Fostering Interprofessional Collaboration In Community College Mental Health Centers: A Quality Improvement Project, Sara Jane Hamilton

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background The worsening mental health rates among college students in the United States highlight the critical need for campuses to have high-quality comprehensive mental health centers (MHC). This necessity is particularly urgent in community college MHCs, which often lack these attributes. Local Problem An MHC within a large California community college recently introduced telepsychiatry services and is considering integrating a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) into their team. However, knowledge gaps and limited interprofessional education (IPE) may hinder effective collaboration within the team. Methods A comprehensive literature review was conducted to assess current research on IPE, community college mental …

Implementing Animal-Assisted Therapy During Psychiatric Intakes, Rebecca Dorne

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Introduction: The purpose of this evidence-based project is to determine if Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) causes improvements in veterans’ feelings of anger, anxiety, depression, and suicidality in the acute psychiatric setting during psychiatric evaluations. The project aims to provide veterans with an additional way to experience short-term relief from symptoms while discussing their symptomology with mental health providers.

Background: The prevalence of depression is 20% higher in veterans than in that of the general population. Similarly, it has been shown that 23% of all veterans using VA care have had PTSD at some point in their lives. In the Psychiatric Emergency …

Exploring The Lived Experience Of Self-Care In Young Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Holly Berry-Price

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction

The prevalence of prediabetes in adults aged 18 or older was as high as 38% between 2017-2020. Youth-onset T2DM is a more aggressive phenotype than T2DM that occurs later in life. Young adults with T2DM have poorer health outcomes, lose an average of 15 years of life, all resulting in significant economic burden impacting the person. Current self-management interventions do not improve health outcomes in young adults with T2DM.

Purpose

The purpose of this research was to explore the self-care experiences of young adults living with T2DM.

Methods

Existential hermeneutic phenomenology informed the research. Inclusion criteria as follows: adults …

Nurse Suicide: Examining Depression And Anxiety In Critical Care Settings, Arianna Bernardine Barata

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Nurses play a critical role in healthcare, yet the demanding work environment often exposes them to stressors, leading to the development of depression and anxiety. According to the National Library of Medicine (NLM) (2021), 50.8% of nurses have stress, 74% have anxiety, 70.8% have depression, and 79.1% have at least one of them. Burnout, understaffing, COVID fatigue, alarm fatigue, patient ratios, and disrupted sleep patterns are some of the stressors nurses contend with in every shift. While some nurses may cope and overcome these challenges, many face more severe issues, such as suicide. Nurse suicide is an issue that has …

Medication Assisted Therapy And First Episode Psychosis: Evaluating Treatment And Readmission Rates, Kayla Sherea Williams Bsn, Rn, Hannah Lee Brenner Bsn, Rn, Madison Makenzie Yount Bsn, Rn, Jacqueline Sharp Dnp, Aprn, Pmhp-Bc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that each day more than 140 U.S. residents die from drug overdoses, specifically due to opioids. Due to this, alternatives were created to reduce overdoses and ensure safety. Medication assistance therapy (MAT) is an effective form of treatment for people with substance use disorders and is defined as the use of medication in conjunction with counseling or therapy for the treatment of substance use disorders. The efficacy of MAT is used adjunctively with psychotropic medications compared to using no MAT and using psychotropic medications alone with individuals who are experiencing …

Incorporation Of Mindfulness Application Use In Doctoral Nurse Anesthesia Curricula For Mitigation Of Stress And Anxiety In Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists, Kerrie Rodgers

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

The nurse anesthesia specialty is highly stressful, with educational training being no exception. High didactic demands and intensive clinical experiences are placed on student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs), increasing stress and anxiety in their personal and professional lives. High levels of psychological distress can lead to inadvertent consequences in students’ mental, emotional, and physical health and can contribute to illness, burnout, substance use, and compromise in patient safety. Some degree of stress is necessary for motivation to succeed and perform at high levels, and encountering stress while enrolled in a doctoral nurse anesthesia program is expected and unavoidable. A search …

