Nursing Commons^™

Staff Education Program To Improve Nursing Knowledge On Fall Prevention Strategies, Chioma C. Achonye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In nursing practice, falls among adults aged 65 and above are a critical concern due to their potential to cause serious injuries and complications. As a result, fall prevention has become a top priority for healthcare providers striving to ensure patient safety and quality. The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was designed to address the issue of falls in long-term care facilities by implementing a staff education program focused on patient fall risk assessment, identifying intrinsic and extrinsic factors influencing falls, and implementing evidence-based interventions. The DNP project practice-focused question was Does an education program on fall prevention strategies …

Next-Gen Leaders: Cultivating Board Room Readiness For Emerging Nurse Professionals, Cheryl Nikol Hamilton

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project addressed the critical underrepresentation of nurses on healthcare boards by implementing an evidence-based intervention to improve board readiness among emerging nurse leaders in Arkansas. The purpose of the project was to assess and enhance nurses’ self-perceived competencies in governance through a structured educational program and the SHIP-BC© readiness assessment tool. A quasi-experimental pre-post design was utilized with honorees from two leadership programs within a statewide nursing organization. Participants first completed the SHIP-BC© survey to establish baseline perceptions of board readiness across domains of analytical, interpersonal, and organizational skills. Following a four-week microlearning board …

Enhancing Nurse Well-Being Through Mandatory Rest Breaks At A Hospital, Elise Njang

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Nurses are essential to the healthcare system, yet their demanding 12-hour shifts in hospital settings often leave little opportunity for adequate rest. The absence of structured rest breaks not only endangers nurses' well-being but may also compromise the quality of patient care. This quality improvement (QI) project aimed to evaluate the effects of implementing structured, mandatory 15-minute rest breaks on nurse burnout and job satisfaction. The initiative addressed a critical gap at the project site, where nurses typically received only one 30-minute lunch break per shift, despite evidence supporting the benefits of more frequent rest breaks. A quasi-experimental pre- and …

Patient Engagement Strategies In Weight-Loss Programs, Olufunmilayo M. Bishop

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Weight regain after pharmacological weight-loss interventions remains a pervasive challenge in primary care, with over 70% of patients reverting to baseline weight within six months. This quality improvement project aimed to enhance healthcare providers’ patient engagement skills to improve retention and long-term outcomes in weight-loss programs. A structured staff training program focusing on motivational interviewing, goal-setting, and barrier recognition was implemented among a multidisciplinary team. The program’s effectiveness was evaluated through a mixed-methods approach, incorporating quantitative pre- and post-assessment scores and qualitative staff satisfaction surveys. Results demonstrated a significant increase in staff knowledge, with average scores rising from 68% to …

Quality Improvement Project Impacting Healthcare Providers’ Knowledge And Self-Efficacy On Peripheral Artery Disease In An Outpatient Cardiovascular Clinic, Nikki Naphaphone Phanyoraj

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects over 200 million people worldwide and contributes to functional limitations, decline in quality of life, and increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Failure to effectively screen patients for PAD can lead to delayed treatment and poorer health outcomes. Early detection and intervention are key to altering the disease progression, reducing complications, and improving health outcomes. The purpose of the quality improvement project is to impact the knowledge and self-efficacy of the healthcare providers working in the outpatient cardiovascular clinic on PAD. A quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-test PAD knowledge exam and a pre- …

Yo Soy Minnesota: Bridging Health Equity Gaps With Culturally And Linguistically Inclusive Resources For Hispanics In Central Minnesota, Liz Damaris Vincente Berrios

DNP Projects

Health disparities are preventable yet persist due to systemic inequities in social, economic, and healthcare structures. Rooted in historical injustices and social determinants of health, these disparities disproportionately impact minority communities, including Hispanics in Central Minnesota. Barriers such as limited English proficiency (LEP), provider biases, and inadequate health literacy further exacerbate inequitable health outcomes. Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) offer a modifiable solution to mitigate these disparities by ensuring healthcare resources align with diverse beliefs, practices, and linguistic needs. This project focuses on CLAS as a modifiable factor affecting Hispanics in Central Minnesota and explores the impact of "Yo …

Quality Improvement Project Fall Prevention Among Skilled Nursing Facility Residents Through Staff Education, Reena Mathew

