Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Cynthia Fletcher

Abstract

Osteoarthritic (OA) pain is a debilitating condition associated with significant medical, emotional, and economic burdens affecting approximately 27 million Americans and causes billions of dollars for medical expenditures. OA pain is a frequent cause of disability among elderly patients in the United States and requires effective pain management to decrease pain and improve their quality of life. The nurse practitioners (NPs) working in the seven affiliated pain management practices in the Southwest area of the United States, do not consistently follow current evidence-based pain management protocols when providing care for patients with OA pain. The purpose of this DNP project was to develop an evidenced-based pain management clinical practice guideline (CPG) to serve as a resource for nurse practitioners when providing care to elderly patients with OA pain. Knowles adult learning theory provided an understanding of factors that should be considered when developing educational material for nurses. Quality assessment of the CPG was scored by a panel of experts using the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation instrument and the results were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The scores for each six domains were 93% and above, with an overall score of 100%, indicating a high-quality guideline. The expert panel identified that CPG overall was well-written, very clear, and will be useful education program for the stakeholders. The CPG can be use by NPs as a resource to develop plans of care which may reduce pain, influence care outcomes, and improve quality of life for patients with OA. It is therefore recommended that administration disseminate and implement the guideline at the seven practice sites.

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