Nursing Care Of Individuals Engaging In Non-Suicidal Self-Injury: Impact Of Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Reinforcement, Lucas Bridgens

MSN Capstone Projects

As explained by Linehan et al. (2006b), the seriousness of borderline personality disorder can be highlighted by the manifestations of emotional dysregulation, such as impulsive and suicidal and non-suicidal self-injurious (NSSI) behaviors. As the mental health field grows, so too does the knowledge base from which practitioners derive therapeutic interventions with hopes of effectively and safely treating patients while maintaining a culture of dignity and respect. One such treatment modality that has proven to reduce NSSI and improve interpersonal functioning, specifically in patients with borderline personality disorder, is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) which is a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy developed …

Implementing Universal Adult Depression Screening In A Rural Maine Free Medical Clinic, Karen Hussion

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Depression in adults is a leading cause of disability, morbidity and mortality worldwide with an estimated prevalence of 20% in the US population. Despite estimates that one out of every five Americans suffers from depression, less than 50% of adult primary care patients with depression are identified, and less than 5% of all adult primary care patients are screened. To increase early detection and management of depression, the United States Protective Service Task Force (USPSTF) recommends routine depression screening for adults older than 18 years in primary care settings.

LOCAL PROBLEM: This project site was a rural, free, …

Lai Antipsychotics Vs. Oral Antipsychotics: Treatment Adherence, Relapses, And Readmissions, Natalie N. Lewis Bsn, Rn, Mallory F. Johnson Bsn, Rn-Bc, Tyler N. Halle-Todd Bsn, Rn, Natalie N. Ragland Bsn, Rn, Sharon H. Little Dnp, Aprn, Fnp-Bc, Jacqueline Sharp Dnp, Aprn,Pmhnp-Bc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose/Background

Schizophrenia is a lifelong illness with recurrent and often debilitating symptoms that may impair daily functioning, cognition, behaviors, socialization, emotions, and expression. It is recognized as a global mental health burden that affects the individual, their family, and society. Medication nonadherence and resulting relapse detrimentally affect the patient’s physical and mental health and quality of life. They are associated with increased hospitalization and emergency room visits, substance use, suicide, and homelessness. Current guidelines endorse second-generation antipsychotics such as Risperidone and Aripiprazole as the first-line treatment for most cases of psychosis. However, long-acting injectable (LAIs) atypical antipsychotics are a promising …

Implementation Of A Standardized Suicide Screening Process In A University Student Health Clinic: A Quality Improvement Project, Addie Grace Strong, Kathryn Dambrino, R. David Phillippi, Linda Wofford

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: Suicide is a leading cause of death among college age students, prompting the need for evidence-based screening tools like the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) to enable early detection and timely intervention. Inconsistencies in suicide screening may pose a risk of missed intervention opportunities. This Doctor of Nursing Practice project specifically aimed to improve the quality and consistency of suicide screening in a university student health clinic by implementing the C-SSRS tool into the clinic workflow during mental health appointments. Methods: Employing a quality improvement framework, this scholarly project followed the Institute for Healthcare Improvement Model for Improvement …

Emotional Support Animals And Mental Health, Kyla E. Barnett, Kaia Miller

SACAD: John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days

Depression and anxiety disorders are a significant problem in adults and teenagers. These disorders continue to increase in prevalence year by year. One way to combat this is the use of emotional support animals (ESA’s), which have become increasingly popular. This study investigates the relationship between the use of emotional support animals and mental well-being of students with mental health disorders. This study is designed to illustrate the increase in sense of well-being in patients with mental health disorders who utilize ESA’s. This study applies both a qualitative and quantitative study design, the qualitative design of this study is phenomenological. …

The Impact Of Brief Electronic Guided Mindfulness Meditation On Anxiety Scores, Sierra King

