Educational Program for Mental Health Nurses to Improve Documentation and Team Communication
Date of Conferral
10-16-2023
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
Melissa Rouse
Abstract
The purpose of this project was to explore and design an intervention program to address the documentation challenges in mental health care settings. Evidence suggests that mental health nurses often fail to document psychosocial dimensions or patients’ subjective health experiences, resulting in poor information sharing and errors in treatment. The study involved proposing an evidence-based educational training program for mental health nurses on a 40-bed mental health unit in a Georgia-based facility to improve their knowledge of unique documentation and communication skills and aimed to strengthen documentation practices in mental health facilities, enhance communication and collaboration among healthcare providers, and improve patient care outcomes. The overriding practice-focused question was focused on whether the implementation of an evidence-based educational program for mental health nurses in a mental health facility would improve staff knowledge of documentation and communication for improved accuracy and completeness of medical information. The program conducted over three weeks included online training sessions, group and individual assessments, and personal feedback (n=25). An interdisciplinary panel of experts reviewed educational materials, and pre/posttraining data were collected. The project involved using the Nursing and Midwifery Content Audit Tool and criteria for minimum standards of nursing documentation to monitor documentation accuracy and completeness. Findings suggested the educational program was effective in terms of improving the completeness and accuracy of nursing documentation. Improved nursing documentation through in-service training and education programs can enhance patient outcomes in mental health units.
Recommended Citation
Coker, Funke Sowemimo, "Educational Program for Mental Health Nurses to Improve Documentation and Team Communication" (2023). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 14961.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/14961
