Mental and Social Health Commons^™

Encouraging Medication Compliance By Implementing A Medication Adherence Tool, Regina Taylor

Doctoral Projects

Medication non-adherence has been a common and challenging problem in health care, especially among mental health patients. Studies show medication compliance among psychiatric patients has been at a lower rate than patients with physical conditions. Non-compliance with medications has been one of the considerable contributions to rapid psychiatric hospital readmission. Rapid readmissions have been costing health care billions of dollars annually. The stigma behind mental health has a large contribution to why mental health patients are non-compliant with their psychotropics. Utilization of the Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS) on a patient to evaluate the patient's willingness and ability to take …

Implementing A Systematic Depression Screening In The Primary Care Setting, Cassandra Moore

Doctoral Projects

The Advanced Practice Nurse is responsible for providing quality care and treatment for the whole person. 3 John 1:2 KJV states, “I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers” (King James Bible, 2023, para. 2). To prosper and be in health refers to a holistic approach in which the mind, body, and spirit of an individual is considered. Mental health care is an integral part of the holistic health approach.

Mental illness affects approximately one in five adults (52.9 million) in the United States alone (National Institute of Mental Health …

Studying The Impact Of Hyperlipidemia Monitoring Tools On Referral Rates In Patients Taking Antipsychotics, Jasmyn S. Allen

Doctoral Projects

The purpose of this DNP project is to determine how well an evaluation tool may be used to track hyperlipidemia in patients using antipsychotic medicines who are between the ages of 20 and 50. Elevated lipid contents in the bloodstream, or hyperlipidemia, increase the danger of heart-related illnesses. Antipsychotic drugs, frequently administered for mental health disorders and dyslipidemia, have been connected. The goal is to ascertain whether utilizing an evaluation tool raises the three-month referral rates for hyperlipidemia to primary care (Dayabandara et al., 2017). The foundation of the research is found in several articles collected from different websites. According …

Effectiveness Of Staff Training On Trauma-Informed Care, Brandy Tramel Williams

Doctoral Projects

The connection between experiencing trauma and the development of substance use disorder is widely recognized. Although trauma is more prevalent among individuals with substance use disorders, healthcare professionals have limited access to training focused on trauma informed care. It is crucial for those working in addiction treatment to receive training and education on trauma informed care to understand the impact of trauma and its association with substance use disorders.

This DNP project's objective was to develop and evaluate an educational presentation for staff emphasizing the importance of trauma-informed care in the context of addiction. The effectiveness of this intervention was …

Implementing A Medication Preference Questionnaire In Schizophrenia To Decrease The Risk Of Relapse, Chelsea Aldridge

Doctoral Projects

Schizophrenia is a debilitating disorder that affects the mind causing individuals to have delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thought processing, and or negative symptoms ranging from isolation to anhedonia. Schizophrenia has capabilities of becoming a disabling disorder if symptoms are not properly managed with appropriate psychotropic medications. Psychiatrists, Primary Care Providers (PCPs), and Psychiatric- Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs) typically treat the symptoms of schizophrenia with antipsychotics. Antipsychotics fall into two drug classes: first- generation or typical antipsychotics and second- generation or atypical antipsychotics that can be given orally or intramuscularly. Typical antipsychotics generally have more side effects than atypical antipsychotics. However, …

Does The Use Of Mental Health Screenings And Targeted Stress Interventions Improve Mental Health Outcomes In Outpatient Clinic Staff?, Mary Benson

Doctoral Projects

The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) has been used as a classic stress assessment instrument to evaluate perceived stress across many settings. As stress is the primary phenomenon in this review due to varying stressors, including infectious diseases among healthcare workers, the PSS is the most appropriate scale for evaluating the degree to which a health worker feels stressed. In addition, the PSS is valuable as it encompasses ten items that researchers use to explore how respondents react to stress due to unpredictable events. Thus, this DNP project is based on the postulation that screening with the PSS and applying stress …

Implementing A Depression Screening Process Within A Primary Care Setting Initiative To Improve Quality Patient-Centered Healthcare, Mark Beech

Doctoral Projects

Depression is more widespread than many people understand. Depression is a common mental disorder involving millions of people from all backgrounds, races, and socioeconomic levels (World Health Organization [WHO], 2020). Depression not only affects one’s mental well-being but can be often linked to one’s physical well-being. Additionally, depression is often misdiagnosed and can many times go undetected. The stigma of depression or any mental health disorder still has many patients feeling shameful and the need to be secretive which can prevent proper treatment. The implementation of a depression screening process by utilizing a tool for early depression detection is essential …

