Family Practice Nursing Commons^™

The Case For Crisaborole, Chelsea Carnes

MSN Capstone Projects

To begin, topical corticosteroids (TCS) have been the standard first-line treatment medication for atopic dermatitis (AD) since the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approved them in 1955 (Siegfried et al., 2016). Given that evidence-based practice (EBP) usually changes every few years for many other issues, that is a long period of time. This long-standing standard unfortunately leads many clinicians to the classic “we have always done it this way” conclusion. However, with scientific advancement, there are many more treatments available for AD today. One that is particularly promising is crisaborole, which is currently available under the brand name Eucrisa.

This medication …

Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation Without The Pulmonary? A Benchmark Project, Fernando A. Rios

MSN Capstone Projects

Cardiac Arrest occurs outside of the hospital setting more than you think. According to MyCares.net, 15% of OHCA happened in a public setting in 2020. Even if you are a trained healthcare professional, it may not be accessible at times in these situations due to different factors such as equipment availability, trained assistance, etc... Having an alternative option to conventional mouth-to-mouth rescue breath CPR would encourage trained and untrained bystanders to perform life-saving interventions to patients until local EMS responders can arrive. The covid pandemic affected everyone inside and outside the medical world. The general population got a real …

Green Tea Supplementation: An Effective Lifestyle Modification For Cholesterol Management, Samuel J. Nemati

MSN Capstone Projects

Hypercholesterolemia is an insidious disease and the leading factor to the deadliest killer in the United States – cardiovascular disease (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023a). Over 85 million American adults suffer from elevated cholesterol, and treatment can prove challenging and may require multiple modalities outside just pharmaceutical intervention – such as dietary and other lifestyle changes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023b; Goldman, 2023). Green tea – among the most common teas consumed worldwide – exerts a uniquely antihyperlipidemic and cardioprotective effect that suggests its consideration as a potentially-viable nonpharmacological option for hypercholesterolemia (Harvard Health Publishing, 2012; …

The Effects Of Education On Influenza Vaccination Uptake, Jazzlyn Lawson

MSN Capstone Projects

Influenza is a viral illness that occurs internationally and peaks in prevalence during the months of October to May. There are several types of influenza viruses: Influenza A, B, C, and D (CDC, 2023). Vaccines are available in the United States as early as the start of the flu season to those who wish to receive it. The influenza virus types covered by the annual flu vaccine include Influenzas A and B types (CDC, 2023). The influenza vaccine is recommended by the CDC with the intent to limit the occurrence and spread of influenza each year. Symptoms of influenza consist …

Body Dysmorphia Screening Tool For Aesthetic Treatments, Brandi Harper

MSN Capstone Projects

This evidence-based project includes a discussion of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) or body image disturbance as part of pre-treatment screening in medical facilities providing appearance-altering procedures and aesthetic treatments to adult patients. The information provided serves as the foundation for endorsing the adoption of a BDD screening tool into clinical practice to increase the identification of body dysmorphia, thereby facilitating proper referral, diagnosis, and treatment to aid in patient safety and satisfaction and limit medico-legal imputations. The discussion presented here is supported by evidence-based research. It focuses on BDD prevalence and significance amongst adult patients and highlights validated screening tools …

The Effect Of Obesity On Comorbidities: A Benchmark Study, Kaley Nolen

MSN Capstone Projects

Obesity is distinguished by a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30. Tremmel et al. (2017) reports obese individuals are at a greater risk for developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. In 2014, approximately 641 million adults were classified as obese (Zhang et al., 2018). This epidemic has drastically worsened over the last two decades resulting in obesity ranking as the fifth most common cause of death globally (Safaei et al., 2021). Okunogbe et al. (2021) states, slowing the incidence rate of obesity by 5% will save approximately $3.3 billion annually between 2020-2060. The pathophysiology and cause of obesity is …

Role Of Hand Hygiene In The Prevention Of Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection In Intensive Care Unit Patients: A Benchmark Project, Meliana Amazan

MSN Capstone Projects

CLABSI (Central Line Associated Blood Stream Infection) is one of the most common hospital-acquired infections in the ICUs (Intensive Care Unit). Not only it is cost prohibitive, but it also prolongs hospitalization. However, it is avoidable. This condition needs to be reviewed to improve patients’ outcomes in the ICUs. This project aims to decrease or eliminate the incidence of CLABSI among ICU patients through proper and mindful hand hygiene. Healthcare providers should be aware of the different care bundles that contribute to decreasing CLABSI and be able to apply them correctly. Articles were searched on different databases such as Cochrane …

Assessing The Impact Of Daily Chlorhexidine Baths In Prevention Of Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infections: An Evidence Based Project, Brooke Rea

MSN Capstone Projects

Background: The rates of central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) is a major concern in the healthcare industry. It is imperative that healthcare professionals take every precaution to prevent these life-threatening infections to the already critically ill patient.

