Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Substance Abuse Awareness Amongst Practicing Nurses, Marjenia Williams

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: This paper discusses the problem and potential solutions of substance abuse amongst practicing nurses. Substance abuse is prevalent among 10% of the nursing population in the United States (Sofer, 2019). This problem is more significant than the public realizes. It is essential that new nurses and student nurses become aware of the risks and the causes of substance abuse within the culture prior to them practicing.

Methods: A 45-minute educational presentation based upon 10 peer-reviewed articles which include five articles regarding the problem and five discussing solutions was utilized to facilitate open discussion of the topic. The …

Therapeutic/Expressive Writing And Resilience Promotion For Nurses To Reduce Burnout Syndrome, William D. Wagner Mr.

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

COVID-19 accelerated the rate in which nurses were unable to maintain resilience and reduce burnout. This evidence-based DNP project obtained data from a therapeutic/expressive writing intervention and group resilience discussion with Women’s Care Center (WCC) nurses to improve resilience acuity and reduce symptoms associated with burnout syndrome. A review of previous studies indicated therapeutic/expressive writing and group resilience discussions have been beneficial in improving resilience and reducing burnout. A demographic and two preintervention surveys were completed by WCC nurses in the hospital relaxation room or skills lab. The Connor-Davidson RISC-25© was used to determine resilience scores for morning and evening …

Empowering Nurses To Recognize Post-Stroke Depression In The African American Community, Deidra Frisbie, Robin Simon

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

African Americans (AA) have the highest prevalence of stroke and death compared to other racial groups in the United States. Post-stroke depression (PSD) affects approximately 1/3 of all stroke patients and is underdiagnosed in the African American community.

Aim: By using a mHealth mobile app and a Psychiatry provider list at discharge, PSD can be identified, and interventions initiated, thus decreasing the sequela of PSD in AA.

Methods: Nurses were provided education on PSD, expressions of depression in African-Americans, cultural humility, implicit bias, and the importance of the nurse's role in developing a therapeutic relationship.

Results: Quantitative analysis revealed the …

Implementing The Use Of The Emergency Severity Index Triage Tool In Urgent Care, Sakeena Spencer

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: The urgent care sector has quickly grown in the last decade. Patients who visit healthcare facilities seeking treatment for exacerbations of chronic conditions or episodic illnesses such as asthma without scheduled appointments receive healthcare services from Urgent Care Centers (UCC) or Emergency Departments (E.D.s). Upon visiting the UCC, these patients report life-threatening symptoms; hence require immediate medical attention. UCC healthcare workers should distinguish between non-acute and acute patients to prioritize providing healthcare to patients, ensuring they are not at risk for fatal outcomes. Using the Emergency Severity Index (ESI) triage tool while delivering healthcare services to these patients has …

Evaluating The Extent Of Fall Prevention Knowledge Of Direct Care Clinicians In A Post-Acute Hospital Setting: A Quality Improvement Initiative, Joseph Henry Mitchell Jr

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Events, such as falls, continue to maintain permanence in countless public health settings and organizations, attributing to unnecessary resource utilization. Proven methods for mitigating fall occurrences transpire through reliable fall education and by creating programs that directly impact these incidents. These agendas are essential and can lessen undue stress, obligations, and associated fiscal liability.

Purpose: This DNP project aimed to ascertain and expand unit nurses' fall prevention strategy knowledge in a long-term acute care hospital, bringing awareness of evidence-based practices through a learning addendum.

Methods: This program, based on a descriptive, quasi-experimental, pre-, and post-analysis, strategically …

Addressing Compassion Fatigue In Critical Care Nurses, Melissa Bowen

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Compassion fatigue causes a ripple effect that impacts caregivers, patient outcomes, and the reliability of healthcare organizations. Jarrad et al. (2018) suggests the physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and organizational consequences of compassion fatigue are so extensive that they threaten the integrity of the nurse. Addressing compassion fatigue in critical care nurses is an indispensable part of maintaining the integrity and trust of the healthcare profession. It is imperative to care for the caregivers to warrant a solid foundation for optimal patient outcomes and engagement. Self-education and awareness, nursing leadership involvement, and self-care are integral to ensuring that compassion fatigue does …

The Evaluation Of The Brøset Violence Checklist (Bvc) And Interventions To Reduce Patient Violence Incidents Occurring In The Emergency Department, Grace D. Yoon, Dnp, Rn, Fnp-Bc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Patient violence in healthcare is an issue across many departments, but many staff members in the emergency department (ED) are directly affected by violent incidents.

Objectives: Three primary purposes determined the success of this Quality Improvement (QI) project: 1) to evaluate the effectiveness of utilizing the Brøset Violence Checklist (BVC) and implementing appropriate interventions to reduce the number of physical assault occurrences against healthcare providers in the ED; 2) to assess if there was an increase in reporting patient violence incidents; and 3) to assess for any improvements in perceived safety in the ED among the nurses.

Methods: Adult …

Quality Improvement Initiative: Implementing A Nurse Peer Mentorship Program, Vepuka E. Kauari

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Introduction: Formal mentoring programs are valuable experiences for the mentor and the mentee. They provide nurses with the ability to develop professional networks while refining their competency. Nurses should be properly mentored in focusing skills in addition to addressing their emotional needs. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to promote and evaluate the effectiveness of an existing mentoring program on intent to stay, perceived competency, and job satisfaction.

