Over the course of two semesters, many components went into creating “The Nursing Student Community: Modules to Augment the Positive Impact of Social Support”. These components can be divided into the research, the creative project, and the combination of both. The research started with the question, “Is there a place for student-driven resources to improve upper-division nursing students’ academic success?”. To answer this question, the stress levels of average Americans, students in nursing school, and students in other baccalaureate programs were compared via standardized stress surveys. Once it was discovered that nursing students’ stress tends to trend higher, the reasons why were researched and broken down into three categories: the clinical experience, professional and social relationships, and grades. To combat these stress levels, it was found that the main coping strategies included social support, exercise, and mindfulness. The creative project, seen in the deliverable as screenshots of the Canvas course, is nine different modules focused on providing advice for nursing school and guidance on how to utilize the coping strategies of social support, exercise, and mindfulness. The combination of both includes a reflection on the experience, as well as the PowerPoint used during the defense of the thesis.

In this thesis project, I have created a cookbook that provides Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome-friendly recipes and explains how the consumption of the right foods can help to naturally balance the hormonal imbalances that are offset. For those with PCOS, diet matters because there are certain foods that significantly help with lowering one’s internal inflammation, and other foods that do just the opposite. Therefore, fueling our bodies with foods that are anti-inflammatory and manage insulin resistance is key to a solution that works from the inside out. The creation of this cookbook is to compile easy and delicious recipes that I have created for my PCOS diet. In recent years, many have been using the Mediterranean Diet, Keto Diet, and DASH Diet as guidelines for recommendations and substitutions due to elimination of saturated fats, processed food, and refined sugar. These alterations make a powerful tools to address internal inflammation, menstrual regulation, and other components of PCOS. Though this cookbook does not strictly follow the diet plans, the recipes are made with strong consideration of them and are easily replicable with stricter restrictions and even healthier options, should one want.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is an intricate neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social functioning and communication, repetitive behavioral patterns, and specialized interests (Olesova et al., 2020; Osredkar et al., 2023). Despite the efforts of modern science, the biological origin of ASD is unknown, and no known biomarker for ASD currently exists (Olesova et al., 2020; Osredkar et al., 2023). Indoxyl sulfate has been identified as a toxin associated with ASD and its related symptomology in addition to a number of other conditions, including chronic kidney disease, acute kidney injury, heart failure, Parkinson’s disease, and various mood disorders (Cao et al., 2015; Cassani et al., 2015; Karbowska et al., 2020; Zhao et al., 2013). This article will review what is currently known about indoxyl sulfate in relation to ASD and its comorbidities in an attempt to determine the validity of indoxyl sulfate as a potential biomarker for ASD. Articles for the purposes of this review were collected via Google Scholar, PubMed, and the ASU Library using key words such as “indoxyl sulfate,” “Autism,” and “indican,” and chosen based on relevancy. Through this review, indoxyl sulfate was identified as a potential physiological biomarker for a subset of ASD, with additional research required to verify the findings presented. The identification of a biomarker for ASD could change the current methods of testing for ASD, greatly improving our understanding and treatment of the disorder.

Nurses play a vital role in (human immunodeficiency virus) HIV care through providing counseling, education, and direct patient care. Nursing students are the future of HIV care and their education and values will greatly impact PLWHA (people living with HIV/AIDS). In society, there is rampant misinformation and bias surrounding HIV that can translate to clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to explore nursing students' attitudes towards PLWHA. A cross-sectional study was performed with students in nursing school (n=59). Data was collected from nursing students across the United States using the Nursing Student’s Attitudes Towards AIDS (EASE) validated scale. We found that students' attitudes towards PLWHA were altered based on their previous experience with PLWHA. Statistical significance was observed in 6 items on the scale among students who did have experience caring for PLWHA as compared to those without experience.

