Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Improving Depression Remission Screening Compliance, Crystal Wingerter

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Depressive disorders are widespread in the United States and are diagnosed and treated in the primary care setting. In 2019, there were an estimated 19.4 million adults that had at least one major depressive episode. The purpose of this project was to improve follow up and depression remission assessment for patients with a diagnosis of depression at a metropolitan family care practice clinic. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ–9) was utilized for remission assessment. Front desk staff and providers were trained and granted access to the quality information system (QIS) in the electronic medical records (EMR) system which allowed easy identification …

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 …

Implementation Of Routine Screening With Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (Phq-9) Of Adults With Crohn’S Disease, Jo A. Muller-Krause

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Introduction: Mild levels of depression have been measured with screening tools at rates of 15-24% in adults with Crohn’s disease (CD). The spectrum of the impact of depressive symptoms is measurable and documented for those with CD. Patient perspectives support the integration of psychological care, and the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) is a well validated tool for the measurement of depressive symptoms.

Purpose: Increase depression screening of adult CD patients in the outpatient gastroenterology clinic and evaluate the provider perspectives regarding PHQ-9, depression, and CD.

Conceptual Framework: The Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence Based Practice (JHNEBP) Model was selected as …

The Impact Of Mindful Breathing On Stress Of Employees Working From Home, Lindsey Goldberg

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

This DNP project was designed to decrease stress among employees working from home (WFH) by educating them on mindful breathing practices. Through the implementation of a mindful breathing activity, the intended project outcome was to improve stress levels of employees working from their homes. Mindful breathing is an evidence-based strategy that has demonstrated decreased stress levels. Mindful breathing was implemented among two companies employing an estimate of 170 WFH employees to improve health and well-being with potential long-term positive impact on sustainability of organizations in the post-COVID, work from home environment. The participants were invited to perform 8-minutes of daily …

Postpartum Depression: Development Of A Screening Protocol In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Kelsey T. Langdale

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects approximately 19% of all postpartum women. Evidence indicates an increased risk for mothers of hospitalized infants, with estimates ranging from 28% to 67%. The American Academy of Pediatrics and Bright Futures recommend mothers be screened for postpartum depression at the infants’ well-child appointments. During hospitalizations, there are no well-child appointments; thus, no postpartum depression screening. This project aims to 1) improve knowledge of PPD in the staff of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and 2) investigate the staff’s interest level in implementing a PPD screening protocol. Utilizing the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) framework, a protocol was developed …

Improving Psychological Trauma Awareness For Culturally Responsive Care: A Dnp Project, Jose M. Cruz

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Racism and racial discrimination occur in a variety of forms (Kendi, 2017). Both can contribute to poor mental health outcomes in the United States (Alvarez, Liang, & Neville, 2016; Comas-Diaz, Hall, & Neville, 2019; Levy, 2019; Malott & Schaefle, 2015; Williams, Lawrence, Davis, & Vu, 2019). These social conditions have been identified as chronic stressors that can illicit trauma symptoms, result in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and contribute to increased suicidality (French et al., 2020). Providers should understand the ramifications of the psychological trauma that can occur and endeavor to deliver evidence-based solutions. This doctoral project was designed to develop, …