Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Implementation Of Phq-2 Screening Tool In A Telemedicine Based Setting, Joanna Luong

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background Major depression is one of the most common mental health disorders in the United States, affecting nearly 17.3 million of the population. As cases continue to rise throughout the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19, telemedicine has become a popular modality for accessibility to mental health care. Adequate screening, availability of resources and services, prompt treatment, and simple follow ups can contribute to treatment success rates and higher positive outcomes.

Theoretical Framework

The expanded collaborative chronic care model theoretical framework translates to this project in that it approaches management of patients with a team approach for those who screen positive for …

Improving Depression Surveillance At The We Care Clinic, Kaitlin Springer, Emma Hanney

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Depression is one of the most underdiagnosed and untreated disorders affecting more than 16 million people in the United States each year (Henry et al., 2020). Unmanaged depression can lead to emotional suffering, decreased productivity, reduced income, impaired relationships, and an increased risk for comorbidities (Sinisalchi et al., 2020). It can affect anyone, however, individuals who are non-white, female, undereducated, disabled, pregnant or postpartum, have low socioeconomic status, or lack social support are at an increased risk (United States Preventative Services Task Force, 2019). The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville We Care Clinic provides primary care to minority patient populations who …

Improving Access And Delivery Of Mental Health Care To Veterans Through A Care Coordination Pilot At A Texas Department Of Veterans Affairs Hospital, Jacqueline Buval

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Mental health (MH) disorders are among the leading cause of disabilities in adults, with an even greater prevalence among Veterans who served in combat. Forty percent of troops returning from combat zones report suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression and 33% report trouble accessing MH care. Access to care is directly influenced by care coordination procedures in health care systems. If care coordination is poor or lacking, patients remain in settings that are inappropriate for their level of care. Implementing a care coordination program can improve care transitions, provide the necessary support for patients to successfully …

A Self-Compassion Intervention For University Students: A Dnp Project, David Coffey

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

University students are reporting increased levels of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. Trends for mental health distress among this population have been increasing over the past few years. The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened this trend. It is important to provide college-age students with the knowledge and skills for self-compassion necessary to navigate the difficult transition from high school to university. Self-compassion skills have been shown to positively affect mental health outcomes, specifically anxiety and depression. A brief, two-part intervention was developed focusing on the major components of self-compassion and offered to university students over a two-week period. Results of the …

Streamlining The Referral Process For A Mental Health Clinic: A Dnp Project, Ashley Barr

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Abstract

Mental health providers are in short supply in the United States. Access to mental health is impacted by the process used to refer patients. To bridge this gap, this DNP Project sought to increase mental health referrals to the partnering organization through strategic outreach to primary care and an online social media presence. After IRB approval, outreach to twenty-one primary care providers across eleven clinics was completed, a social media campaign was conducted, and the intake form for the partnering organization was updated for tracking the source of the referral. Results of the interventions included high satisfaction on the …

Improving Self-Care Awareness Among Undergraduate Nursing Students, D'Anna Helms

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

The purpose of this DNP project was to improve self-care (SC) awareness among undergraduate nursing students by educating on the use of constructive SC activities. Twenty-two senior level nursing students attended an educational seminar, completed the Mindful Self-Care Scale – Clinical (MSCS-C) pre- and post-survey, and reflective journaling. A paired-samples t test was calculated to compare the mean pretest score to the mean posttest score. The mean on the pretest was 77.68 (sd= 9.33), and the mean on the posttest was 75.27 (sd= 31.59). A significant increase from pretest to posttest was found (t (21) = .307, p < .05). Thematical analysis revealed enhanced awareness and incorporation of constructive SC activities. Educational interventions which seek to improve SC awareness will generate practical and sustainable acts of SC, thus improving students’ overall success and further empowering students in their transition from graduate to licensed nurses.