Quality Improvement For Patients With Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome Starts With An Evaluation Tool, Jessica Bass

Doctoral Projects

Patients with alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) have adverse outcomes to the traditional methods of assessing for and treating withdrawal within the intensive care unit (ICU), which includes a standardized treatment plan. Some negative outcomes include acquiring costly and dangerous hospital-acquired infections, safety concerns, and traumatic experiences that deter further treatment. More individualized assessments and treatments are needed to prevent or decrease the severity of AWS from occurring in critical care settings, which will facilitate more positive outcomes and experiences for the staff and patients. The Minnesota detoxification scale has been shown to be a more appropriate tool for the critical …

Measuring The Development Of Depression In A Long-Term Care Facility, Cantrell Anderson

Doctoral Projects

Depression is a severe global health problem (Almond, 2009; Brewis et al., 2018; Liu et al., 2019). According to the World Health Organization [WHO] (2020), depression is a problem that more than 264 million people suffer from. In comparison to older adults in the community, depression rates are significantly higher among older adults in long-term care. The treatment of older adults in long-term care is challenging. There are several risk factors that contribute to depression in this population, however, they are still not clear.

The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to measure the development of …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Adverse Childhood Experiences And Trauma Informed Care Training For Mental Health Nurses, Felicia Gathings

Doctoral Projects

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events that happened to a person at a young age, and when untreated they have a higher risk of developing a mental illness. ACEs are associated with social problems, illnesses, and physiological issues. ACEs are related to increased health risks and an increase in high-risk behaviors. Despite increase evidence relating ACEs to physical and mental issues, nurses lack training in ACEs and trauma-informed care (TIC). The overall goal of this project was to increase knowledge of ACEs and TIC in mental health nurses when caring for mentally ill patients. Pre-test and Post-test surveys were …

Developing A Sustainable Group Tobacco Control Program In A Community Mental Health Clinic, Jennifer Burns

Doctoral Projects

While substantial practical, empirical, and theoretical contributions have been made toward the implementation of healthcare innovations, significantly less attention has been directed towards the sustainability of these interventions. For this reason, many healthcare innovations become unsustainable over time—yielding few long-term improvements, causing stakeholder disenchantment, and wasting valuable resources. The use of tobacco products is a leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States that is disproportionately prevalent among individuals with severe mental illness, making the development and sustainment of evidencebased tobacco control programs imperative to alleviating this public health burden. As a final project in Grand Valley’s …

Ontrack: A Program Evaluation, Justin Mynatt

Doctoral Projects

OnTrack is a program that provides coordinated specialty care (CSC) services for patients who have experienced their first episode of psychosis (FEP). Appropriately identifying and aggressively treating this vulnerable population, while providing support to both them and their families is critical for improved outcomes. Appropriate treatment of FEP patients can improve their quality of life, preserve brain matter, improve overall functioning, and lessen the burden of the clients’ family who may be involved in their care, such as caregiver strain or financial hardship. The purpose of this project is to evaluate the success of OnTrack, a FEP program, at improving …

Recovery Success Through Combined Use Of Vivitrol And Counseling Versus Pharmacological Treatment Alone In Opiate-Addicted Patients, Ashley Estes

Doctoral Projects

The growing incidence of opiate addiction in the United States has been declared a public health emergency (Hargan, 2017). Vivitrol, a monthly injectable extended-release naltrexone, helps to block the cravings of opiates so patients can focus on changing their behavior and lifestyle. Counseling has been suggested as an effective adjunctive therapy when used concurrently with Vivitrol. This study is a retrospective chart review and aims to compare the outcomes between two groups of patients; one that receives the monthly Vivitrol injection plus attend regular counseling and one group, equal in size, that receives Vivitrol alone.

Implementation Of A Psychiatric Admission Acuity Tool In The Pediatric Behavioral Health Unit, Tyler T. Wansley

Doctoral Projects

Staffing, patient ratios, and acuity are not new concepts in health care. While these are popular concepts in medical units, inpatient psychiatric facilities are lacking the tools to correctly quantify patient acuity. An even considerably larger gap exists in the literature regarding the quantification of acuity in pediatric behavioral health units.

