 1998 that stated that the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine was connected to autism. This study was retracted several years later, after it had created fear in parents all over the world. Through completion of this paper, I will take with me key APA format corrections that Professor Brillhart taught me, along with all of the information I discovered regarding the reasons behind parental vaccine hesitancy.

 

 

Health Disparities in Colon Cancer Among African Americans

Aneena Panicker, Verrazzano Class of 2025, completed major in Nursing 

My capstone discusses health disparities that impact colorectal cancer screening among African Americans. Colon cancer is one the top leading cancers in the United States, yet it is one of the most treatable types of cancer when discovered and detected in early stages of the disease. Despite advanced technology and medical advancements, many marginalized populations such as African Americans are still suffering with the highest rates of late stage CRC diagnosis and succumbing to the disease compared to other racial/ethnic groups. This issue tends to raise the question of how to improve preventative healthcare measures such as screenings to address this gap and further reduce mortality rates. It is important to analyze these barriers that prevent or inhibit this population from receiving adequate care and seek solutions to combat it. Nurses are forefront leaders in creating change and can drastically improve the well-being of individuals who are neglected and underserved by the healthcare system. Further research and analysis led to the conclusion that socioeconomic barriers, perceived mindsets regarding screenings, and access to care all played a major role in reduced colon cancer screenings among African Americans, especially for men. However, there are many ways to further improve this initiative as nurses can increase education, enhance community engagement, and empower individuals to take health seeking behaviors.

The disparity difference in this population sparked my interest in researching this topic, in addition to learning more about the increase of colon cancer diagnoses among young individuals. This concerned me and I wanted to learn more about which populations may be most impacted. I expected the capstone to be a straightforward research process but in reality, it required the ability to navigate complex journal articles to draw conclusions and formulate an organized structure. The capstone encouraged critical thinking and enabled me to deep dive into complex ideas and concepts that further enhanced my understanding compared to my previous baseline comprehension of the topic. It was challenging trying to uncover the various issues that led to screening disparities, and interconnecting the issues was difficult, however statistical data was able to provide straightforward results which made it easier to synthesize into main ideas. What surprised me most about the literature reviews was how deep medical mistrust is among the African American community, which remains to this day. To further expand this research, I would conduct personalized interviews among individuals from this population to further understand their experiences which can further support statistical data and design culturally sensitive interventions.

I learned to comprehensively analyze patients and understand that there are multifactorial components that can impact a person's well-being and quality of life. From this research experience, I'm motivated and committed to utilizing this knowledge into the clinical setting and nursing practice. I hope to advocate for policies and programs that help bring equitable care to vulnerable patient populations and dismantle systemic bias that is present in the healthcare system.

The Interplay Between Anxiety and Anesthesia

Nicole Gelfand, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Nursing

Reflecting on my capstone experience, I am filled with a sense of fulfillment and growth. I worked alongside Professor Danielle Hunton from the Nursing department, and learned about the relationships between anxiety and anesthesia. This project helped me unravel their complexities, and explore the pivotal role of nursing in mitigating anxiety effects so patients have a better experience with anesthesia. This exploration holds immense significance for me as I aspire to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA).

My journey commenced with a curiosity and desire to deepen my understanding of the physiological and psychological dynamics at play when anxiety meets anesthesia. I embarked on extensive reviews of literature to grasp the nuances of this interplay. From my knowledge learned through my nursing school journey as well as the information presented from my research, I gathered information regarding the types and levels of anxiety, the proper ways to assess them, and the effect it has on anesthesia administration and recovery, as well as what nurses can do to help relieve a patient’s feelings of anxiety.

Through this process, I not only enriched my knowledge but also cultivated a critical lens through which to analyze clinical scenarios. Moreover, my capstone experience illuminated the indispensable role of nurses in one's surgical journey, especially when experiencing anxiety. Nurses help serve as advocates for patient-centered care and are in a unique position to help assess, intervene, and support patients throughout the anesthesia process. Whether this is done through therapeutic communication, pharmacological intervention, or relaxation techniques, nurses play an important role in alleviating anxiety and promoting positive surgical outcomes.

As I conclude my capstone reflection, I am filled with a sense of gratitude for the opportunities and insight I gathered throughout this journey. My exploration of the interplay between anxiety and anesthesia has not only deepened my passion for anesthesia nursing but also reinforced my commitment to education for patient well-being and safety. With this newfound knowledge, I am able to embark on the next chapter of my journey toward becoming a CRNA, equipped to navigate the complexities of anesthesia practice with compassion, competence, and integrity.

