ScholarWorks@GVSU Copyright (c) 2013 Grand Valley State University All rights reserved. http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu Recent documents in ScholarWorks@GVSU en-us Mon, 20 May 2013 01:30:51 PDT 3600 Impact of Gamification and Shared Situated Displays on Smartphone Application Engagement http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cistechlib/152 http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cistechlib/152 Fri, 17 May 2013 06:11:26 PDT Planning the development of a smartphone application with user engagement in mind is a creative process that involves the incorporation of elements that encourage a sustainable longitudinal connection with its users. As more and more smartphone applications are introduced in the various application ecosystems, sustained user engagement has become very challenging and unpredictable.

Incorporating game elements into applications is one technique that appears particularly promising with regard to increased engagement. This process is referred to as gamification. The availability of inexpensive high quality flat panel displays has increased the use of digital signage in public places, and raises another interesting question: can the integration of smartphone app experiences with shared situated displays be used to encourage sustained engagement with users? This project investigates both of these opportunities as a way to encourage smartphone engagement. An existing campus app (that lacked an engaged user base) was enhanced with game features, and integrated into a series of situated displays. By comparing analytics data collected during the experiment, we can conclude that gamification encouraged engagement, but the impact of the shared displays was not conclusive.

]]> Juan Mejia Search Engine Optimization: A Survey of Current Best Practices http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cistechlib/151 http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cistechlib/151 Fri, 17 May 2013 06:05:13 PDT With the rapid growth of information on the web, search engines have become the starting point of most web-related tasks. In order to reach more viewers, a website must improve its organic ranking in search engines. This paper introduces the concept of search engine optimization (SEO) and provides an architectural overview of the predominant search engine, Google. This paper presents a conceptual framework for exploring various optimization guidelines, which can be categorized under four parts: keyword research, indexing, on-page optimization, and off-page optimization. Some worst practices, or ”black hat” approaches, to SEO are briefly discussed. The paper concludes with the future semantic web and how it can affect optimization techniques, such as link building.

]]> Niko Solihin ParabolaX: Learner Engagement with Serious Games http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cistechlib/150 http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cistechlib/150 Thu, 16 May 2013 11:00:29 PDT Video games continue to be a growing and vibrant industry. These games have an unprecedented ability to persuade their players to overcome gameplay challenges. As educators struggle to motivate the learners in their classroom, games provide a great opportunity to enrich the education curriculum. The use of games for this purpose is the primary goal of the growing serious games field. ParabolaX is a serious game designed to teach principles of quadratic functions [1]. ParabolaX was developed with two gameplay versions: full and basic. The basic version eliminated many game features. Leaners played ParabolaX during a single classroom session and took surveys before and after they played. Learner scores on quadratic problems before playing were not significantly different than scores after playing ParabolaX, t(65) = -0.486, p = 0.629. Learners that played the full version that included all game like features did not show significantly different engagement indicators than those who

played the basic version. Learner engagement did not differ based on gender or prior experience playing digital games. 76.1% of learners playing the full version agreed that ParabolaX helped them understand quadratic functions compared to only 50% of those who played the basic version.

]]> Kevin Formsma Book Discussion Web Application Based on Django Framework with UI/IX Design for Senior Citizens and Inexperienced Users http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cistechlib/149 http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cistechlib/149 Thu, 16 May 2013 10:00:12 PDT With the Internet becoming available and affordable to more people, the number of Internet users among older generations is rapidly growing. However, most websites on the web are confusing to this age group, due to lack of experience, as well as disabilities coming with age. The purpose of this project is to create an easy to use, self-explanatory web application, taking into account this specific target group. It is a platform where one can discuss various books. The online book club can substitute a traditional book club by ignoring the time and geographic limitations. The process of the creation of this application included exploring a new web framework, Django, which is one of the trends in web application development.

