Nursing Commons^™

Improving Home Health Nurses' Knowledge Of Heart Failure Self-Care Management, Nenette Hoffman

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Abstract

Background: Heart failure results in life-altering and devastating illnesses, predominantly among older adults. Heart failure management is complex, and requires patients and their caregivers to actively monitor symptoms and sufficiently understand care management to maintain health-promoting behaviors. While home health nurses have the primary role as patient educators of their patients with heart failure, evidence from the literature indicates that nurses lack sufficient knowledge to fulfill this role.

Local Problem: Nurses’ inadequate knowledge of heart failure self-care management has been associated with insufficient patient education, the inability of patients to perform heart failure self-care management, worse clinical outcomes, and …

The Nurse Will See You Now: Improving Nurse-Led Chemotherapy Teaching, Laura Oka

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Abstract

Problem: According to The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) 2020 World Cancer Report, cancer has contributed to 9.6 million deaths in 2018 and is now globally considered the second most common cause of death (IARC, 2020).

Context: As a cancer patient moves beyond diagnosis, there becomes a need to introduce the plan of care and education related to evidence-based treatments with an intent to cure. As the delivery of these treatments continues to move toward outpatient care, herein lies the challenge of sharing important information with the patient to improve health outcomes.

Intervention: This DNP change of …

Optimizing Screening Mammography: Educating Underserved Individuals With Limited English Proficiency, Yao Luo

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Problems: Culture and language may create huge barriers to the delivery of high-quality care for patients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) who are seeking breast cancer care, especially in a population that consists of a large proportion of disadvantaged, low income, low English literacy, and high-risk women over 45 years of age.

Context: LEP patients’ inability to effectively communicate and inadequate knowledge about screening mammography have put them at great risk of receiving additional images during the exam, as well as brought a huge burden to technologists regarding breast positioning.

Interventions: A Doctor of Nursing Practice project was implemented to …

Reducing Frustration With Wait Times Utilizing Technology And Education: A Patient Satisfaction Improvement Model, Tiffany Brown

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Problem: Patients spend considerable amounts of valuable time waiting to be seen by physicians in outpatient clinical settings. Many consider waiting as wasted time, inactive time, or as a lost opportunity which can cause frustration. Research suggests that long clinic wait times have a major impact on patients with cancer causing a significant amount emotional distress. Context: At the hospital and thoracic oncology clinic implementation site which is located in northern California, the target time for a New Patient Visit (NPV) is less than or equal to 90 minutes, and less than or equal to 60 minutes for a Return …

Increasing Health Literacy Through Noteaid Translational Tool In Nursing, Liz Catherine S. Cory

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background: Many adults in the United States lack health literacy necessary to understand patient education materials given to them, such as discharge summary. Re-hospitalization rates are higher due to poor transition of care planning. Older adults may only be provided with written instruction for their complex chronic conditions with multiple changes in medical or treatment plan, or uncommon surgical procedures. Nurses are instrumental in bridging the gap, as they often educate, advocate, and use health technology.

Purpose: To educate nurses on the availability of NoteAid as a natural language translation system that can help increase their comprehension of electronic health …

Epidural Education For Parturients Using A Video Teaching Tool, Matthew Moore

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Introduction: The use of epidural analgesia for labor pain is becoming more common across the United States. Laboring mothers report feeling under informed about epidural side effects and dissatisfaction with the timing of the information.Background: Providing appropriate and adequate education and informed consent for epidural analgesia can prove challenging, especially during labor. Nevertheless, it is important for women to understand the potential risks in order to make a fully informed decision. Purpose: The purpose of this Quality improvement project was to show evidence of the benefits for the use of an obstetric anesthesia video during the education process and …

Implementing Foot Care Program In A Rural Clinic, Maliheh Bakhshi

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Abstract

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and its complications have increased in the United States (U.S.) in recent years. Patients with diabetes have a higher risk of foot ulcers due to diabetic peripheral arterial disease accelerated by the direct damage to the nerve and blood vessels in lower extremities by high blood sugar. Foot amputations, and frequent hospital admissions due to these and other diabetes complications are also increasing. Healthcare providers’ have a unique opportunity to prevent these complications and hospital admissions, and to promote patient wellness and physical well-being through the provision of timely education and direct …

Hypertension: Enhancing Lifestyle Management Through Patient Education And Pender’S Health Promotion Model, Katherine Holcomb

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background: Uncontrolled hypertension is a significant problem in the United States with 46% of hypertensive adults not achieving adequate blood pressure control. Inadequately treated HTN results in increased risk of renal disease, cardiovascular disease, and associated mortality. Interventions aimed at improving blood pressure control have targeted providers, patients, or a combination of providers and patients. Methods: The objective of this project was to enhance lifestyle management of patients with uncontrolled hypertension as measured by patient self-report in post-discharge interviews. The intervention incorporated education for patients on lifestyle management recommendations for hypertension as well as health promotion strategies inspired by Nola …

Using Multi-Modal Education In A Public Health System To Increase Rates Of Cervical Cancer Screening, Christina Nardi

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

While Papanicolaou (Pap) screening has been implemented since the 1950’s, and is linked to decreased rates of cervical cancer, national screening rates are still below the national target screening rate. In Contra Costa County (CCC), the current cervical cancer screening rate is 50.92% (Contra Costa Health Services [CCHS], 2016a). This is far below the national goal of 93% and the first benchmark of 54.33% needed in order to receive state funding under the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) Medi-Cal 2020 waiver. The Medi-Cal 2020 waiver has a 5-year Public Health Incentives and Redesign in Medi-Cal (PRIME) program requiring …

Pneumococcal Pneumonia In The Older Adult: Increasing Patient Education And Vaccination, Jessica E. Valletta

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background:Pneumococcal disease is a transmitted infectious illness that results in serious complications and death every year in the United States. Given their increased susceptibility to the potential complications of this disease, patients aged 65 and older are considered to be high-risk, but vaccination compliance for this population remain well below state and national goals.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to increase pneumococcal vaccination rates among adults aged 65 and older in a primary care clinic by increasing patient education.

Methods: An educational intervention was implemented within a large primary care practice located in Central Massachusetts. Educational …

Heart Failure Self-Monitoring Toolkit, Tanya Green

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Heart Failure (HF) is one of the most common cardiac syndromes encountered in the primary care setting amongst older adults; it affects more than 6 million people in the United States (Goroll & Mulley, 2009; Papasifakis, n.d.). HF is one of the most common diagnosis of patient readmissions. HF readmissions increase the cost of healthcare and affect the quality of life for individuals. Different strategies such as disease management programs with a focus on patient education have been widely used to reduce the risk of patient readmissions. Evidence-based research has shown that heart failure disease management programs that focus on …