Impacts of Overcrowding in the Emergency Room

Julia Calvo, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Nursing 

Reflecting on the process of working on my capstone, this project has taught me many things about myself. For starters, I learned that I was able to balance and prioritize many tasks throughout the semester. Working as a full-time emergency room nurse, being a full-time college student, and maintaining the process of working on my capstone, I had a lot of balancing to do throughout my last two semesters. I was able to balance work, school, my capstone project, and making time for my friends and family.

During this process there were times where I was overwhelmed or anxious about meeting deadlines. However, this process also showed me that I am determined. When I set goals for myself, I am determined to complete them. Working on my capstone was encouraging as it helped me research a topic that I was captivated by in the emergency room.

As a full-time ER nurse, I see first-hand the issue of overcrowding at the hospital where I work. I see the difficulties that ER nurses experience when trying to provide adequate care for a large ratio of patients and seeing the struggles that the patients experience due to overcrowding.

I think this capstone project gave me the opportunity to investigate reasons why overcrowding occurs in the ER and what can be done to resolve this issue. It also gave me a great opportunity to work with my mentor who is an ER nurse and was my professor for my first semester of nursing school. It was a great to work with Dr. Jennifer Macchiarola to research contributing factors to overcrowding in the ER and to find strategies that can be implemented into ER care.

I believe I benefitted greatly from this project because I learned about strategies that I can implement into my current nursing practice to promote patient satisfaction and help reduce overcrowding. I also believe that nurses and patients can benefit from my research findings on ER overcrowding because it will increase awareness of this global issue and nurses can find ways that can help them deliver quality care to patients. Overall, I believe that this project greatly impacted my career as a nurse. I can apply what I learned to my everyday practice to make a positive impact for nurses and patients.

Christina Testa, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Nursing

My capstone journey focused on strategies that healthcare teams could implement to promote HPV and cervical cancer screenings in lesbian and bisexual women. It has been a rewarding experience that has allowed me to uncover the pressing need for tailored healthcare initiatives for this patient population.

Learning about vulnerable populations such as the LGBTQ+ community in nursing classes has always felt limited and generalized, and sparked my interest in delving more into this topic. Having the privilege of working alongside my mentor Dr. Marianne Jeffreys for over two semesters, I learned so much about this population and myself as well, as an LGBTQ+ individual, that I will carry on with me throughout the rest of my nursing career.

Navigating through the literature has uncovered promising initiatives for promoting screenings in lesbian and bisexual women under the domains of clinical practice, health care provider education, patient education, administration and policy, and research. Not only has reviewing the literature expanded my knowledge of healthcare disparities, but it has instilled a sense of purpose and responsibility.

This project represents a culmination of hard, diligent work that has taught me how to communicate effectively with others and manage my time, which are important aspects of nursing care. In addition to taking classes, completing this project has been challenging, but through communication with Dr. Jeffreys, we were able to create a timeline that best fit my schedule while still remaining actively dedicated to it.

If I were to pursue further development of this project, I’d love to gather real accounts from LGBTQ+ patients about their healthcare experiences and any barriers they are currently facing.

One thing I would say about working on the project is that it did not feel like a chore. I take pride in what I’ve uncovered and accomplished now that it is complete, and have learned what it feels like to be involved in something that fulfills such a glorious sense of purpose. I was not working on my capstone to complete a requirement; I was compelled to gain empathy, compassion, and confidence when caring for and interacting with LGBTQ+ patients, so that I am better able to promote a sense of comfort and acceptance for them in the healthcare field. The insights gained have paved the way for personal growth in my life, strengthening my desire to work with a wide array of women in the future as a labor and delivery nurse.

Achievement of a goal takes commitment, which is something I accomplished while working on my project. With this experience of commitment, I now realize I can achieve any goal in nursing by putting my all into it. As I begin the next chapter of my professional journey, I will carry with me these lessons learned, relationships fostered, and a commitment to championing health equity for all through advocacy and inclusivity in my nursing care.

 

The Importance of Transcultural Nursing on Child and Adolescent Health Outcomes

Emily Torres, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Nursing

I learned so much about myself from developing and completing my capstone project. I began my project during the summer and feel very accomplished now that everything is complete. Many things can go wrong, which is one of the first valuable lessons I learned. It is important to remember that the work can take longer than anticipated, but it will be worth it in the end. Preparing for this is critical by setting realistic goals and accounting for failures. It is crucial to remember to maintain composure and consider the wider view because this lesson applies to everything in life.

