Quality Improvement Project: Reducing Test Anxiety: Faculty Training For Supporting Students,
2026
Arkansas State University - Jonesboro
Quality Improvement Project: Reducing Test Anxiety: Faculty Training For Supporting Students, Chichi Markham
Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects
Test anxiety significantly affects nursing students’ academic performance and well-being. Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) offer a non-pharmacological method for alleviating anxiety; however, research on faculty-centered approaches in nursing education is limited. The purpose of this quality improvement project is to evaluate the impact of EFT training on nursing faculty’s knowledge, attitudes, and confidence regarding test anxiety, as well as on student exam performance. Guided by Lewin’s Change Theory, Stetler’s Model, and the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle, the initiative aimed to enhance faculty capacity to identify and address test anxiety within a prelicensure nursing program. A pre-post quality improvement design involved faculty …
Quality Improvement Project: Reducing Medication Errors To Improve Patient Safety,
2026
Arkansas State University - Jonesboro
Quality Improvement Project: Reducing Medication Errors To Improve Patient Safety, Paulina Irish
Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects
Medication administration errors remain a persistent threat to patient safety in emergency department settings, where high acuity, rapid throughput, and workflow interruptions increase vulnerability to preventable adverse events. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice quality improvement project was to increase medication-safety knowledge scores by at least 10% and reduce medication administration error rates by 20% within eight weeks among registered nurses in a freestanding emergency department in South Texas. The project was grounded in Lewin’s Change Theory as the theoretical framework and implemented using the Plan–Do–Study–Act quality improvement model. A quasi-experimental, single-group pretest–posttest design was used with a …
Staff Education On Evidence-Based Interventions To Improve Patient Engagement In An Outpatient Mental Health Clinic,
2026
Walden University
Staff Education On Evidence-Based Interventions To Improve Patient Engagement In An Outpatient Mental Health Clinic, Gloria Egeh
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
In this project, I implemented a staff education initiative at an outpatient psychiatric facility in Michigan to address gaps in clinicians’ and office managers’ knowledge of evidence-based patient engagement strategies. Limited understanding had hindered patient participation in treatment planning, symptom self-management, and shared decision-making, key components of recovery-oriented care. The education initiative was aimed at enhancing staff competencies to strengthen therapeutic alliances, improve treatment adherence, and support positive mental health outcomes. Guided by a practice-focused question, in the project I examined whether an evidence-based staff education program would improve patient engagement among adults receiving outpatient mental health services. A pre-/postintervention …
Executive Leadership System Improvement Program Proposal For Capturing At-Risk Patients In A Primary Care Setting,
2026
Walden University
Executive Leadership System Improvement Program Proposal For Capturing At-Risk Patients In A Primary Care Setting, Winter Wilson
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Unmet social determinants of health (SDOH) contribute significantly to poor health outcomes, increased healthcare utilization, and persistent inequities in access to care. In a primary care organization, the inconsistent identification and management of patients’ social needs resulted in variable documentation, limited referrals to social work services, and avoidable emergency department (ED) utilization. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to develop an executive leadership systems implementation proposal to standardize the identification and referral of at-risk patients through the integration of a validated social needs screening tool into the electronic health record (EHR). The guiding practice-focused question …
Staff Education To Improve Provider Knowledge In Addressing Sdoh-Related Barriers Affecting Medication Adherence,
2026
Walden University
Staff Education To Improve Provider Knowledge In Addressing Sdoh-Related Barriers Affecting Medication Adherence, Andrea Latimore
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
This Doctoral of Nursing Practice (DNP) project focused on improving provider knowledge in addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) that contribute to medication nonadherence. There is a gap in provider knowledge in addressing SDOH-related barriers that contributes to poor health outcomes. Increasing provider awareness of SDOH improves patient outcomes. The practice-focused question guiding this doctoral project asked whether an educational module on SDOH improved provider knowledge in addressing SDOH-related barriers to medication adherence among adult patients with chronic illnesses. The program consisted of a pretest, an educational module delivered via a PowerPoint presentation, and a posttest. A total of 20 …
Staff Education Project Staff Education On Medication Adherence,
2026
Walden University
Staff Education Project Staff Education On Medication Adherence, Blessing Nwoke
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Medication adherence is a critical component of effective psychiatric treatment, yet staff understanding and consistent reinforcement of adherence strategies are often limited in outpatient behavioral health settings. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project implemented a staff education initiative to improve knowledge and awareness of medication adherence using the ESPACOMP Medication Adherence Reporting Guideline (EMERGE) as the foundational framework. The program was conducted in an outpatient psychiatric facility and aimed to align staff knowledge with evidence-based standards for monitoring and supporting adherence. Educational sessions were delivered to clinical staff, incorporating key components of EMERGE to clarify terminology, enhance consistency in …
Post-Operative Hernia Site Infections,
2026
Walden University
Post-Operative Hernia Site Infections, Agatha Francesca Inga Gittens-Stay
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