]]> Gayane Kabalyan SMiT: Local System Administration Across Disparate Environments Utilizing the Cloud http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cistechlib/148 http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cistechlib/148 Thu, 16 May 2013 09:49:33 PDT System administration can be tedious. Most IT departments maintain several (if not several hundred) computers, each of which requires periodic housecleaning: updating of software, clearing of log files, removing old cache files, etc. Compounding the problem is the computing environment itself. Because of the distributed nature of these computers, system administration time is often consumed in repetitive tasks that should be automated. Although current system administration tools exist, they are often centralized, unscalable, unintuitive, or inflexible. To meet the needs of system administrators and IT professionals, we developed the Script Management Tool (SMiT). SMiT is a web-based tool that permits administration of distributed computers from virtually anywhere via a common web browser. SMiT consists of a cloud-based server running on Google App Engine enabling users to intuitively create, manage, and deploy administration scripts. To support local execution of scripts, SMiT provides an execution engine that runs on the organization’s local machines and communicates with the server to fetch scripts, execute them, and deliver results back to the server. Because of its distributed asynchronous architecture SMiT is scalable to thousands of machines. SMiT is also extensible to a wide variety of system administration tasks via its plugin architecture.

]]> Kevin Guyot Perceptions of Creativity among Faculty in Higher Education http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/theses/56 http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/theses/56 Thu, 16 May 2013 09:03:08 PDT Higher education instructors do not sufficiently incorporate creativity in the teaching and learning environments within which they operate. While there is a great deal of research available regarding creativity and primary or secondary education, there is little research available regarding creativity and higher education. This study contributes to that gap of knowledge by surveying faculty members in one institution of higher education in order to understand their perspectives regarding creativity, both as it relates to being a creative individual and to teaching others to be creative themselves. There were 358 faculty members who participated in the online survey designed specifically for this study. Those participants were tenured, tenure-track, visiting, and affiliate faculty from eight different academic units at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. The survey instrument asked participants to answer six demographic questions, eleven Likert scale statements, and two short answer questions. The results of the surveys were gathered and organized by response, allowing the researcher to identify similarities and tabulate percentages of responses. The majority of faculty participants believed creativity to be a positive concept that should be incorporated in higher education. However, when asked if they believed their faculty peers engaged in creative action, most participants did not perceive that to be the case. Several barriers to creativity, along with factors that could potentially promote creativity, were identified in this survey as well. The results have important implications for institutions of higher education if they are seeking to incorporate creativity. There is still a significant amount of research needed that could further promote this field of knowledge.

]]> Ellie Melissa Potter Content Analysis of British Petroleum and Tokyo Electric Power Company's Crisis Communication Messages. Comparative Analysis of Crisis Communication Strategies http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/theses/55 http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/theses/55 Tue, 14 May 2013 05:43:21 PDT This research analyzes the crisis communication messages of the two organizations British Petroleum (BP) and Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO). The study looks at organizations' press-releases, Facebook updates and tweets. The research looks at detecting four main themes in the companies' crisis communication messages: trust, collaboration, commitment, and interactivity. This study then goes on to look at the crisis communication strategies.

BP's 60 press releases and 70 Facebook updates along with TEPCO's 60 press releases and 65 tweets were analyzed. The findings of the research showed that BP mainly addressed the company's commitment to resolve the crisis. Additionally, the organization emphasized collaboration, and its financial losses. The company both emphasized its financial losses incurred during the crisis, and the amount of the compensation paid to victims of the crisis. TEPCO stressed commitment and collaboration. Additionally, the organization expressed apologies. In most cases, the company started press releases with apologies for the inconveniences caused by the accident and their commitment to do their best to tackle the impact of the crisis as soon as possible. Yet, TEPCO did not provide any information about the cost of their corrective actions or any compensation paid, if any, to victims of the crisis compared to BP.

]]> Viktoryia Abramenka Real-time Stage 1 Sleep Detection and Warning System Using a Low-Cost EEG Headset http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/theses/54 http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/theses/54 Wed, 08 May 2013 13:11:39 PDT The goal of this thesis is to design and test a real-time Stage 1 sleep detection and warning system using a low-cost single dry-sensor EEG headset. Such a system would allow aircraft pilots or truck drivers to receive an auditory warning when they are beginning to fall asleep. The device designed in this study records a single EEG signal and filters it into low Alpha (7.5 - 9.25 Hz), high Alpha (10 - 11.75 Hz), low Beta (13 - 16.75 Hz), and high Beta (18 - 29.75 Hz) frequency bands. When the EEG transitions to match that of Stage 1 sleep for a short period of time, the device produces an audible alarm.