I feel like I have evolved in many ways from this experience, by improving my ability to ask for help. This has been a significant aspect of my growth as learning to and understanding how to ask for help can help me become a better nurse. Effective communication and collaboration are extremely important aspects of being a nurse and by enhancing my willingness to know when to ask for help I am strengthening my teamwork skills overall. In the healthcare field, no one is alone and I feel that I am more prepared to work in a team setting.

There were many challenges I faced in producing my capstone, and throughout those challenges, they helped me realize why I always felt so pulled to pediatric nursing. The obstacles I faced made me even more determined to change nursing for the better. This project wasn’t just about completing a requirement to receive the title of graduating with honors. This project was about gaining skills and knowledge, along with experience that can make real changes to myself, and benefit my journey as a nurse.

I am filled with insight from completing my capstone, and I feel a stronger sense of purpose to want to work with children and adolescents. My capstone was transformative, and deepened my understanding of nursing.

The Comprehensive Benefits of Peer Tutoring on Nursing Students

Theodoro Mercado, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Nursing

In my nursing program at the College of Staten Island, I had the opportunity to learn an array of skills and interact with various individuals throughout my journey as a nursing student. I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with numerous teachers and peers alike who have served to guide and mentor me in growing as a student and future nurse.

My capstone explored the ramifications of mentorship on personal, academic, and professional growth. When completing this project, I was grateful to be able to work with my mentor Professor Danielle Hunton, who taught my Nursing 310 course titled, Interpersonal Dynamics for Professional Nursing.

Peer tutoring is a specific form of mentoring, and it is a form of communication that I employ either consciously or instinctively with patients and peers. The innate process of peer tutoring compels individuals to foster more effective forms of communication and reinforces their own knowledge of the respective subjects in question. It is inexplicably tied to the profession of nursing, and is a skill that is seemingly encouraged throughout the curriculum and serves to prepare students to perform well academically and to carry these skills into their eventual careers as nurses; it is for these reasons that I am ecstatic to be able to relay the implications of this skill amongst my peers.

The creation of this capstone project served as a reflection into the ways peer tutoring shaped my academic career in nursing, and while not all of its benefits were explicitly clear to me at the time, through the completion of this paper I can more succinctly identify how this form of communication shaped my experience as a fledgling nurse. Reviewing the literature for this capstone project granted me an opportunity to examine current nursing research on the employment of peer tutoring and the teach-back method in academic, clinical, and personal settings.

It was through this literature review that I am able to share my findings of these studies with my fellow students and future nurses, so that they may be able to appreciate the significance that mentoring and peer tutoring has on their future endeavors.

I am grateful to have been able to compile a formal literature review of this topic with the aid of Professor Hunton. Courses within the CSI nursing curriculum mention the role communication has within the profession, however, seldom do courses review the topic as extensively as Nursing 310. This course stressed the implications and benefits of mentoring and peer tutoring, and it is only following the completion of this capstone that I can adequately conceptualize the profound impacts that these skills have on students and nurses. This capstone project serves as a source of academic analysis and personal pride, as I was able to compile a comprehensive analysis of the benefits of a tool that was employed extensively throughout my tenure as a student.

Nurse’s Action Towards Stroke Awareness and Prevention: A Case Study

 Gabrielle Artz, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Nursing 

These past four years in the nursing program taught me so much and has helped shape the person I am today. I feel like for most students who have to complete a thesis or a capstone project, they will say that it crept up on them very quickly. I am one of those students.

Throughout my time in the nursing program I was able to figure out what I was interested in perusing and what areas I was not too fond of. My main interest is in neurological critical care, and I focused on that area for my capstone project.

I was inspired by both the Medical Surgical Nursing III course and my experience as a volunteer on the Neurology Stroke unit at a local hospital on Staten Island. I have had the privilege to work with Professor Regina Lama for this project. She has an immense amount of knowledge to contribute, and she guided me through this project, as she was a neuro critical care nurse. She also taught the course that sparked my inspiration for this project.

While volunteering on the stroke unit I heard of many cases where patients suffered from ischemic stroke who could have received treatments but did not receive the medications because the patient did not seek treatment in enough time.

