Date of Conferral

2-29-2024

Date of Award

February 2024

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Cheryl Holly

Abstract

The elderly population, comprising individuals ages 65 years and above, accounts for 12% of the total population in the United States. Many elderly individuals residing in noninstitutionalized communities continue to experience the effects of polypharmacy despite efforts to employ evidence-based practices for medication reconciliation. Preventing polypharmacy among people ages 65 and older is crucial to avoid unintended drug abuse and subsequent adverse drug effects in this vulnerable patient group. One significant strategy to prevent drug-related problems and negative effects of medications is using the Beers criteria. The gap in practice in a post-acute care and rehabilitation facility addressed in this project was the low awareness of the Beers criteria among nursing staff. Consequently, this project involved the planning, developing, and implementing an evidence-based educational intervention targeted at nurses. The primary goal was to increase nurses’ knowledge about the Beers criteria and its application in older adults. Twenty staff nurses attended a 2-hour session on polypharmacy and the Beers criteria. Knowledge assessment occurred through a pretest-posttest administered before and after the educational intervention. The pretest mean score of 5.7 improved to 8.9 on the posttest, demonstrating a 56.14% increase in knowledge gained. An increased understanding of the use of Beers criteria by nursing staff will improve healthcare outcomes and prevent unintended harm to elderly patients due to multiple medications. The findings of this project have potential implications for positive social change that include improved knowledge among nursing staff members and improved health outcomes among this patient population.

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