Washburn University Institutional Repository
The Washburn University Institutional Repository (WU IR), managed by the University Libraries, is a digital repository offering a central location for the deposit, maintenance and long-term preservation of the research and other scholarly production of the Washburn University Community. WU IR also holds digitized items of value from the University Libraries Department of Special Collections and Archives that highlight the history, nature and culture of the University. One of our key missions is to ensure that these scholarly and creative endeavors are accessible to the widest possible audience. Candidates for deposit in WU IR include journal articles, conference papers, instructional resources, student projects, theses, dissertations, university archival materials, and more. For more information about submitting your work to WU IR, please contact us at wuir@washburn.edu.
Recent Submissions
Item Implementing a Peer Support Mentor Program in a University Setting: A Quality Improvement Project(Washburn University, 2026-01-09)Transitioning from high school to college is a pivotal milestone in a student's life, often marked by new experiences and challenges. This transition can be particularly difficult for students moving away from homes, cities, or states for the first time; first-generation students; and international students. Students face ongoing stressors such as academic pressure, social isolation, and financial burdens, which can exacerbate symptoms of mental health. The purpose of this quality improvement project is to develop a Peer Health and Wellness Ambassador Program at a Midwestern medium-sized college to improve students' mental health outcomes, foster a sense of belonging, and enhance academic performance.Item Promoting Autism Spectrum Disorder Evidence-Based Care: Protocols for Assessment, Specialty Referral, and Documentation(Washburn University, 2026-01-09)There is a gap in consistent autism spectrum disorder (ASD) assessment, referral and documentation processes in the outpatient clinic, resulting in delayed, fragmented care and suboptimal outcomes. This project aims to identify existing gaps in ASD assessment, documentation and referral practices, implement provider education on evidence-based ASD care, verify community and state ASD resources and introduce standardized electronic documentation and resource guide, and evaluate outcomes through chart audit, pre/post test and feedback surveys.Item The Relationship Between Community Connectedness and Minority Stress Across LGBTQ+ Identities(Washburn University, 2025-07-25)This study examined the relationship between community connectedness and minority stress across diverse LGBTQ+ identities, using survey data from 105 participants recruited through Prolific. Drawing on Meyer’s (2003) Minority Stress Model, the research tested whether higher community connectedness correlated with lower levels of proximal and distal stress, and whether inequities within the LGBTQ+ community moderated this relationship. Results showed no significant correlations between community connectedness and minority stress, though partial support was found for the hypothesis that less-supported identities, particularly transgender individuals, experienced greater inequity and higher stress. Analyses further indicated that gender identity predicted higher distal stress, while sexual orientation predicted lower distal stress, suggesting visibility of gender expression plays a unique role. Additionally, both community connectedness and inequity were positively associated with stress, with inequity having the stronger effect. Despite limitations in sample diversity and size, findings highlight the complex interplay between identity, stress, and social support, underscoring the need for more inclusive and representative research on LGBTQ+ minority stress and community dynamics (Hamilton, 2025).Item Implementation and Evaluation of the STOPP Criteria to Address Polypharmacy in a Long-Term Care Facility(Washburn University, 2025-05-02)Background: Polypharmacy is defined as the concurrent use of multiple medications and is a prevalent phenomenon in healthcare settings across the country. People who are 65 years old and older tend to take the most medications, making this the most common population for polypharmacy. Most adverse reactions are a result of polypharmacy and are one of the causes of skyrocketing healthcare costs, as well as responsible for the high number of deaths each year. Polypharmacy can also lead to increased falls, medication noncompliance, and hospitalizations. Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project is to reduce the occurrence of polypharmacy by using the Screening Tool of Older Persons’ Prescriptions (STOPP) criteria to improve appropriate medication prescribing among those who are 65 years old and older who live in a long-term care facility in Colorado.Item Increasing Screening Rates of Chlamydia trachomalis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in a Midwestern University Health Setting(2025-05-29)The purpose of this project was to increase screening rates for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae among college students utilizing a Midwestern University Health Center by implementing sustainable, evidence-based interventional and educational measures.
Communities in WU IR
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