Objective: The reason for this paper is to assess the effectiveness of the use of daily chlorhexidine baths in patients with central lines in the prevention of CLABSIs.

Narrative Review: A narrative review of evidence was conducted to assess the effectiveness of daily chlorhexidine bathing in patients with central lines. Twelve studies were moved forward in the project. Each of the twelve …

Teach-Back Education In Heart Failure Patients Benchmark Study, Bethany N. Johnson

MSN Capstone Projects

Heart failure exasperation is one of the most common causes of hospital readmission in the United States (Breathett et al., 2018). It is estimated that greater than half of all heart failure patients will be readmitted to the hospital within six months of discharge (Caluya, 2021). Additionally, one in four individuals with heart failure are readmitted within thirty days of discharge (Rahmani et al., 2020). This data shows a large area of improvement for hospitals in order to improve patient outcomes. Due to the lack of standardized discharge teaching, heart failure patients are often admitted to the hospital for the …

Importance And Impact Of Diabetes Education On People With Diabetes, Nicole R. Glasco

MSN Capstone Projects

This paper aims to explain the significance and importance of why it is essential to offer patients with diabetes standardized education regarding their diabetes.

Benchmark: Impact Of Weight Loss Education On Obese Patients, Tabitha A. Moorehead

MSN Capstone Projects

Objective: With an epidemic as severe as obesity, it is paramount that healthcare professionals be aware of the overarching negative effects the disease can contribute to the human body. If constructive dialogue can be achieved between patient and provider without suspicion of bias or judgment, we would potentially experience an elevated willingness of patients to follow treatment steps.

Background: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975. “Most of the world's population live in countries where overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight” (WHO, 2021). “More than 4 in 10 Americans are …

Dnp Final Report: Adolescent Support For Healthy Living, Kristin S. Hudson

DNP Final Reports

Adolescents often make decisions that negatively impact their health and wellness. They do this for many reasons including impulsivity, underdeveloped communication and coping skills, feelings of invincibility, and a perceived lack of support. In adolescents, how does education and training related to risky behaviors compared to no education affect knowledge, skills, and understanding (KSU) of high-risk behaviors three months after instruction? Thirteen peer- reviewed articles were utilized in the body of evidence. A curriculum-based intervention was implemented. Outcomes include an overall increase in KSU in six key concepts including contraception, substances abuse, sexually transmitted diseases/infections, teen pregnancy, peer pressure, and …

A Whole-Food Plant Based Diet And Its Effects On Cardiovascular Disease, Meredith A. Childress

MSN Capstone Projects

The purpose of this paper and benchmark study is to present evidenced-based data regarding the impact diet choices have on heart disease and how adherence to a whole food plant based (WFPB) diet compared to a Western diet affects cardiac disease. The PICOT question being asked for this change project is as follows: In adults with history of cardiac disease (P), how does adherence to a whole-food plant-based (WFPB) diet (I) compared to the Western diet (C) impact outcomes associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) (O) over three months (T)? A search of evidenced-based literature was conducted to determine the …

Diabetes Prevention Program, Ashley L. Stine

MSN Capstone Projects

The prevalence of diabetes in Texas has increased 40 percent over the last decade and will continue to rise as of 2019. New onset diabetes, chronic, and children with diabetes has significant rise in hospitalization rates. COVID and its restraints of limiting physical activity, restrictions of gyms and sedentary lifestyles. Chronic diabetics who were frequent flyer hospitalizations rates increase due to poor social support, mental health and stressors increased during COVID also. This diabetes prevention program that consists of 16wks for new and current diabetics would decrease complications of diabetes such as DKA, retinopathy, nerve pain, chronic pain, AMS, amputations, …

Advance Care Planning Evidence Based Practice Benchmark, Natalie K. Waggoner

MSN Capstone Projects

America is aging, with the estimated number of patients over the age of 65 to reach 72 million by 2030, approximately 20% of the population (Sade, 2012). This demographic shift characterized by an increasing elderly population has elevated the subject of death and dying to a crucial component of health care delivery. A study done by Silveira et al. (2010) demonstrated that 70% of individuals aged 60 and older were unable to participate in treatment decisions during their final days. However, most individuals in the United States have no advance directive.

