The Long And Winding Road: What Comes Next After Detox, Michelle Pryce, Karen Lasater

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

BACKGROUND: Detoxification centers are specialized facilities treating patients with substance use disorder (SUD). The detoxification process is a medically managed treatment where substances are slowly weaned from the body. This process lasts approximately 5-7 days. Most patients meet the criteria for SUD upon admission, but do not seek specialized post-discharge treatment, which has been found to increase long-term sobriety.

LOCAL PROBLEM: The site was a 16-bed adult detoxification center located in South Carolina. The operations manager identified there was no standardized discharge educational planning process to support long-term sobriety. This project’s aim was to increase the percentage of …

Referral To In-Person Smoking Cessation Counseling As A Smoking Cessation Aid, Annie Mandrell Bsn, Rn, Matthew Keathley Bsn, Rn, Lewis Linden Bsn, Rn, Laura Reed Dnp, Aprn, Fnp-Bc, Cne

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Referral to In-Person Smoking Cessation Counseling as a Smoking Cessation Aid

Purpose/Background

Smoking increases an individual’s risk of acute and chronic disease morbidity and mortality, as well as creating a financial burden for the individual and healthcare system. In the United States, tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable death. There are an estimated 5 million tobacco-related deaths each year due to tobacco smoking. Additional healthcare costs are also seen due to the need for increased treatments, medical supplies, and staffing. Previous research for smoking cessation resources has primarily focused on traditional primary care offices. Research shows that in-person …

Evidenced-Based Strategies To Increase Cervical Cancer Screening Rates, Tuong Cat Vo Bsn-Rn, Nada Salloukh Bsn-Rn, Tatiana Elena Swanson Bsn-Rn, Xiao Mie Cindy Zhu Bsn-Rn, Laura Taylor Reed Dnp, Aprn, Fnp-Bc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose/Background

Cervical cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer affecting women worldwide (Staley et al., 2021). With cervical cancer being a preventable disease, an effective method of reducing healthcare costs and mortality is primary prevention, such as screenings. Financial burdens and barriers to accessing medical care may result due to the lack of proper cervical cancer screenings. Detecting cervical cancer includes screening women 21 to 65 years old with a Papanicolaou (PAP) test every three years. Women aged 30 to 65 years old can extend the screening of cervical cancer by having a Human Papillomavirus (HPV) test along with …

Initiating Culturally-Directed Education For Hispanic Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Marie Davis, Jennifer Smith, Mandy Horner

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

BACKGROUND:

The U.S. Hispanic population has the highest rate of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which is influenced by socio-economic status and language barriers. Current evidence suggests that the delivery of culturally-directed Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME) with the use of an interpreter can reduce diabetes-associated complications.

LOCAL PROBLEM:

The project took place at a free clinic in North Carolina. The purposes of this project was to create a culturally-directed DSME bundle for Hispanic adults with the use of a Spanish interpreter to improve understanding of T2DM management.

METHODS:

The Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Model (JHNEBP) was …

Antibiotic Stewardship In Patients With Viral Upper Respiratory Illness: Improving Quality Measures In Retail Health, Meredith A. Nolan, Robin Harris, Clay Smith

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

BACKGROUND: Millions of people will die from antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections in the next 30 years. Retail health providers are pivotal in this global epidemiological problem.

LOCAL PROBLEM: Setting included 15 retail health clinics operated by Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Middle Tennessee. Project examined provider education, patient engagement, and commitment to antibiotic stewardship, components of the CDC's Core Elements of Outpatient Antibiotic Stewardship framework. Specific aims were that providers would have a significant reduction in the percentage of antibiotics prescribed for viral illness over the study period.

METHODS: Using the Evidence-Based Practice Improvement Model, a Quality Improvement …

Reducing Copd Readmissions Through The Implementation Of A Guideline-Based Clinical Pathway: An Evidence-Based Practice Improvement Project, Hannah F. Hall, Allyson Neal, Samantha Bauer

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of death worldwide. It is characterized by airway inflammation and damage that inhibits appropriate airflow. Exacerbations of COPD (ECOPD) hasten disease progression and have profound impacts on the patients.

Local Problem: East Tennesseans experience higher rates of COPD than the rest of the state. Community members at the project site identified that the inpatient management of ECOPD is inconsistent and discordant with the 2023 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines. The purpose of this project was to reduce readmissions and increase guideline concordance by developing an algorithm …

Effectiveness Of Antibiotic Stewardship For Healthcare Providers At Urgent Care Clinics, Helen T. Adewole

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Antibiotics have revolutionized modern medicine; however, the overuse in urgent care and primary care significantly contributes to the global burden of infections resistant to available antimicrobial medicines. Approximately 30% of the antimicrobials prescribed in acute care settings are unnecessary. Patient demand for antibiotics has seemingly skyrocketed following the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Practitioners must be knowledgeable about antibiotic stewardship initiatives, such as the wait-and-see approach, to reduce antibiotic overuse and improve the trajectory of antibiotic resistance and patient health outcomes. The gap in practice was the limited awareness of scientific evidence-based tools to partner with patients and improve antibiotic prescription patterns. …

The Impact Of Lung Cancer Screening Education On Knowledge And Screening Rates In A Kentucky Cancer Survivorship Clinic, Alexandra Isler

DNP Projects

Background: Lung cancer is a significant problem in Kentucky, which ranks fourth in the nation in adults who currently smoke. Early detection, through lung cancer screening, can prevent untimely deaths. Several barriers to screening exist including lack of knowledge and awareness among patients regarding lung cancer screening. By increasing knowledge, at risk patients can take the necessary steps to decrease incidence of late stage diagnoses.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to evaluate patients’ knowledge of lung cancer screening and referral and screening rates before and after one-on-one patient education.

Methods: This was a quality improvement project that used …