Health and Medical Administration Commons^™

Implementation Of A Standardized Suicide Screening Process In A University Student Health Clinic: A Quality Improvement Project, Addie Grace Strong, Kathryn Dambrino, R. David Phillippi, Linda Wofford

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: Suicide is a leading cause of death among college age students, prompting the need for evidence-based screening tools like the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) to enable early detection and timely intervention. Inconsistencies in suicide screening may pose a risk of missed intervention opportunities. This Doctor of Nursing Practice project specifically aimed to improve the quality and consistency of suicide screening in a university student health clinic by implementing the C-SSRS tool into the clinic workflow during mental health appointments. Methods: Employing a quality improvement framework, this scholarly project followed the Institute for Healthcare Improvement Model for Improvement …

Evaluating The Impact Of Simulation On Perceived Knowledge And Confidence Of New Graduate Nurses (Ngns) In Maternal-Newborn Care, Disa Seymour

DNP Scholarly Projects

Abstract

Background: Nursing education worldwide varies in duration and training process, with nurses often facing rapid immersion into patient care complexities when entering the workforce. While new nurses contribute significantly to the nursing community with contemporary knowledge, their transition to practice can be daunting, necessitating support for both competence and retention. As specialty care settings integrate more new graduate nurses (NGNs) to address workforce shortages, collaboration between leaders and educators becomes crucial. Simulation emerges as a vital tool in building confidence while learning, offering a safe space for skill development and growth of confidence.

Purpose: This project’s objective was to …

Increasing Colorectal Cancer Screening Uptake Among Hispanic/Latino Patients: A Quality Improvement Initiative, Erick Hernandez Campos, Elizabeth Morse, David Phillippi

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: In 2021, cancer (CRC) screening rates for Latino men (42%) and women (47.5%) remain well below the Health People 2020 target (70.5%). Extensive documentation of barriers for screening include language, insurance status, and other sociocultural barriers which contribute to delays in diagnosis and/or diagnosis at advanced stages of the disease, and worse health outcomes. Latinos need culturally and linguistically appropriate health promotion interventions aimed to increase CRC screening rates with any modality (FIT, Cologuard, or Colonoscopy).

Methods: The Donabedian Structure-Process-Outcome (S-P-O) Model for quality improvement was used to develop and target a provider-driven, language-concordant communication interventions for …

Exploring Hapi Incidence In Patients Admitted Through The Ed: A Quality Improvement Initiative, Alexa L. Tietgens

DNP Scholarly Projects

Each year in the U.S., pressure injuries, or PIs, are responsible for more than 60,000 patient deaths and billions of dollars’ worth of treatment costs. Research shows that roughly 95% of all PIs are preventable by following evidence-based practice guidelines which include early identification of patients at risk, frequent skin assessments, and implementation of prevention strategies. However, the ED environment creates unique risks for PI development due to the routine use of hard surfaces (i.e., stretchers, backboards, exam tables) and frequent hospital overcrowding. Although nurses play a pivotal role in PI prevention, frequent staffing shortages, high patient acuity levels, and …

Improving Provider Retention Through Addressing Burnout At A Federally Qualified Health Center: A Quality Improvement Initiative, Emily Grattan

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: Primary care providers employed by federally qualified health centers (FQHC) working with underserved populations experience high levels of burnout as patients are often medically complex, face healthcare disparities and societal stigmas. The aim of the project was to alleviate burnout and improve provider retention through introduction of organizational support measures. Participants involved were healthcare providers, as well as nurse management and senior leadership.

Methods: The quality improvement approach for this project utilized the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle and a driver diagram to guide the selected interventions. Interventions were based on categories from Mayo’s Clinic’s Nine Organizational Strategies to Promote Engagement …

Improving Patient Access To Gastroenterology Through A Nurse-Practitioner-Led Clinic: A Quality Improvement Project, Kayla Northam

DNP Scholarly Projects

The United States has a critical healthcare access issue for gastroenterology patients. Delays in treatment can lead to expensive complications, including emergency room visits, hospitalization, and surgery. Creating a rapid-access clinic (RAC) for gastroenterology so that patients can obtain a quick and efficient evaluation of their symptoms in a shorter appointment time can help decrease the delay in care and generate more revenue for the hospital. Over 8 weeks in 2023, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center Department of Gastroenterology used a telemedicine-only RAC to see patients for 20 minutes rather than the traditional 60-minute period. As a result, the RAC saw …

Implementation Of A Standardized Medication Reconciliation Protocol In A Psychiatric Stabilization Setting, Sara Robinson

DNP Scholarly Projects

BACKGROUND: Medication errors are a prevalent patient safety concern across healthcare settings. High-quality medication reconciliation is an intervention and expected standard of care that can help to prevent adverse drug events. This quality improvement project focused on implementing a standardized medication reconciliation protocol on a short-stay psychiatric unit.

INTERVENTION: An evidence-based toolkit supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Medications at Transitions and Clinical Handoffs (MATCH) was selected as the framework for developing and implementing this protocol.

