Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Amy Wilson

Abstract

AbstractObesity is a global problem that affects individuals of all ages. It results in a myriad of adverse health effects for children and adults. It is a preventable condition that can lead to a host of physical and psychological health conditions. Despite numerous attempts to decrease the incidence and prevalence of obesity, it continues to be a persistent problem. Efforts to decrease its incidence and prevalence are thus warranted within the nursing profession. Obesity management is inconsistent in clinical practice. This project aimed to deliver an education program to the staff of a pediatric clinic who serves many obese clients. It also involved the introduction of a checklist that can be used in the clinical setting to remind staff to deliver standardized care to obese clients. The theory of weight management was the principal guide for this project. The practice-focused questions were to determine if the educational program would increase the staff’s knowledge on the problem of obesity and spark willingness to trial the checklist in practice. Staff knowledge was assessed using a pretest-posttest that was delivered prior to and within two weeks after program implementation, and the program’s effectiveness was assessed using an evaluation tool developed by the author. Eleven staff members of the clinic participated in the program. The t-test results indicated a statistically significant increase in staff knowledge postimplementation, t(10) = -3.03, p = .013; and based on feedback, the staff demonstrated a willingness to trial the checklist in practice. These results suggest that staffs’ awareness of a clinical problem can facilitate the desire to embrace a change that holds the potential to improve the health of obese clients, a positive social change.

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