Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Enhancing Depression Screening For The Adolescent Population In The Pediatric Emergency Department By Utilizing The Patient Health Questionnaire: A Quality Improvement Project, Chelsea Alvarez

DNP Projects

Background:

Mental health disparities make up 16% of the global burden of disease and injury in people ages 10-19. Many cases of mental health are unidentified and left untreated. Failure to address mental health disorders in children can lead to poor outcomes of health and well-being. Evidence-based practice supports the utilization of screening tools such as the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depression screening in adolescents ages 12-18 years.

Objectives:

By implementing the PHQ-9 in the pediatric emergency department, the goals for this quality improvement project were to increase staff knowledge on the PHQ-9, improve staff screening compliance, and to …

Standardizing Naturalistic Teaching Opportunities For Problem-Based Learning In Diabetes Education: A Quality Improvement Project, Austin Mccaslin

DNP Projects

Significance and Background:

Poor diabetes management is linked to serious long and short-term health complications. Despite this, medication adherence is a significant problem in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Management is further complicated by low socioeconomic status, even when mitigated by free healthcare, highlighting health literacy as a culprit of disparities. Evidence shows that a common barrier for adolescents is proficiency in dose determination. Carbohydrate counting is an integral skill, necessary for attaining glycemic control. At a homecare agency serving adolescents with poorly controlled diabetes by providing oversight of medication administration and education, it was noted that patients continued to …