Congruent with the evidence-based toolkit recommendations, baseline data collection and needs assessment provided context for tailoring the intervention to the …

Implementation Of Community Health Worker Education Toolkit To Promote Compliance In Managed Care Organization, Lamonica Johnson

DNP Scholarly Projects

Community health workers provide case management and care coordination services to high-risk members enrolled in Louisiana Department of Health’s Medicaid program. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services require states entering contracts with managed care organizations to conduct external quality reviews by an independent External Quality Review Organization. Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set are quality metrics managed by the National Committee for Quality Assurance. These metrics are reported annually and required by Louisiana Department of Health. Community health workers are required to demonstrate quality accreditation and meet state specific requirement compliance through documentation. The aim of this project was to …

Improving Employee Engagement On An Inpatient Unit: A Quality Improvement Project, Holly Mccormack

DNP Scholarly Projects

BACKGROUND: Engaged employees are paramount to the success of an organization. They are more invested in their organization and the unit on which they work. This investment in the organization results in higher patient satisfaction and safety, less staff turnover, and improved quality. According to the literature, generational differences may be necessary to consider when improving employee engagement. To successfully lead a multigenerational workforce, nurse leaders should consider these differences and incorporate them into their strategic plan for employee engagement.

METHODS: A pilot survey was conducted on a medical-surgical unit to assess a perceived lack of engagement. Subsequently, work engagement …

Reducing Turnaround Time From Pathology Collection To Patient Awareness In Gastroenterology Practice, Adrianna Hyams

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: Means of improving the turnaround time from specimen completion to the patient being notified of results are not well known or researched. The aim of this study is to decrease the turnaround time (TAT) from when the specimen is collected to the time the patient is notified from 4 weeks to 2 weeks. This quality improvement project took place in a privately owned gastroenterology office in southern Indiana.

Methods: An exhaustive literature review was completed to determine the best means of improving pathology TAT. The Plan Do Check Act (PDCA) method of quality improvement was used for this project. …

Large Scale Organizational Intervention To Improve Emergency Department Throughput In A Community Hospital, Karen Elliott

DNP Scholarly Projects

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Emergency Department boarding is a well-documented systemic problem across the country. ED-2b, the time from decision to admit a patient to Emergency Department departure, is specified by the Joint Commission as a quality measure for Emergency Department boarding. ED-2b metrics have been a longstanding challenge at this community hospital outside the nation’s capital. The aim of this study was to reduce median ED-2b times by 10% compared to fiscal year 2020 (FY20). To accomplish the reduction in time, a multidisciplinary throughput committee was developed with subsequent action plans designed to improve Emergency Department throughput.

METHODS: The Plan Do …

A Quality Improvement Initiative To Manage Shingrix Vaccine Inventory In Ambulatory Clinics, Tracy Colburn

DNP Scholarly Projects

Abstract

Background: Inventory control practices for adult vaccines, specifically Shingrix, in ambulatory clinics are not well known or researched. This quality improvement project takes place at a small healthcare organization consisting of a hospital and thirteen ambulatory clinics in Northern New England. Seven of the thirteen clinics have the Shingrix vaccine in their inventory.

Purpose: The aim of this quality improvement project was multifaceted. The first matter was the establishment of a two-week PAR level at seven of the thirteen ambulatory clinics connected to the organization. The second was the design and implementation of a Shingrix vaccine management program …

Peer Support For Addiction In The Inpatient Setting, Rebecca Sweeney

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: In 2006 the Institute of Medicine reported that combined mental illness and substance use disorder was the second leading cause of disability and death in women and the highest cause in men. More recent data obtained from the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (Ahrnsbratz et al 2016) indicates in 2016 only one in ten of the people who need treatment, receive it. At Cambridge Health Alliance’s Everett Hospital, the site of this pilot project, opioid overdose and acute alcohol intoxication comprise one in every ten visits in the Emergency Department. In January of 2018, CHA partnered …

A Pilot Of Emergency Department-Initiated Buprenorphine For Opioid Withdrawal And Opioid Use Disorder: A Quality Improvement Project, Jason Lucey

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: Emergency department (ED) visits for opioid related visits have increased dramatically during the opioid epidemic. Buprenorphine is an evidence-based therapy for treating opioid use disorder (OUD) and withdrawal. Unfortunately, lack of access to pharmacotherapy for OUD, including buprenorphine, remains a challenge. Research supports ED-initiated buprenorphine as a practical, cost-effective strategy which engages patients in treatment better than non-pharmacologic alternatives.

Purpose: The aims of this improvement project were to 1) develop a pilot process in an ED for providing buprenorphine to patients in opioid withdrawal or for OUD; 2) recruit and train a cohort of ED staff on the process; …

Preventing Emergency Department Overutilization For Florida’S Seasonal Resident Population, Amanda Garcia

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background/Local Problem: Seasonal migration of elderly patients to Lee County, Florida result in overcrowding and prolonged wait times in emergency departments. Many of these seasonal residents dissociate the management of their chronic health conditions with a local provider, therefore utilizing the emergency department for non-urgent needs. Purpose: The Seasonal Resident Navigator Program was intended to enhance the coordination of primary care services for elderly seasonal residents by establishing appointments with local primary care providers (PCP) in order to reduce the overutilization of emergency services and improve patient throughput. Methods: A residency and provider assessment tool was incorporated into the Healthpark …

Barriers To Health Care Among Laotian Americans In Middle Tennessee, Xaiyavong Saenphansiri

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background. Laotian Americans have unique heath beliefs and practices. The cultural differences between Laotian American patients and American health care providers can create challenges in achieving not only evidence-based, but also culturally sensitive care. Although the current literature addresses barriers to health care for Asian Americans, there are few studies related to the Laotian-American minority.

Aim. Describing the particular barriers to preventive and curative care in the Laotian-American population in Middle Tennessee would inform strategies for successful prevention and early treatment programs for this population. The purpose of the study is to describe the health beliefs and barriers to …