Date of Award
Spring 2023
Document Type
Project – Full Written
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Committee Chair
Yvonne Smith
Abstract
Providing effective discharge education to patients who are treated in the emergency department setting remains a very important component of a patient’s visit to an emergency department. Literature confirms although there are various governmental regulatory agencies that set forth regulations and guidelines, there remains a need to continually evaluate and critique the discharge education process to best meet the evolving needs of the patients, stakeholders, and community. Universally understood standards include appropriate reading levels and usability of the discharge education being provided. Discharge education can be very simple to complex creating higher demands on nursing staff to ensure they understand the information and they are presenting it to their patients. Having educational materials to provide to patients is a part of the patient discharge education process, along with assuring nursing staff are adequately aware and informed of the educational education or resources being provided is critical. The purpose of this DNP project was to implement a community mental health resource tool in a rural emergency department setting. Prior to this implementation, the nursing staff was provided information and training on the mental health resource tool which contained information pertinent to accessing local mental health resources. Dr. Nola J. Pender’s Theory of Health Promotion Model was the theoretical underpinning for this project. Survey data collection revealed that this quality improvement approach was successful, with significant positive results regarding increased awareness, confidence, ease of use, and high levels of use of the tool during the project time frame.
Recommended Citation
Rash, Robert, "Integrating a Community Mental Health Resource Tool in a Rural Emergency Department Setting" (2023). Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects. 80.
https://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/nursing-dnp/80
Creative Commons License
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