Methods: Institutional Review Board approval was obtained. A convenience sample of new nurses with less than 2 years’ experience in an academic medical center was recruited to assess their intent …

Self-Care Practice In Nursing, Leslie Rhom

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Nurses encounter multiple stressors throughout each shift. If this is not managed well through self-care and coping strategies, it can negatively impact one 's health and the well-being and care delivered to patients. The purpose of this project is to bring awareness of current self-care strengths and limitations of nursing students, equipping students with evidence-based practices to enhance self-care. This effort can lead to improved patient care outcomes by decreasing job turnover, burnout, and compassion fatigue. The participants in this project were pre-licensure nursing students in the final semester of nursing school. Participants attended a didactic lecture, completed the Mindful …

Protecting The Integument: Changing Nursing Practice To Prevent Pressure Injuries, Latonya Lawery

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

The purpose of this project is to assess and improve nurses’ knowledge of pressure injuries and pressure injury preventions using evidence-based guidelines and a southeastern United States hospital’s skin integrity policy. My population of focus is direct care professional nurses caring for adults and geriatric patients in the acute care setting.

Design and Methods: The DNP student’s project is a quality improvement project using a Quasi-experimental design, which includes using a pre-test (Appendix A) and post-test (Appendex B). FADE (Appendix C) is the quality improvement method chosen for this project. FADE (Appendix C) is an acronym representing focus, analyze, develop, …

Pilot Project: Developing A Standardized Evidence-Based Education Process For Nurses To Enhance New Medication Eduction Of Hospitalized Patients With Heart Failure, Michele Ann Crotteau

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Problem Description: Research has shown that health information is difficult for the average adult to understand while clear communication helps patients feel involved and increases adherence to treatment. The Joint Commission recommends Health Literacy (HL) assessment and the use of the Teach Back Method (TBM). Medication errors that occur between the RN and elderly patient are preventable when the RN communicates effectively about the patient’s medications. A paucity of research exists evaluating TBM for nurse-patient communications. This Quality Improvement (QI) Pilot Project (PP) took place over 3-months, aimed to improve new medication education to elderly patients with Heart Failure (HF). …

Alcohol Screening, Brief Intervention, And Referral To Treatment Protocol In The Emergency Department, Malvis Ndips Achonduh Tamon, Dnp, Aprn, Fnp-Bc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: The impact that results from inappropriate alcohol consumption poses challenges to public health. The rate of alcohol-related visits to the Emergency Department (ED) has increased, which has resulted in an increased annual cost of alcohol-related visits. ED serves as a common portal of entry into the healthcare system for many patients and offers a unique opportunity to impact drinking behaviors.

Objectives: To increase the number of alcohol screenings and brief interventions when indicated to adult patients who visit the ED and increase ED nurses' knowledge regarding alcohol misuse and indications for brief interventions.

Methods: An educational module was delivered …

Preparing For Obstetrical Emergencies In The Emergency Department, Tracy Littlehale

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Emergency Department nurses must maintain the skills to manage OB emergencies in the ED, especially in hospitals with no OB unit. Limited contact with OB patients diminishes the self-confidence, knowledge and skill of ED nurses, which may minimize their ability to recognize OB problems in a timely manner. As increasing numbers of patients with OB emergencies are expected to seek care in rural EDs due to closure of rural OB units and rising OB risk factors, maintenance of OB skills by ED nurses is critical. Simulation has been identified in the literature as an effective strategy to help nurses advance …

Relationship Between Shift Hours Worked (12 Versus 8), Workload, And Nurses' Burnout: A Study Across Acute Care Units In A Community Hospital, Liliane Nyamuziga

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Nurses are expected to provide quality care to patients, and work demands in the health care system are increasing. An increased turnover in nursing staff was observed in a southwest Michigan community hospital, and the possibility of burnout contributing to this turnout was proposed. The purpose of this scholarly project was to evaluate the significance and level of perceived burnout in nurses who work the 12-hour shift compared to those who work the eight-hour shift, to investigate the relationship between nurse-to-patient ratios and burnout, and to compare burnout levels between nurses working day versus night shifts. This project utilized a …

Assessment Of The Validity Of Patient-Stated Allergies: De-Labeling And Education, Tawny Thomas, Angelina Leitschuh

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

The initial direction of the project was to develop and implement a research-based protocol to de-label hospitalized patients with a patient-stated penicillin allergy who were not truly allergic (Phase I). The project was abruptly halted due to the lack of data to justify the need, lack of sufficient communication among stakeholders, questions regarding financial cost of implementation, and strong concerns regarding educational needs of nursing staff. After developing the initial protocol, the project team was redirected to provide evidence-based allergy assessment education to the nursing staff to foster reliable and accurate patient interviews and documentation of the results (Phase II). …

Using An On-Line Educational Module To Increase Nurses' Conviction And Confidence In The Use Of The Teach-Back Method For Discharge Instructions, Allison S. Morrison

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Health literacy status can affect an individual’s ability to self-monitor and manage chronic conditions. It is not uncommon for patients to have difficulty comprehending key patient instructions. The role of the nurse in the hospital setting encompasses many facets which include patient teaching. Providing effective patient teaching is one role that many nurses do not feel confident in implementing. A sample of (N=18) nurses participated in on-line educational program to improve conviction and confidence in use of the teach-back method for delivery of discharge instructions. A pretest-posttest design was utilized and measured nurses’ conviction and confidence using the Conviction and …