The system proved 81% effective at detecting sleep in a small sample group. All failures were due to false alarms. Compared to tradition sleep scoring, this device predicted and responded to the onset of drowsiness preceding stage 1 sleep.

]]> Bryan Van Hal Born at the Wrong Time: Selection Bias in the NHL Draft http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/oapsf_articles/13 http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/oapsf_articles/13 Mon, 06 May 2013 11:50:20 PDT Relative age effects (RAEs) occur when those who are relatively older for their age group are more likely to succeed. RAEs occur reliably in some educational and athletic contexts, yet the causal mechanisms remain unclear. Here we provide the first direct test of one mechanism, selection bias, which can be defined as evaluators granting fewer opportunities to relatively younger individuals than is warranted by their latent ability. Because RAEs are well-established in hockey, we analyzed National Hockey League (NHL) drafts from 1980 to 2006. Compared to those born in the first quarter (i.e., January– March), those born in the third and fourth quarters were drafted more than 40 slots later than their productivity warranted, and they were roughly twice as likely to reach career benchmarks, such as 400 games played or 200 points scored. This selection bias in drafting did not decrease over time, apparently continues to occur, and reduces the playing opportunities of relatively younger players. This bias is remarkable because it is exhibited by professional decision makers evaluating adults in a context where RAEs have been widely publicized. Thus, selection bias based on relative age may be pervasive.

]]> Robert O. Deaner et al. Effects of Lift Velocity on Muscle Activation During Leg Extension http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/oapsf_articles/12 http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/oapsf_articles/12 Mon, 06 May 2013 11:50:19 PDT It is not known if manipulating velocity within a prescribed resistance training mode will improve muscle activation. Muscle activations of the Rectus Femoris (RF), Vastus Lateralis (VL), Vastus Medialis (VM) and Bicep Femoris (BF) were examined during a leg extension exercise at 3 different velocities on 15 subjects (10men, 5 female, Age = 21.5 ± 1.8 yrs, Height = 171.2 ± 12.5 cm, Mass = 75.5 ± 16.3 kg). Trials of 1 set of 10 repetitions at 60% of 1RM, were performed at 15, 30 and 60º/s. Bipolar surface electrodes were placed over the BF, RF, VL, and VM. Micro-switches were utilized to identify the concentric (CON) and eccentric (ECC) phases of the lift. Data were sampled at 1024 Hz, filtered, rectified and the mean, integrated EMG calculated. One 2 x 4 x 3 (action x muscle x velocity) ANOVA with bonferonni adjustment was run and significance was followed by Tukey HSD post hoc analysis. Results indicated significantly greater activation of the VL, RF and VM for ECC extension at 60º/s compared to 15º/s. While 60º/s was also greater than 30º/s for the VL and VM during ECC. While comparing muscle action, CON VL, VM and RF were greater than ECC at 30º/sec, meanwhile VM CON was also greater at 15º/sec. No differences in muscle activation at any velocity or muscle action for BF were identified. We conclude that muscle recruitment while training with a 60% 1RM load is maximized at a velocity of 60º/s during ECC activity and 15 or 30º/sec during CON.

]]> Brian Hatzel et al. Hope in Environmental Philosophy http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/oapsf_articles/11 http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/oapsf_articles/11 Mon, 06 May 2013 11:50:17 PDT Ecological philosophy requires a significant orientation to the role of hope in both theory and practice. I trace the limited presence of hope in ecological philosophy, and outline reasons why environmental hopelessness is a threat. I articulate and problematize recent environmental publications on the topic of hope, the most important worry being that current literature fails to provide the necessary psychological grounding for hopeful action. I turn to the psychology of hope to provide direction for conceptualizing hope and actualizing hoped for states of affairs. If positive moral action is the goal, hope is a vital concept for underwriting ecological philosophy and a practice requiring considerably more attention.