Healthcare is necessary and vital to the longevity of our population. Countries with the resources to provide advanced healthcare have opted for a multitude of systems for providing care. This paper will examine the price of one drug (insulin) and what it demonstrates about the United States healthcare system. It will further present healthcare and the access to safe treatment as a human right, one which has been repeatedly trespassed for profit by the largest companies. The tactics taken by these companies, all through legal routes, prioritize profit over people. It ensures a lower quality of care and a suppression of new drug research. Insulin is a demonstrative drug for the state of healthcare in the United State. Its widespread use affects access to care and costs can be easily compared to prices in other developed countries. Although not the only drug with exorbitant prices, insulin pricing is an example of a troubling trend in healthcare.

This thesis examines human trafficking with a focus on vulnerable populations such as those with disabilities through extensive literature review. In order to understand the historical basis of human trafficking, concepts such as ableism and statistics on the extent of human trafficking within this population were investigated. Further review reveals unique perspectives such as the legal front of this issue as well as how vulnerability and the challenges of individuals with disabilities can be gleaned from using theories such as the Demand theory and Victimology theory. This thesis also discusses the process of trafficking in order to better identify warning signs of a victim and implement effective preventative measures as a society. In addition, factors that incentivize human trafficking in the black market were evaluated to implement better preventative policies and procedures, both within the United States and globally. Current preventative approaches are also discussed, with a few examples being investigative journalism, implementing and enforcing protective policies in business, and reintegration programs. Furthermore, effects on the victims were investigated to understand their trauma from a psychosocial perspective in addition to implementing solutions like art therapy as part of their reintegration. Lessons learned from this literature review include supporting advocacy measures with a focus on prevention, prosecution of traffickers and support for the victims to reach the vision of an inclusive society that is free of exploitation.

This thesis examines human trafficking with a focus on vulnerable populations such as those with disabilities through extensive literature review. In order to understand the historical basis of human trafficking, concepts such as ableism and statistics on the extent of human trafficking within this population were investigated. Further review reveals unique perspectives such as the legal front of this issue as well as how vulnerability and the challenges of individuals with disabilities can be gleaned from using theories such as the Demand theory and Victimology theory. This thesis also discusses the process of trafficking in order to better identify warning signs of a victim and implement effective preventative measures as a society. In addition, factors that incentivize human trafficking in the black market were evaluated to implement better preventative policies and procedures, both within the United States and globally. Current preventative approaches are also discussed, with a few examples being investigative journalism, implementing and enforcing protective policies in business, and reintegration programs. Furthermore, effects on the victims were investigated to understand their trauma from a psychosocial perspective in addition to implementing solutions like art therapy as part of their reintegration. Lessons learned from this literature review include supporting advocacy measures with a focus on prevention, prosecution of traffickers and support for the victims to reach the vision of an inclusive society that is free of exploitation.

Burnout due to work and school-related stress negatively impacts college student’s confidence, motivation, and mindset. Burnout can manifest as lower quality of a student’s education, performance, relationships, and overall well-being. Using the Maslach Burnout Inventory™ - General Survey for Students: MBI-GS (S), researchers assessed the effectiveness of a five-part workshop series titled “A Series on Self-Reflection, Self-Understanding, and Strengthening the Mind,” focused on improving burnout symptoms in students attending ASU’s Barrett, the Honors College, against a control group of non-workshop participating honors students. Data was collected through MBI-GS (S) evaluation surveys after each workshop attendance, via the daily honors newsletter, and through subject interviews. The researchers conducted a qualitative study consistent with case studies and focus groups. Descriptive statistics of survey responses were quantified in Excel, representing varying burnout levels in honors students throughout the Spring 2023 school semester. Overall, the surveys from the workshop attendees and Honors Digest students yielded insignificant differences in burnout levels. The eight interviewee case studies emphasize the complex influences of culture and environment on burnout. While burnout levels between Honors Digest students and workshop attendees were insignificantly different, each interviewee student presented changed perspectives on their studies and themselves.