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Falls among older adults in Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) remain a leading cause of injury, hospitalization, and decreased quality of life. Preventing these falls requires awareness and effective staff engagement. This Quality Improvement (QI) initiative is targeted to decrease fall rates in a 90-bed SNF by educating caregivers on the significance and practice of purposeful hourly rounding. The project helped to improve staff knowledge, consistency, and accountability in implementing hourly rounding as a preventive measure. A pre- and post-intervention design was utilized. Staff members received structured educational sessions based on evidence-based guidelines, including interactive modules and printed resources. Twenty staff …

Quality Improvement Project: Faculty Education On Clinical Evaluation Tool Utilization For Outcome-Based Assessment And Readiness In Clinical Competency Evaluation, Catherine Odom

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement initiative addressed the lack of consistency and subjectivity in clinical evaluations of nursing faculty at a community college in the southern United States. The intervention was a structured faculty development program spanning eight weeks, focusing on Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) and performance rubrics. The project was guided by the IOWA Model of Evidence-Based Practice and the Kotter Change Management Framework, aiming to boost faculty confidence and inter-rater reliability in clinical assessment. The PICOT question was whether a structured educational intervention would enhance self-reported faculty confidence in clinical assessments relative to no …

Quality Improvement Project Improving Self-Efficacy Among Urgent Care Staff Through Medication Reconciliation Education, Jana M. Combs

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Medication errors and adverse drug reactions (ADR) are a significant source of preventable harm in healthcare, and failure to complete proper medication reconciliation is a contributing factor. Despite multiple interventions aimed at addressing this issue, no standardized plan has been implemented universally. Outpatient urgent care sites pose as high-risk environments for failed medication reconciliations due to the nature of the setting, but staff are in prime positions to adjust this culture. This project aimed to enhance staff self-efficacy in medication reconciliation over four weeks through an evidence-based educational program, with the goal of improving patient safety and outcomes. Using a …

Quality Improvement Project Data At Risk: The Implications Of Inconsistent Nursing Documentation On Patient Care Interventions, Amber Jones

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Accurate nursing documentation plays a vital role in ensuring high-quality patient care, yet inconsistencies remain a common challenge, particularly with preventive screenings like pediatric tobacco use. Research shows that when documentation is incomplete or incorrect, opportunities to identify and intervene with at-risk adolescents are often missed. This quality improvement project was developed to address a specific gap in documentation practices at a community health clinic, where staff often failed to consistently complete the pediatric tobacco screening tool. The goal of the project was to determine whether evidence-based education, combined with chart audits and feedback, could improve the consistency in which …

Quality Improvement Project Improving Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Self-Efficacy And Retention Through A Structured Mentorship Program, James Caleb Kent

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

High turnover among Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) creates significant challenges for healthcare delivery, continuity of care, and organizational costs. Despite convincing evidence supporting the use of mentorship programs to improve job satisfaction and retention, structured mentor education remains underutilized in many outpatient settings. This quality improvement project assessed the impact of a structured mentor education program on APRN self-efficacy related to mentoring competence. A single-group, pre-post design was implemented in one primary care department. Six APRNs completed an evidence-based mentor education module. Self-efficacy was measured using the Mentor Competence Assessment (MCA) survey administered immediately before and after education. Paired …

A Quality Improvement Project Cultural Competency: A Project For Improving Culturally Competent Care Among Mental Health Providers, Lanre Olanrewaju

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Cultural competence, knowledge, and awareness are essential for improving mental healthcare outcomes in diverse populations. Despite the need, the absence of structured cultural competence training contributes to reduced quality of care and health disparities. The purpose of this quality improvement project is to improve cultural awareness and knowledge among mental health providers at an outpatient clinic by implementing structured staff training. A needs assessment identified gaps in cultural competence knowledge, inconsistent practices, and limited provider confidence in addressing diverse patient needs. In the methodology, the model used to answer the PICOT question is Purnell’s Model, guided by a structured process …

Non-Pharmacological Interventions For Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorders And Anxiety, Alichia Lashawn Pecks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project used a quality improvement approach to address the co-prescription of stimulants and benzodiazepines in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety in outpatient mental health settings. The project explored whether implementing a structured non-pharmacological staff education program for mental health staff could improve knowledge of safe, evidence-based treatment alternatives. The purpose of this staff education project was to improve provider knowledge of evidence-based, non-pharmacological treatment alternatives. To address this issue, a structured non-pharmacological staff education program was implemented to improve provider knowledge of safer, evidence-based treatment alternatives. Four participants completed pre- …