]]> Lisa Kretz Belief Ascriptions and Social Externalism http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/oapsf_articles/10 http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/oapsf_articles/10 Mon, 06 May 2013 11:50:16 PDT I outline Brandom’s theory of de re and de dicto belief ascriptions, which plays a central role in Brandom’s overall theory of linguistic communication, and show that this theory offers a surprising, new response to Burge’s (Midwest Stud 6:73–121, 1979) argument for social externalism. However, while this response is in principle available from the perspective of Brandom’s theory of belief ascription in abstraction from his wider theoretical enterprise, it ceases to be available from this perspective in the wider context of his inferential role semantics and his doctrines of scorekeeping and of the expressive role of belief ascriptions in discourse. In this wider context, Brandom’s theory of belief ascriptions implies that Burge’s argument trivially fails to have the disquieting implications for psychological explanations that it is widely taken to have. Yet since this is not trivially so, Brandom’s theory apparently provides a false picture of our practice of interpreting belief ascriptions. I then argue that Brandom might as well accept the alternative picture of interpreting belief ascriptions that Burge’s argument presupposes: even in the context of his overall project, Brandom’s take on our practice of interpreting them does not afford belief ascriptions with the discursive significance Brandom claims they have.

]]> Ronald Loeffler Deglaciation Explains Bat Extinction in the Caribbean http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/oapsf_articles/9 http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/oapsf_articles/9 Mon, 06 May 2013 11:50:14 PDT Ecological factors such as changing climate on land and interspecific competition have been debated as possible causes of postglacial Caribbean extinction. These hypotheses, however, have not been tested against a null model of climate- driven postglacial area loss. Here, we use a new Quaternary mammal database and deep-sea bathymetry to estimate species–area relationships (SARs) at present and during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) for bats of the Caribbean, and to model species loss as a function of area loss from rising sea level. Island area was a significant predictor of species richness in the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and Lesser Antilles at all time periods, except for the Lesser Antilles during the LGM. Parameters of LGM and current SARs were similar in the Bahamas and Greater Antilles, but not the Lesser Antilles, which had fewer estimated species during the LGM than expected given their size. Estimated postglacial species losses in the Bahamas and Greater Antilles were largely explained by inferred area loss from rising sea level in the Holocene. However, there were more species in the Bahamas at present, and fewer species in the smaller Greater Antilles, than expected given island size and the end-Pleistocene/ early Holocene SARs. Poor fossil sampling and ecological factors may explain these departures from the null. Our analyses illustrate the importance of changes in area in explaining patterns of species richness through time and emphasize the role of the SAR as a null hypothesis in explorations of the impact of novel ecological interactions on extinction.

]]> Lilian M. Dávalos et al. Hybrid Watermilfoil Lineages are More Invasive and Less Sensitive to a Commonly used Herbicide than their Exotic Parent (Eurasian watermilfoil) http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/oapsf_articles/8 http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/oapsf_articles/8 Mon, 06 May 2013 11:50:13 PDT Hybridization may stimulate the evolution of invasiveness in human-impacted habitats if unique hybrid genotypes have higher fitness than parental genotypes. Human efforts to control invasive taxa frequently involve the intentional alteration of habitats, but few studies have considered whether hybridization can result in decreased sensitivity to control measures. Here, we investigate whether interspecific hybrids between introduced Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) and native northern watermilfoil (M. sibiricum) are more invasive than parental Eurasian watermilfoil, especially in regard to their relative responses to an herbicide commonly applied for their control (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid; 2,4-D). In two separate laboratory experiments, hybrids on average grew faster and were less sensitive to 2,4-D compared with parental Eurasian watermilfoil. These two invasive traits appear to be common in hybrid watermilfoils, as opposed to being restricted to a few unique lineages, because they were found in a diversity of hybrid genotypes from several independent hybridization events. In addition, we found that hybrids occurred more frequently than parental species in natural lakes previously treated with 2,4-D. Our results provide compelling empirical evidence that hybridization is associated with the evolution of increased invasiveness in watermilfoils, and have important implications for their management.