A needs assessment was conducted to determine if an existing psychiatric acuity tool would prove useful after implementation in a pediatric behavioral health unit. A need for such a tool was found which led to the purpose of this doctoral project, which was to measure nurse satisfaction with the …

Implementation Of An Evidence Based Screening Protocol To Improve The Diagnosis Of Dementia In A Home-Based Primary Care Setting, Lauren Liesbeth Sutton

Doctoral Projects

Dementia is a major public health concern that is both debilitating and deleterious to those afflicted with its various forms. The number of those living with dementia is increasing exponentially as the population continues to rise, with 46.8 million people worldwide currently afflicted with dementia (Chow et al., 2018). Dementia causes cognitive impairment that is severe enough to affect everyday function (Chow et al., 2018). The impairment and disability resulting from dementia indicates a significant health problem in primary care. Findings from research studies indicate that prophylactic and periodic screening for dementia can heighten provider suspicion and translate into earlier …

Effectiveness Of An Open Access Scheduling System In A Community Mental Health Center, Callie Crockett

Doctoral Projects

Abstract

Open Access Schedule (OAS) systems are a new way to schedule patient appointment in an outpatient medical setting. In theory these systems will provide many benefits that are not seen in a traditional scheduling model, such as decreased wait times to see a provider and more provider flexibility. However, little research has been done to examine how effective these systems are once they are put into practice, particularly in the mental health setting. The purpose of this project was to examine a recently implemented open access scheduling system in a community mental health center in rural Northeast Tennessee and …

Evaluation Of Delivery Methods Of Chemical Dependency And Wellness Education, Marissa Coggin

Doctoral Projects

Anesthesia practice is learned in a stressful environment, and these stressors may lead to the students’ development of maladaptive coping mechanisms. Despite significant improvements in our understanding of addiction and our approaches to combat this problem, the risk of substance misuse remains high in nurse anesthesia students. Education and intervention are imperative when taking preventative measures. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to determine whether delivery method of chemical dependency/wellness educational program effects the level of understanding of anesthesia providers and substance misuse and the development of healthy coping mechanisms.

In determining whether the delivery …

The Development Of A Wayfinding Smart Phone Application As A Large Healthcare Facility Investment Opportunity, Jessie Fortson Marshall

Doctoral Projects

Health care is a continually growing field. New hospitals are constantly being built, while older facilities are experiencing renovation and expansion. With this growth comes a set of difficulties for patients as they try to navigate through large, multi-building facilities. Most large facilities have multiple parking garages, numerous buildings, and medical towers with an unending number of floors. Patients are forced to rely on directional signage to find their destination that is often insufficient. Attempting to navigate through large facilities is often overwhelming for visitors leading to frustration and stress.

New technology has allowed a convenient solution to this problem …

A Clinical Practice Change Initiative To Incorporate Animal Assisted Therapy In Advanced Practice Registered Nurses' Clinical Practice For Children And Adolescents, Donna Rae Cowell

Doctoral Projects

Background: Children and adolescents mental healthcare needs is vital for the future of our nation’s welfare (American Psychology Association, 2014). Research has indicated AAT may be a considerable choice to help with pediatrics mental healthcare and may be utilized as an adjunct to enhance the care within the psychiatric healthcare field (Chandler, 2012). AAT has become popular within the healthcare realm (Friesen, 2009; Uyemura, 2016) and is a unique method for providing “patients” health care, which may improve patient outcomes (Chandler, 2012; Cowell, 2013; McCullough, 2016; McQuarrie & Urichuk, 2008). Research supports that “providers” in the health care field may …

Would Not-For-Cause Randomized Drug Testing Reduce The Incidence Of Drug Misuse Among Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists?, Katy G. Gavin

Doctoral Projects

Healthcare providers have easy access to drugs of various types and strengths, often times highly addictive drugs, all the while working long hours in high stress environments. Studies show that anesthesia providers, among other healthcare providers, are at highest risk for drug misuse. There are numerous ways substance abuse and addiction among anesthesia providers could be decreased significantly or prevented completely including, but not limited to, education, routine mental health evaluations, stress coping through exercise, debriefing sessions, and mentoring. This project focused on prevention through randomized not-for-cause drug testing. After an exhaustive review of the literature was performed, implications for …

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Workforce Development In Behavioral Healthcare Settings In Rural Mississippi, Arlen Davis Cooper

Doctoral Projects

Description and Significance of the Problem: The United States is facing a significant rural mental healthcare workforce shortage and an uneven distribution of mental healthcare professionals. The psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) may increase access to mental healthcare in rural underserved regions (NRHA, 2012). However, little is known regarding their distribution. The lack of uniform and consistent data collection methods regarding the number and the geographic distribution of PMHNPs in rural areas, specifically in rural Mississippi, exists. The importance of better data collection and improving infrastructure through collaboration with state licensing boards and state nursing workforce centers is …