This doctoral project was a clinical practice guideline (CPG) focused on the development of a perioperative guideline for patients undergoing various types of hernia repairs. Hernia repair is a common surgical procedure to address various types of hernias.. To assure continued compliance with nationally set benchmarks and minimize the rate of postoperative hernia infections, a systematic review of evidence-based practices (EBP) to foster infection prevention was initiated at a hospital in England. The practice-focused question used was: For patients who underwent hernia repair surgery, what evidence informs CPG recommendations on the type of material, surgical interventions, and nursing interventions to …
Staff Education To Prevent Falls Among Older Adults In Primary Care,
2026
Walden University
Staff Education To Prevent Falls Among Older Adults In Primary Care, Chioma Nwosu
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Falls are a significant health concern for the elderly population and a major cause of injury and functional decline among older adults, yet fall prevention practices are inconsistently applied in primary care. The purpose of this project is to evaluate the impact of staff education on fall risk screening and prevention for adults aged 65 years and older using the CDC’s Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries (STEADI) framework. This project employs a pre–post quality improvement design in a primary care clinic. Clinical staff received education on STEADI-based fall risk assessment, documentation, and evidence-based interventions. Data were collected through chart …
Integrating Early Palliative Care For Patients With Heart Failure,
2026
Walden University
Integrating Early Palliative Care For Patients With Heart Failure, Leigh Barnhill Hinson
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of hospital readmissions. At the project site, early palliative care was inconsistently integrated despite strong evidence of benefit, suggesting that limited staff knowledge, lack of standardized referral processes, and uncertainty regarding referral timing contributed to this practice gap. The guiding practice-focused question was, “Does educating staff on early palliative care integration for HF patients improve knowledge as measured by pre- and post-education surveys? The Johns Hopkins evidence-based practice (JHEBP) model and the ADDIE instructional design model guided project development and implementation. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL Complete, ProQuest, and …
Enhancing Patient Safety Through An Educational Intervention On Purposeful Rounding To Reduce Inpatient Falls In A Neuro - Medical Unit,
2026
Walden University
Enhancing Patient Safety Through An Educational Intervention On Purposeful Rounding To Reduce Inpatient Falls In A Neuro - Medical Unit, Idiat Oyefunke Falade
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
This doctoral staff education project focused on improving purposeful rounding practices among staff and patient outcomes on a neuro-medical unit. The practice problem stemmed from inconsistent rounding behaviors, gaps in staff knowledge of evidence-based fall-prevention strategies, and a persistent pattern of inpatient falls. Patients with neurological conditions face impaired mobility, cognitive changes, and clinical instability, making structured rounds essential to reduce risk. The practice-focused question asked whether an educational intervention targeting the principles and procedures of purposeful rounding could measurably improve staff knowledge, increase their skill, strengthen their commitment with the pain, potty, position, and possession components of rounding and …
Staff Education On Telehealth Monitoring Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder,
2026
Walden University
Staff Education On Telehealth Monitoring Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Dinnah Makori
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) require consistent monitoring of communication skills, behavior patterns, sensory responses, and adaptive functioning to support timely intervention and improved developmental outcomes. Although telehealth has expanded access to care, many nurses have not received structured training in conducting virtual assessments for children with ASD. Variability in telehealth competency can affect documentation quality, workflow consistency, and provider confidence. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to develop and evaluate a structured staff-education program designed to strengthen pediatric nurses’ competencies in telehealth monitoring of children with ASD. A quantitative pretest–posttest design was used …
A Nurse-Led Staff Education Program To Prevent And Detect Elder Abuse By Caregivers In The Home,
2026
Walden University
A Nurse-Led Staff Education Program To Prevent And Detect Elder Abuse By Caregivers In The Home, Nicola Violet Brown-Walters
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was a nurse-led, evidence-based staff education initiative designed to improve the prevention and detection of elder abuse in the home by caregivers within an outpatient primary care setting. Elder abuse places older adults at risk for physical harm, neglect, medication mismanagement, and violations of autonomy and patient rights. Elder abuse remains a pervasive and underrecognized problem in nursing practice, often resulting from limited staff education, inconsistent screening practices, and uncertainty regarding mandatory reporting requirements. The practice-focused question examined whether implementing a nurse-led targeted education program guided by the ADDIE instructional design model and …
Patient Education Brochure On Diabetic Foot Care In A Primary Care Setting,
2026
Walden University
Patient Education Brochure On Diabetic Foot Care In A Primary Care Setting, Trinitas (Nitas) Duru Oha
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
This Doctoral Nursing Practice (DNP) project was an evidence-based quality improvement (QI) initiative. The practice problem was the absence of expert-validated diabetic foot care education materials, insufficient and inconsistent patient education, and patients' limited knowledge of self-care for diabetic foot care, all of which led to the persistence of diabetic foot complications in primary care settings. Due to the organization’s identified lack of patient education materials, an evidence-based diabetic foot care brochure for diabetic self-foot care education was developed. The patient education materials assessment tool (PEMAT) was used to evaluate the brochure's efficacy. The practice question was designed to determine …
Turn Teams,
2026
Walden University
Turn Teams, Ashley Johnson
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
Hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) are recognized as a prominent cause of patient morbidity and mortality, affect lengths of stay, and are one of the most costly and chronic adverse events in healthcare. A structured Turn Teams program with enhancements was evaluated in a novel unit within a healthcare organization that had implemented the approach on another unit as the focus of this Doctor of Nursing Practice project. The guiding question was, Does implementing Turn Teams as a quality improvement measure improve pressure injury rates in patients with a Braden Score of 18 or lower and enhance staff compliance with the …
Staff Education For Assessment Of Suicidal-Ideation In Patients Admitted With Mental-Illness,
2026
Walden University
Staff Education For Assessment Of Suicidal-Ideation In Patients Admitted With Mental-Illness, Sukhwinder Kaur Sangha
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
This quality improvement project was focused on enhancing quality of nursing assessments for suicide risk among adults with psychiatric illnesses at a behavioral healthcare hospital. Inconsistencies involving assessing risks for suicide in patients who were treated in the facility led to inadequate treatment plans and missed opportunities for timely intervention, as well as potential risks for self-harm. Factors that were identified as relating to the gap in practice included inadequate knowledge or understanding of use of evidence-based suicide assessment rating scales, insufficient time that is dedicated to conducting thorough assessments, lack of standardized protocols for reinforcement, and limited resources for …
Staff Education To Improve Knowledge Of Nurse-Led Telemonitoring For Suicide Prevention,
2026
Walden University
Staff Education To Improve Knowledge Of Nurse-Led Telemonitoring For Suicide Prevention, Finny Ngozi Rogers
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
This Doctor of Nursing Practice project was a staff education initiative addressing a critical practice gap: clinical staff at a mental health facility lacked the practical knowledge to implement evidence-based telemonitoring protocols for suicide prevention, despite strong supporting research. High rates of suicide attempts and readmissions underscored the urgency for this intervention. The practice-focused question was: “Will a staff education program designed to educate healthcare providers on nurse-led telemonitoring protocols increase staff knowledge?” The purpose of this project was to develop, implement, and evaluate an educational program for providers to increase their knowledge on how a telemonitoring protocol can reduce …
Improving Medication Adherence Of Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics In Schizophrenia Through Staff Education,
2026
Walden University
Improving Medication Adherence Of Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics In Schizophrenia Through Staff Education, Rosemary Eboka
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was developed as a staff education, evidence-based quality improvement project to enhance psychiatric nursing staff’s knowledge of long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics. The project addressed variability in medication adherence among individuals with schizophrenia, despite evidence that use of LAIs reduces relapses and hospitalization. Nurses play a critical role in medication administration, patient education, and adherence monitoring, underscoring the importance of addressing knowledge gaps. The project question was: Does staff education on LAIs for outpatient psychiatric nursing staff improve nursing knowledge compared to pre- to post-education? The purpose of the project was to assess the …
A Project Proposal For Discharge Strategies For Unhoused Patients,
2026
Walden University
A Project Proposal For Discharge Strategies For Unhoused Patients, Heidi Moore
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
This Doctor of Nursing Practice project is a practice-focused executive leadership proposal addressing inconsistent discharge planning for unhoused surgical patients in an acute care hospital. Unhoused patients experience disproportionately poor outcomes, including prolonged length of stay, elevated 30-day readmission rates, and fragmented transitions of care. The practice-focused question guiding this project asks whether development of a standardized, housing-informed discharge planning program could improve transitions of care and reduce length of stay and readmissions when compared with current nonstandardized practices. Analytical strategies included synthesis of peer-reviewed literature, review of internal quality and utilization data, assessment of community-level housing instability trends, and …
Telepsychiatry Follow-Up To Reduce Emergency Department Visits In Adults With Bipolar Disorder,
2026
Walden University
Telepsychiatry Follow-Up To Reduce Emergency Department Visits In Adults With Bipolar Disorder, Obianuju Tobechukwu Ibe
Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies
This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project involved the development of a clinical practice guideline (CPG) for implementing structured telepsychiatry follow-up visits to reduce relapse rates and emergency department (ED) use among adults with bipolar disorder. The project addressed the growing need for accessible, evidence-based psychiatric follow-up care, particularly for patients facing barriers to consistent in-person visits. The practice-focused question guiding this project was: In adults with bipolar disorder, how do structured telepsychiatry follow-up visits, compared with in-person visits, affect relapse rates and Ed utilization? A systematic review and critical appraisal of current evidence were conducted using the Johns Hopkins …
Quality Improvement Project: Enhancing Nurse Communication, Courtesy, And Respect At The Bedside,
2026
Arkansas State University - Jonesboro
Quality Improvement Project: Enhancing Nurse Communication, Courtesy, And Respect At The Bedside, Rachel Kemp
Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects
Effective communication is key to the nurse-to-patient relationship, patient outcomes, and patient satisfaction. The literature widely shows that barriers such as increased workplace violence and fear and biases within patient interactions hinder communication. This quality improvement project aimed to enhance nurse-to-patient communication, using an evidence-based tool, and leveraged Foli’s Theory of Nurses’ Psychological Trauma to explain and predict barriers. Success is measured by improvement of patient experience in the three nursing domains; courtesy and respect, listen to you, and explain in a way you understand. Lewin’s Change Theory and the plan, do, study, act (PDSA) framework was used to promote …