I struggled trying to organize all of the points that I wanted to touch upon in my project. Professor Lama guided me to speak to people working on the stroke unit to learn more about the protocols. I did just that, and spoke with a staff nurse and the nurse manager on the unit, where they provided me with teaching handouts and the protocols they follow when they are treating a patient in the hospital.

Further reflecting on this capstone project, I gained so much knowledge in wanting to spread more awareness of stroke in the community. I was so grateful to be able to work with Professor Lama, who also teaches the nursing course 411, Community Nursing. I am proud to have been able to create a case study and analysis to provide stroke awareness and work towards preventing this life threatening event. To say the least, it has been a journey and I do not take this experience for granted. 

Health Promotion for Adolescents at Risk for Homelessness

Navya Nibu, Verrazzano Class of 2024, completed major in Nursing 

From the moment the idea of the capstone project entered my mind, I knew I wanted to research a meaningful topic. I had many ideas but none of them touched my heart as much as youth homelessness. My mentor, Dr. Brillhart, is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, who has seen and cared for such patients throughout the course of her nursing career.  My research involved reading through current research on the risk factors and health promotion strategies for homeless adolescents. I was especially interested in health promotion because as a nurse, one of the many aspects of patient care is encouraging patients to have control over their health and improve their health.

Working on my capstone was an eye-opening experience. I am working-full time as a nurse, in school finishing my Bachelor’s degree in Nursing and also working on my capstone. It was a collection of factors that helped me finish my capstone – my family, friends, my mentor, my advisors, and sheer determination and perseverance. Time management was a key personal skill that I learned to get better at since I had many responsibilities. Planning, writing out schedules, checking off what I had to get done so that I could visualize my progress throughout the day were great strategies that kept me on track.

When working on my capstone, I wanted to further my knowledge about the topic and bring more awareness to the issue of youth homelessness, as well as find out health promotion strategies that nurses have implemented in their practice for this population. I am grateful for this opportunity to research, educate myself, work with my mentor, and disseminate knowledge. At the end of the day, I am pleased with my efforts in completing my capstone.

Researching Pre-Eclampsia and Its Effects on Non-Hispanic Black Women (NHBW)

Michelle Avila, Verrazzano Class of 2023, completed major in Nursing

When I first began thinking about doing my capstone project, I was not sure what route to take. As a nursing major and someone who was interested in different types of nursing, I wanted to research almost every new thing I learned.

It wasn't until after my maternity rotation that I fell in love with maternity care and was very interested in investigating this specific area. I had a patient who was diagnosed with a pregnancy issue known as pre-eclampsia, and I was curious to learn more about it. During lectures when this topic came up I not only learned the pathophysiology but I learned that non-Hispanic Black women (NHBW) are more prone to this issue.

After I completed this class I knew I wanted to investigate this topic further. During the next semester, I took a women's health class, which dived into the many health disparities and inequities women face, specifically non-Hispanic Black women. I learned about the social determinants of health that affect these women, which in turn leads to a decrease in their quality of life.

After taking this class and getting to know my professor (who became my mentor), I knew that I wanted to find a correlation between pre-eclampsia in NHBW and the effects that the social determinants of health have on them.

As a nurse, a want to ensure that I am always providing the best quality care possible and am following current standards and evidence-based practice. I wanted to shed light on this issue because it is so crucial for nurses to be aware of the many health disparities NHBW face and how we can provide effective care and refer them to available resources.

If I were to further this research, I would love to be able to bring this awareness to institutions for nurses to utilize. Implementing new education for nurses to be aware of the social determinants of health impacts on women would aid with improving disparities and the high morbidity and mortality rates women face.

This capstone allowed me to branch out of my comfort zone and dive deep into the literature. It taught me that as a nurse I have a huge role to play in access to healthcare and that I can be a valuable resource for many women in need.

 

Factors Contributing to MM in the United States

 Kayla Curcio, Verrazzano Class of 2023, completed major in Nursing

 

From the moment I stepped foot in the College of Staten Island as a freshman Verrazzano honors student, I always had in the back of my mind the fear of the capstone project which caused me to procrastinate. I could not understand how this would help me as a nursing student in the future, or why I needed to do this capstone to receive honors. I was so stressed with all my schoolwork that I did not want to add something else to my plate, especially since it seemed like so much work. But when time started running out and I had no other choice but to start thinking about topics, I began to realize that this was not that bad and it could actually benefit me.