Assessing And Improving Provider Knowledge And Comfort With Palliative Care Consultations: A Quality Improvement Project, Summer R. Hess

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Palliative care remains significantly underutilized in the management of heart failure, despite national guidelines supporting its early integration. This underuse limits opportunities for person-centered care in cardiology settings. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to improve provider knowledge and comfort in implementing palliative care consultations. The problem addressed was the low consultation rates for advanced heart failure patients, largely driven by provider misconceptions and a lack of formal training. A quasi-experimental design was initiated by using a brief, evidence-based educational article. Sixteen advanced practice providers at a high-volume cardiology clinic completed pre- and post-intervention surveys using the End-of-Life …

Quality Improvement Project Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of The Institute For Healthcare Improvement’S Joy In Work Framework On Burnout Experienced By Dialysis Staff, Bernice Jones

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Burnout continues to pose a pervasive and escalating challenge in healthcare, with its severity further amplified in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dialysis professionals are especially vulnerable, facing elevated patient volumes, extended work hours, and frequent encounters with complex clinical needs. These ongoing stressors highlight the critical importance of this quality improvement (QI) project, as there exists an urgent need for evidence-based strategies to alleviate burnout among dialysis professionals. This QI project aimed to enhance joy in the dialysis work setting and reduce burnout experienced by dialysis staff through the implementation of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) Joy …

Development Of Policy Related To Test Anxiety In High-Stakes Environment, Jancy J. Sabu

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Many nursing students experience test anxiety (TA) due to the highly stressful learning environment and the high-stakes nature of nursing exams. A community college in Texas has experienced an increase in student attrition from 2018 to 2022, primarily due to course failures, which are linked to TA. Expressive writing (EW) is a proven intervention that allows students to write about their anxieties and fears related to exams, helping them to regulate their emotions and manage TA. This project aimed to develop a policy that implements EW as an intervention and incorporates it into the nursing syllabus. Using the Centers for …

Abstract Prevention Of Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries In Older Adults In Acute Care Settings, Evelyn Yegella

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

Hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) are a significant risk for older people in acute care, leading to increased morbidity,

Healthcare costs and fragility in senior patients result in higher HAPI rates. This quality improvement (QI) project aimed to reduce HAPI incidence by 40% within four months, utilizing evidence-based nursing interventions tailored to this vulnerable population.

METHODOLOGY:

The project followed the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) methodology, implementing staff training, periodical skin assessments, and repositioning schedules. Data were collected monthly using skin evaluation checklists and HAPI incidence reports from 30 patient days, and chi-square tests and control charts were used to examine the results. …

Staff Education To Enhance Nonmedical Staff Competency In Withdrawal Management, Katherine Hedrick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project addressed a significant gap in staff training at a behavioral health residential treatment facility. Nonmedical staff, including substance abuse counselors, lacked formal education in recognizing, assessing, and escalating symptoms of substance withdrawal. This lack of competency posed a risk to patient safety, regulatory compliance, and quality of care. The goal of the project was to evaluate the impact of a structured, simulation-based training program on nonmedical staff’s knowledge and confidence in using validated withdrawal assessment tools and monitoring vital signs. Six nonmedical staff participated in the training, which incorporated lecture, hands-on simulation, and …

Improving Icu Decolonization Compliance Among Nursing Staff, Sarah J. Moore

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Hospital acquired infections (HAIs) burden patients and health care organizations by influencing extended hospital stays, increasing mortality risk, and increasing healthcare spending.

PICOT: The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Project was guided by the PICOT question: In ICU nursing staff (P), how does the implementation of a standardized process with visual reminders and checklists (I) compared to no reminders or checklists (C) impact compliance with the decolonization protocol for HAI reduction (O) over four weeks?

Evidence: A review of evidence-based literature demonstrated efficacy in the reduction of HAIs through once daily bathing with 2% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) …

The Development Of A Remediation Policy For High-Stakes Standardized Tests, Abigail R. Brundige

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Standardized testing serves as a measure of academic progress and readiness for licensure in nursing programs. Gaps in standardized testing performance emphasize the need for educational support. The problem identified for this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) policy project is the lack of a formal standardized testing remediation policy within a community college nursing program in rural West Tennessee. The DNP project proposes the development and implementation of a standardized testing remediation policy to identify at-risk students early, provide individualized remediation plans, and improve program retention and licensure pass rates. The DNP project employed a quantitative design to assess the …