This thesis explores the ways in which music influences the process of identity formation. This topic is significant for academic research because it helps to provide further detail to the ways in which individuals use external resources to compose identity and ultimately understand themselves. For many individuals, music can provide guidance through life, by joining individuals together into social groups based around aesthetic tastes: from which values, attitudes, and worldviews can then develop. To gain perspective on this process, data was collected from eight participants by means of qualitative interview, and assessed using grounded theory: where information was gathered, compared, and coded before producing an interpretation. The results of data show that music informs identity by affirming self-image, and promoting confidence, which in turn allows individuals to pursue identity goals. Implications from this study suggest that the active processes of self-evaluation and identity work should be investigated further by academics.

Named for John C. Frich, Trustee California State College. Built in 1972.

Patients who are receiving comfort-directed care at the end of their lives will be cared for by nurses throughout their hospital stay. Providing bedside end-of-life care requires specialty assessment, communication, and intervention skills. Nurses who provide bedside end-of-life care in the acute care setting may not receive specialty palliative care training as part of their undergraduate education. To address this an educational curriculum was designed by members of the Palliative Care team and a Palliative Superuser training program was developed. Guided by the Comfort ALways Matters (CALM) framework the course focused on specialized assessment and symptom management, holistic approaches to patients and their caregivers, and communication instruction. Course description is a four-hour workshop presented by certified registered nurse practitioners from the inpatient palliative care team. Nurses who complete the superuser training will act as mentors to their peers and will continue to receive educational updates every two months. A goal of training ten percent of nurses in the acute hospital setting was set. Individual class size is limited to 10 attendees to facilitate small group discussion. Program availability was advertised by email and flyer to the managers of all inpatient units. Nurses who expressed interest and volunteered to attend were chosen by their managers and enrolled in the class. Pre- and post- testing of nurses who volunteered for the training revealed improvement in knowledge, confidence, and comfort in providing end of life care after completing the initial training session. Early positive results of the QI initiative suggested that ongoing training will be valuable to the institution and the patients.

Overweight and Obesity is defined, according to the CDC, as a weight higher than what is considered healthy for a given height (CDC, 2021). This is calculated using a screening tool for overweight and obesity. Overweight is regarded as a BMI of 25-30, and obesity is greater than 30. The latest data shows that adult overweight and obesity is increasing and has become a major global epidemic. Overweight and Obesity is a very complex health issue that has resulted from a combination of factors, including behaviors. This includes poor dietary patterns and inactivity. Lack of education in healthy nutrition is one of the issues contributing to overweight and obese adults. Other reasons can be psychosocial barriers that can include fear of judgment and uncertainty about the process of seeking help if one is obese. Other obstacles can consist of time commitment and the cost of programs. Being overweight and obese can lead to increased health risks like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers. According to the CDC, obesity is also associated with the leading causes of death in the United States (CDC, 2021). With this comes a significant economic impact as well. This small pilot study used participants in a brief online asynchronous. The criteria were people ages 18-65. Each volunteer participant gave written consent to participate and be evaluated during the program. Each volunteer participant answered the preprogram questionnaire, watched the virtually based PowerPoint presentation linked under YouTube, and then answered the same questionnaire to assess their new knowledge and willingness to change to a healthier lifestyle. The General Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire was the tool used for evaluation. This questionnaire is a valid measure of nutrition knowledge that is consistent and reliable.