DNP Scholarly Projects

In the United States, anxiety rates are on the rise for the general population (Goodwin et al., 2020a). Prolonged and frequent anxiety can become unprompted and problematic (American Psychiatric Association, 2021). Management of anxiety is crucial for overall wellbeing. Access to treatment and resources for anxiety may be limited in rural geographical locations (Morales et al., n.d.). This DNP project sought to determine whether a brief intervention of electronic guided mindfulness meditation (MM) by Insight Timer is effective in decreasing anxiety in a rural populous. Convenience sampling recruited a final total of 11 rural participants who participated in seven sessions …

Innovative Virtual Wellness Interventions At An Academic Medical Center: A Pilot Feasibility Study, Ritika Baweja, Michael Hayes, Aditya Joshi, Raman Baweja

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: There is generally a concerning likelihood of burnout in healthcare workers. Given the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare workers, our institution identified the need for wellness interventions to foster adaptive functioning and mitigate burnout. The purpose of this pilot project was to assess the feasibility of virtual holistic interventions like meditation, art, laughter therapy and dance and their impact on overall well-being of physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs).

Methods: A series of 12 virtual sessions (art therapy, dance therapy, mindfulness-based practices/meditation and laughter therapy) were offered to providers over a 6-month period. Participants completed an online survey reporting …

The Effect Of A Community Resiliency Model Education On Resilience, Psychological Empowerment, And Well-Being In Behavioral Health Nurses, Lorrie Smith-Esterle

DNP Projects

Background: Resilience, well-being, and psychological empowerment are associated with improvement in job satisfaction and nurse retention rates. The Community Resiliency Model (CRM) can promote emotional regulation, well-being, and create an internal state of balance in response to work-related stressors. Educating nurses on how to use CRM enables the recognition of changes in thoughts, emotions, sensations, and internal or external stimuli, which can promote resilience, well-being, and psychological empowerment.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to evaluate evaluate the effect of a resiliency education using the Community Resiliency Model (CRM) on resilience, psychological empowerment, and well-being of behavioral health nurses. …

The Education Prescription: Exploring The Potential Of Patient Education To Reduce Mental Health Issues In Hormonal Contraceptive Users, Maria Abraham

Nursing | Senior Theses

The many birth control options available impact a woman’s life, as hormonal contraceptives are commonly used but often misunderstood. These contraceptives, which contain progestin only, or estrogen and progestin combined, can come in various forms such as pills, implants, IUDs, injections, the vaginal ring, and skin patches. They offer benefits such as reduced menstrual cramps and ectopic pregnancy risk. However, they may lead to adverse side effects which can include increased blood pressure, nausea, headaches, breakthrough bleeding, and a higher risk of blood clots, with research indicating a potential link between oral contraceptive use and a decline in the user’s …

Nurse Suicide: Examining Depression And Anxiety In Critical Care Settings, Arianna Bernardine Barata

Nursing | Senior Theses

Nurses play a critical role in healthcare, yet the demanding work environment often exposes them to stressors, leading to the development of depression and anxiety. According to the National Library of Medicine (NLM) (2021), 50.8% of nurses have stress, 74% have anxiety, 70.8% have depression, and 79.1% have at least one of them. Burnout, understaffing, COVID fatigue, alarm fatigue, patient ratios, and disrupted sleep patterns are some of the stressors nurses contend with in every shift. While some nurses may cope and overcome these challenges, many face more severe issues, such as suicide. Nurse suicide is an issue that has …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Culture Based Nurse-Led Education For Postpartum Depression In Primiparous Asian-American Women, Colleen Peralta

Nursing | Senior Theses

The postpartum period is a critical period in regards to maternal health, marked by various physical, emotional, and psychological changes. Among the vulnerabilities that arise, postpartum depression (PPD) poses significant risks. More specifically, Asian-American mothers with postpartum depression face unique challenges, including the stigma surrounding mental health. As mental health stigma remains prevalent within the Asian-American community, it can make it challenging for mothers to seek out mental health care for postpartum depression. To investigate, primary research articles about the perceptions and experiences of PPD and the interventions used to improve PPD outcomes were examined. A plan for a future …