]]> Elizabeth A. LaRue et al. An Assessment of Long-term Biosand Filter use and Sustainability in the Artibonite Valley near Deschapelles, Haiti http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/oapsf_articles/7 http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/oapsf_articles/7 Mon, 06 May 2013 11:50:11 PDT A non-randomized assessment of long-term biosand filter (BSF) use and sustainability in the Artibonite Valley near Deschapelles, Haiti was conducted during March, 2011. Of the 55 BSFs visited, 47% were no longer in use. Filter lifespan ranged from <1 year to systems still in use after 12 years. Interviews with BSF owners revealed problems related to intermittent filter use due to travel for employment or personal matters; broken or missing filter parts; and fears that the filter would not be effective against cholera. In addition, 17 BSF field studies were reviewed to identify common issues impacting usage. Culturally appropriate technologies and education materials explaining proper maintenance and operation are essential for improved filter performance and sustainability. For Haiti, education materials should be provided in Creole and French and should include, (1) diagrams and descriptions of how the BSF works, (2) how to troubleshoot common problems, (3) how to properly maintain filters, and (4) a contact in case of questions. Operational problems can be minimized by providing long-term technical support, periodic water quality monitoring, and maintenance assistance for filter users.

]]> Andrew J. Sisson et al. Using ArcMap, Google Earth, and Global Positioning Systems to Select and Locate Random Households in Rural Haiti http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/oapsf_articles/6 http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/oapsf_articles/6 Mon, 06 May 2013 11:50:10 PDT Background: A remote sensing technique was developed which combines a Geographic Information System (GIS); Google Earth, and Microsoft Excel to identify home locations for a random sample of households in rural Haiti. The method was used to select homes for ethnographic and water quality research in a region of rural Haiti located within 9 km of a local hospital and source of health education in Deschapelles, Haiti. The technique does not require access to governmental records or ground based surveys to collect household location data and can be performed in a rapid, cost-effective manner.

Methods: The random selection of households and the location of these households during field surveys were accomplished using GIS, Google Earth, Microsoft Excel, and handheld Garmin GPSmap 76CSx GPS units. Homes were identified and mapped in Google Earth, exported to ArcMap 10.0, and a random list of homes was generated using Microsoft Excel which was then loaded onto handheld GPS units for field location. The development and use of a remote sensing method was essential to the selection and location of random households.

Results: A total of 537 homes initially were mapped and a randomized subset of 96 was identified as potential survey locations. Over 96% of the homes mapped using Google Earth imagery were correctly identified as occupied dwellings. Only 3.6% of the occupants of mapped homes visited declined to be interviewed. 16.4% of the homes visited were not occupied at the time of the visit due to work away from the home or market days. A total of 55 households were located using this method during the 10 days of fieldwork in May and June of 2012.

Conclusions: The method used to generate and field locate random homes for surveys and water sampling was an effective means of selecting random households in a rural environment lacking geolocation infrastructure. The success rate for locating households using a handheld GPS was excellent and only rarely was local knowledge required to identify and locate households. This method provides an important technique that can be applied to other developing countries where a randomized study design is needed but infrastructure is lacking to implement more traditional participant selection methods.

]]> Peter J. Wampler et al. Long-Term Field Performance of Biosand Filters in the Artibonite Valley, Haiti http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/oapsf_articles/5 http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/oapsf_articles/5 Mon, 06 May 2013 11:50:09 PDT A field study assessing the sustainability and efficacy of 55 biosand filters installed during 1999–2010 was conducted in the Artibonite Valley, Haiti during 2011. Twenty-nine filters were still in use. Duration of filter use ranged from < 1 to 12 years. Water quality, microbial analysis, and flow rate were evaluated for each functioning filter. Kaplan- Meier analysis of filter lifespans showed that filter use remained high (> 85%) up to seven years after installation. Several filters were still in use after 12 years, which is longer than documented in any previous study. Filtered water from 25 filters (86%) contained Escherichia coli concentrations of < 10 most probable number of coliforms/100 mL. Recontamination of stored filtered water was negligible. Bacterial removal efficiency was 1.1 log10. Comparable results from previous studies in the same region and elsewhere show that biosand filter technology continues to be an effective and sustainable water treatment method in developing countries worldwide.

