Nursing Commons^™

Weight Loss Communication And Treatment In Primary Care, Courtney Russell, Sarah Puckett, Jessica Mcrill

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Obesity is undertreated in the primary care setting as a single medical condition. Obese patients are higher risk for comorbid conditions including heart disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and stroke. There is no universal screening tool implemented in the primary care setting for obesity management. An extensive literature review was completed to identify barriers in the primary care settings for providers to treat obesity as a disease state, assess current practices for weight management in these settings, and to identify health behaviors of adult patients with obesity. This project implemented the Five A’s Communication Tool to identify patients willing to discuss …

Use Of Anticipatory Guidelines In Late Infants And Toddlers 12 To 24 Months In Primary Care, Claire E. Eller

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Anticipatory guidance is a well-known and utilized method that has been implemented in a majority of pediatric primary care offices. As the need for efficiency grows and increasing patient volumes climb, there is a growing need for strategies to provide this information effectively and efficiently. Prior evidence can be utilized to identify the most critical knowledge caregivers and parents will require. Our findings indicate safety, communication, nutrition, social development, and behavior as cornerstone topics for anticipatory guidance. To increase the volume of education provided to parents and caregivers, alternate methods beyond verbal discussion could be used. After gathering scientific literature …

Advanced Care Planning In Primary Care, Kaylee Beals, Amanda Merriman

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

In Illinois, the do-not-resuscitate (DNR) form that is legally binding in all healthcare facilities is known as the Practitioner Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form. The Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA) of 1991 mandates only certain facilities to discuss advanced care planning (ACP). Primary care offices are not included in this mandate. Therefore, no structured process exists for primary care providers to identify patients who may benefit from ACP discussions. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to initiate conversations about ACP with patients 55 years and older in a primary care office and complete POLST forms …

Recognizing Barriers In The Elderly Population And Increasing Access To Case Management Services, Loveleena Alex

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Abstract

Implementing case management can lead to fewer hospitalizations in the elderly population. Barriers influencing the number of hospitalizations include low socioeconomic status, transportation needs, health literacy, financial strain, multiple comorbidities, underserved populations, medication availability, availability of community resources, and access to primary care. A review of the available literature revealed that by addressing these barriers in a primary care setting and implementing case management, the number of hospitalizations can be decreased and the quality of life in the elderly population can be improved. This quality improvement project implemented a screening and referral process for chronic care management in the …