The goal of this evidence-based practice intervention is to …

Bedside Shift Reporting: A Benchmark Project, Clydea C. Hale

MSN Capstone Projects

Patient care is forever changing to improve satisfaction, safety, and overall treatment. Over the past few years, patients and their families are more invested in their overall care in the hospital and expect to be informed every step of the way. A common complaint from patients or their families is that one nurse or staff did not know the individuals care or treatment plan, there were no shift goals to work toward discharge, and the nurse did not update the patient/family with changes in care. All of these complaints along with the patient satisfaction scores and communication between the treatment …

Type 2 Diabetic Education Benchmark Study, Amy Lynd

MSN Capstone Projects

Evaluating the implementation of verbal and written education on diet for newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics.

Medication Reconciliation In The Elderly, Tina L. Coen

MSN Capstone Projects

Medication reconciliation is a practice that is underutilized in hospitals and primary care settings, and as a result the geriatric population is experiencing frequent ER visits and hospital readmission's. The geriatric population is subject to injury due to medication errors more than any other group. Medication reconciliation is an important part of safely caring for the geriatric population and can decrease the number of inappropriate medications that are prescribed. (Moro, 2016)

Cardiac Rehabilitation Benchmark Study, Catherine Cottle

MSN Capstone Projects

This benchmark study attempts to evaluate the effectiveness of cardiac rehabilitation in reducing mortality and hospital readmission rates of post-myocardial infarction patients. Several peer-reviewed articles were reviewed assessing the efficacy of cardiac rehabilitation. It was discovered that cardiac rehabilitation reduced several negative effects regarding heart disease, including the reduction of mortality and hospital readmission rates.

Use Of Probiotic In Preventing Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea, Chanda Amatya

MSN Capstone Projects

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) including Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea (CDAD) has been a challenging topic for the healthcare industry. AAD is caused by the disruption of normal microbial balance along with the gastrointestinal (GI) tract due to the use of an antibiotic. AAD not only increases healthcare cost burden but also increases morbidity and mortality among vulnerable populations such as the elderly. Death from CDAD for a patient over 65 years is about 90% (Mallina et al., 2018). Antibiotic use is very common among the elderly and it is the responsibility of healthcare providers to take appropriate measures in preventing complications …

Treatment Of Acute Bronchitis In Active Duty Military Members Benchmark Project, Nicole Williams

MSN Capstone Projects

Antibiotic resistant infections are a growing problem in the United States and the world. The main cause of this is antibiotic prescriptions, which can not only cause antibiotic resistance but adverse events. Decreasing the amount of antibiotics prescribed for inappropriate conditions can help to decrease the rates of antibiotic resistant infections and the problems these infections can cause. One illness that is treated frequently with antibiotics, against recommendations, is acute bronchitis. Acute bronchitis is a self-limiting viral infection, characterized by cough. By decreasing the number of providers who are prescribing antibiotics for acute bronchitis, the clinic can help to prevent …

Type 2 Diabetes - A Change For A Better Life, Hilary Greene

MSN Capstone Projects

Cardiovascular disease has been known to be the leading cause of mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes. With diabetes on the rise in the United States, it is important to assess changes in these patients to decrease the risk of developing cardiovascular disease or a major cardiovascular event such as a myocardial infarction, stroke, or death. If able to address healthy alternatives to patients to reduce the risks of major cardiovascular events such as a myocardial infarction or stroke, it could potentially save many lives. As a nurse educator, it is important to provide patients with the education they …

Nurse Practitioners In Healthcare Benchmark, Jun Cho

MSN Capstone Projects

With the shortage of physicians and rise of healthcare costs, it is imperative that healthcare start looking at the best alternative to take care of patients. With average life expectancy increasing and baby boomers entering Medicare, there will be more in need for providers. There are many uncertainties and questions concerning nurse practitioners practicing independently, compared to physicians, about overall care and patient satisfaction. There have been many evidence-based researches that shows nurse practitioners can provide just as efficient and safe care as compared to physicians.