The research that I did for my literature review paper allowed me to learn so much, not even just about my topic which was about high rates of maternal deaths, but also to learn many valuable lessons about issues within the entire healthcare system. Not only was this a learning experience because of all the research that I did, but my mentor, Dr. Arlene Farren, who was assisting me with my work for this capstone taught me so much, including how to write a good well-developed paper. Now I am thinking about the potential of publishing this paper to share with others everything I learned so that I could contribute to a positive change for the nursing profession.

The experience of working so closely with a professor seemed a little nerve-wracking to me because I am kind of on the shy side and it is something that was out of my comfort zone. By doing this research and working with then I not only gained a mentor, but I also gained a friend who I can go to for advice, someone I know who I can ask questions and know I will get an honest response from a person that has my best interest at heart. So, thinking back I really could have saved myself so much stress if I would have just started this capstone early on.

The takeaway that I have from working on this capstone is that even if something seems scary you should overcome your fears and step out of your comfort zone. It is an opportunity where you can learn and it can help you reach your full potential. The capstone at times became tedious and I felt very stressed out trying to balance it with work and school, but it was worthwhile, and I am glad that I persevered and was able to complete my project. Not only did this help me learn more, and work alongside a wonderful mentor who helped me a lot with the capstone and much more, but also through this experience I have become in my opinion better as an individual.

I am honestly so proud of what I accomplished, I have become a better writer, I have become more confident, and best of all I have become a little more comfortable in presenting in front of a large group of individuals. It is not as bad as it seems.

 

Skills Learned from Researching and Developing a Capstone on Diabetic Patient and Blood Sugar Monitoring

Vincent DePinto, Verrazzano Class of 2022, completed major in Nursing 

I conducted my capstone project with the department’s chairperson, Dr. DiCicco-Bloom. We brainstormed on what form my capstone would take and decided a literature review would be the most appropriate as it would allow me to explore the current state of my topic according to nursing research, and was well suited to my major.

The first steps in beginning my capstone was to gather preliminary research about my topic, research how to conduct a literature review, and how the paper would be formatted. As a nurse researcher herself, my mentor was instrumental in helping me understand what a literature review consists of, and what was expected. Something I always struggled with was if I had to write a paper and I wasn't given a template or structure as a guide. I had to construct the layout of this review while keeping in mind the format and the research topic.

I feel this experience has helped me in both academic and personal areas. Most notably, it has given me a significant amount of confidence in my skills as a writer, researcher, and as a nurse when appraising literature. I was able to understand the main themes of the literature I reviewed, and construct a well thought out paper.

I also learned how to work with a mentor in my profession. This was initially difficult for me as I was not sure how often to reach out and update my mentor on my progress. This lack of communication led to my mentor reaching out to me, and telling me that it was my responsibility to keep in touch and share my progress. I felt a bit embarrassed to be told this by my mentor and the head of my department, but it allowed me to learn that my communication and time management skills needed to be improved.

Another important thing I learned from my capstone was public speaking and presenting my research. I had to virtually present my capstone at the Undergraduate Research conference. Even though there were only eight people watching my presentation, I was incredibly nervous to be presenting my research to a highly knowledgeable and academic group of people. For the first 3 minutes, I was internally freaking out. After the initial shock of beginning my presentation, I was able to calm down and become more comfortable. I think I will still be a bit nervous presenting in the future, but I do recognize the confidence this experience has given me for future public speaking endeavors.

I was very interested to read about my topic in the literature, especially the sections that detailed study limitations, and recommendations for future research. In this regard, I had several ideas about where future research could lead my topic. There were some gaps in the literature in regard to testing certain alternate sites (such as the earlobe) during unsteady glycemic states. I think future research could compare venous and fingerstick blood sugar measurements to alternate site measurements, and create a specific blood sugar range for alternate sites.

Another area of interest was the effect of alternate site testing (AST) on glycemic control. In my review, I found one study that concluded the use of AST did not improve glycemic control. I would like to see this study repeated so that the results are replicable, and the conclusion can be further supported. The studies I looked at were either experimental, or quasi-experimental. I would be fascinated to see what findings qualitative studies produce. I wonder if patient interviews could produce interesting research questions regarding AST, and guide future research.

One thing I am particularly interested in is the possibility of AST being implemented into practice. When I am administering insulin, I often ask or am told by my patients the site they prefer. I would be interested to see patients having a preferred testing site, just as they might have a preferred insulin administration site.

I feel continuing this research, and potentially implementing AST into clinical practice could provide healthcare workers with additional methods to measure blood sugar, and give patients a greater sense of control over their disease process.