]]> Andrew J. Sisson et al. Comparison of Neurobehavioral Effects of Methylmercury Exposure in Older and Younger Adult zebrafish (<i>Danio rerio</i>) http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/oapsf_articles/4 http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/oapsf_articles/4 Mon, 06 May 2013 11:50:07 PDT It is widely recognized that the nature and severity of responses to toxic exposure are age-dependent. Using active avoidance conditioning as the behavioral paradigm, the present study examined the effect of short-term methylmercury (MeHg) exposure on two adult age classes, 1- and 2-year-olds to coincide with zebrafish in relatively peak vs. declining health conditions. In Experiment 1, 2-year-old zebrafish were randomly divided into groups and were exposed to no MeHg, 0.15% ethanol (EtOH), 0.01, 0.03, 0.1, or 0.3 mM of MeHg (in 0.15% ethanol) for 2 weeks. The groups were then trained and tested for avoidance responses. The results showed that older zebrafish exposed to no MeHg or EtOH learned and retained avoidance responses. However, 0.01 mM or higher concentrations of MeHg exposure impaired avoidance learning in a dose-dependent manner with 0.3 mM of MeHg exposure producing death during the exposure period or shortly after the exposure but before the avoidance training. In Experiment 2, 1-yearold zebrafish were randomly divided into groups and were exposed to the same concentrations of MeHg used in Experiment 1 for 2 weeks. The groups were then trained and tested for avoidance responses. The results showed that younger zebrafish exposed to no MeHg, EtOH, or 0.01 mM of MeHg learned and retained avoidance responses, while 0.1 or 0.3 mM of MeHg exposure impaired avoidance learning in a dose-dependent manner. The study suggested that MeHg exposure produced learning impairments at a much lower concentration of MeHg exposure and more severely in older adult compared against younger adult zebrafish even after short exposure times.

]]> Xiaojuan Xu et al. Egyptian Diasporas, Social Media, and the 2011 Egyptian Revolution: How Egyptians Living in Saudi Arabia used Social Media during the Revolution http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/theses/53 http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/theses/53 Mon, 06 May 2013 05:54:47 PDT In the last few years, the Arab world has been shifting to new technology, particularly social media, to create new connections and spaces for public engagement. This technology has opened new prospects in freedom of expression, especially in political reforms. Through the recent Arab Spring events, social media platforms have been helping cyberactivists for social changes. The 2011 Egyptian revolution is a prime example to show how social media platforms were used to ignite strikers and overthrow the autocratic regime. At the same time, the number and size of diasporas in the Middle East are increasing. Yet scholars have not explored how diasporic communities in the region are engaged with recent political changes, namely the Arab Spring.

This study reports the results of interviews with Egyptians living in Saudi Arabia during the 2011 Egyptian revolution in order to explore how that diaspora used social media platforms during that time. Grounded theory is used to analyze these interviews. The study concludes that social media was a proper platform for the Egyptian diaspora to collect new political information, connect with people in Egypt, and discuss and share it with people in their homeland and other communities. This Egyptian diaspora used social media to sustain strong ties to people in their homeland, increase their sense of political participation, and to confirm political activity in their homeland.

]]> Maisoon O. Al-sebaei An Evidence Based Evaluation of the Nursing Handover Process for Emergency Department Admissions http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/dissertations/10 http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/dissertations/10 Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:30:49 PDT The handover between the emergency department (ED) and in-patient units is a complex process that involves a transfer of responsibility with a change in care providers and physical location (Horwitz et al., 2009). Inadequate communication handovers have been identified as the primary root cause in sentinel events (Adamski, 2007; Patterson & Wears, 2010) . The different unit cultures and contexts and the resulting lack of collaboration and cohesion between nurses create increased risk for adverse events (Behara et al., 2005). An evidence based practice project was completed with a team of staff nurses from the ED and in-patient environments. Donabedian’s structure, process, and outcome framework was utilized. The unit culture and context and the differences in perceptions for the ED admission handovers were analyzed. Using information from a literature review, perception surveys, and a collaborative review of the existing ED admission handover process, the work resulted in seven recommendations for improvements. In addition, the nurses developed an appreciation for the challenges of the different work environments. Setting aside unit preferences and focusing on patient safety allowed the staff to develop consensus and cohesion for the process of the ED admission handover event. The recommendations are fiscally neutral and within the locus of control of the staff involved in the process.

]]> Karen Sue Delrue