Cpm Machine Protocol For Knee Replacements, Lacy White

MSN Capstone Projects

A benchmark project was conducted regarding the use of a CPM machine postoperatively to increase standardization of care for total knee replacement patients while also increasing the patient’s range of motion of the knee and decreasing the post-surgical pain. Over a six week period of time, each patient was given a CPM machine no later than 2 hours post op after the total knee replacement surgery and each patient was discharged after a one night stay in the hospital under observation instead of inpatient. When the patient were discharged they would be followed by a home health service who will …

Promoting Recognition And Rescue: Human Trafficking Screening, Erin E. Pittman

MSN Capstone Projects

The exploitation of human beings is a serious public health concern (Centers for Disease Control [CDC] 2018). The United States Department of Justice (2018) defines human trafficking as an act of coercing a person’s labor services or commercial sex acts. Family Nurse Practitioners play a significant role in the identification of victims, especially those practicing in emergency departments. A majority of healthcare providers have yet to establish a standardized screening tool and there is little evidence regarding the impact these screening tools have in recognizing victims of human trafficking (Emergency Nurses Association, 2018). This alarming information brings about the clinical …

Decreasing Bias And Improving Education On Non-Invasive Colorectal Screening Methods, Sara H. Hughes

MSN Capstone Projects

It is estimated that in 2020, nearly 148,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 53,200 Americans will die from colorectal cancer (Siegel et al., 2020). One- half of all cases and deaths are due to modifiable risk factors such as diet and smoking and it has been shown that early screening and detection can greatly decrease the morbidity and mortality of colorectal cancer yet colorectal cancer related deaths still ranks among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the United States and the world. Early detection of colorectal cancer is crucial to reducing mortality and although this is …

Patient Controlled Fluid Restriction Monitoring, Christina Tindel

MSN Capstone Projects

Patients are often placed under non-pharmacologic orders such as fluid restrictions during their hospital stay. The following article will discuss a plan to implement a change to have patients take a more active role in their plan of care by being the main ones to monitor their fluid intake.

Pcos Lifestyle Management Change Project, Elizabeth King

MSN Capstone Projects

This paper proposes the Lifestyle Modification Change Project to help fulfill this lack of education and emphasis on lifestyle modifications that occurs with patients diagnosed with PCOS. This change project would include a 16-week lifestyle modification program that would evaluate pre- and post- participation data including: BMI, weight, inches, testosterone levels, menstrual cycle regularity numbers, and quality of life questionnaire.

Dnp Final Report: Diabetic Foot Care In Hispanic Females With Type Ii Diabetes: An Evidence-Based Quality Improvement Initiative, Barbara Chapman

DNP Final Reports

Diabetes affects 30.5 million people in the United States at an annual cost of approximately 245 billion dollars. 176 billion dollars are spent on debilitating often life threatening complications affecting the heart, kidney, eye, and nervous system. Over 69 billion dollars are spent on reduced workforce productivity. Approximately 9.9% of the United States population has diabetes, the diabetic population in Texas is 11.4% and in Collin County population is 10.2%. Hispanic populations are at a higher risk of developing diabetes at approximately 12.2% nationally.

Peripheral neuropathy commonly occurs in the lower extremities of diabetic patients increasing risks of foot complications …

The Role Of Allergy Testing In Eczematic Patients: A Benchmark Study, Ashley E. Cox

MSN Capstone Projects

Eczema or atopic dermatitis (AD) is the first visible sign that indicates a much bigger and more complex problem within the body. The first presentation of symptoms is typically in individuals less than six months of age. Concerned parents bring their child to the pediatrician where a course of topical corticosteroids is prescribed, according to current AD treatment guidelines (Weston, & Howe, 2019). Long term use of corticosteroids has proven to be detrimental to the patient’s health, especially pediatric patients, in many ways such as gynecomastia, hypertrichosis, staphylococcal infections, skin atrophy, and worsening of skin diseases, just to name a …