 

Researching the Effects of Alcohol Use Disorder

Fanny Liao, Verrazzano Class of 2022, completed major in Nursing

My project was titled “The Effects Precipitated by Alcohol Use Disorder”. I worked in conjunction with Professor Schiano from the Nursing Department. From the moment I first contacted her with my mentorship request to finishing the capstone and departmental honors thesis, it was much like a roller coaster ride. There were ups, there were downs, and there were loops taking me back to where I was before. Without a doubt, I am absolutely relieved that I made it to the end successfully. 

I learned so many things during this journey. I learned that I should not procrastinate and with the correct time management, I could balance the multiple aspects of the capstone and departmental honors projects (yes, plural) with my classes, my job searching, and my personal life. I learned that I am capable of so much if I put in the time and dedication. I managed to create a thesis paper, have it reviewed with the Writing Center, create a poster, a presentation powerpoint, a video, and present at both the Undergraduate Research Conference and in an AAS psychiatric nursing class. 

My research on alcohol use disorder and its effects took a great deal of time and I value each morsel of knowledge. Alcohol use disorder has so many effects and if left unaddressed, it will continue to cycle through the lives of the vulnerable. Their affected lives will have effects on the individuals, families, and communities around them.

The goal of my project was to educate nursing students and others about those effects and what they could do to help lessen their impact. The takeaway message that I want people to know is that support for alcoholic individuals and their families is so important if we want to protect the children in their lives who will eventually grow up one day to futures that have been greatly influenced by the traumas they experienced as children. Children are our future and their futures are in our hands.

If I ever continue researching this project, I envision looking more into how culture affects alcohol use disorder and how culture mediates the disorder’s effects. For example, would cultures who use more alcohol be more supportive of those with alcohol use disorder?

This project was a success and I owe many thanks to Professor Barbara Schiano for her patience and support, and to the CSI Writing Center for their wonderful advice.  

Nursing and Knowledge Gained Through Research

Lori Brauer, Verrazzano Class of 2022, completed major in Nursing 

 

When I first heard about the capstone requirement, I was fearful and my mind told me to be grateful that it was so far away. As time moved on, I pushed the thought out of my mind until I finally had to think about my topic. I felt lost and clueless, until I finally decided to research what I knew about, nursing and IBS. I have suffered from IBS and felt that I could benefit from researching this topic and I could gain insight to improve my health while completing my capstone. This was much easier said than done!

In my work as an undergraduate student, I had done research and small literature reviews, but never to the extent that this paper required, and I struggled mentally to bring myself to do it. On top of other stressors and responsibilities, my mind could not cope with completing such a large project, which led me to consider leaving the program at one point. It was then that I realized if I did not go through with this paper, then all the work I had done so far would have been all for nothing.

I continued with the research, which was long and grueling and took several drafts and revisions. Along the way, I learned more about myself, such as my weakness when it came to big projects, and the anxiety that I would experience. When things became too much, I had a difficult time working at an effective pace. I learned how to manage this anxiety by putting my tasks into smaller steps, so I could handle them each, one by one. This helped me look at the project as small assignments, rather than a huge capstone. I learned that if I put my mind to something, I could accomplish things that I felt were impossible. Once I had the right mindset, I was able to effectively manage my stress and work towards my goal. It was tough to accomplish, but I knew that my end goal was in sight, and I needed to push my limits.

I completed my capstone, something I was not sure I would be able to do. Pushing myself out of my comfort zone allowed me to learn more about myself and to accomplish my goals. I learned ways to improve my health, and I have implemented some of the strategies I found from my research.

Originally, I found it embarrassing to share that I have IBS and feared other people’s judgment. Looking at the research and the prevalence of IBS, I felt more comfortable sharing my story. I learned how much work goes into creating a literature review, and it helped me understand the meaning behind evidence-based practice, which is implemented constantly in nursing. I gained more insight on nursing research, which helped me understand the field and consider my future specialties.

Although I was an inexperienced researcher, with the help of my mentor, Dr. Farren, I felt I was able to write a professional piece of literature that could show evidence on IBS and interventions. Her time and guidance were essential to me overcoming roadblocks, and I am extremely thankful for her support. I can use this knowledge in my career when I have a patient with IBS, and it is my hope that the information from this paper can help others as it did for me. I am proud to say that I have finally completed my capstone and have graduated from the Verrazzano Honors program.