Date of Conferral
1-27-2025
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
Kristina Bohm
Abstract
Education of health care providers is fundamental in deterring the upward trend in deaths related to opioid drug overdoses. The aim of this staff education project was to educate clinical staff on the importance of administration, and monitoring of methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) to improve treatment rates and patient outcomes in patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). The practice-focused question was, Does an educational program on the importance, administration, and monitoring of MMT increase clinical staff's self-rated confidence in administering MMT? Evidence supported the gap in practice, barriers to MMT, and the need for educational interventions to address gaps in confidence and improve low retention rates in MMT. Clinical staff at the project site who consented to voluntary participation completed a demographic survey and pretest confidence questionnaire and attended a 2-hr PowerPoint presentation followed by a posttest confidence questionnaire and program evaluation. Data analysis encompassed descriptive statistics to assess the change, if any, in pre- and post-intervention scores. Post implementation, participants (n = 15) indicated higher self-perceived competence on all eight items. All participants indicated a high level of agreement that the program was beneficial to improving staff confidence related to MMT provision. The staff education project may foster positive social change by providing insight on how to improve clinician competence to provide quality MMT services that promote patient treatment retention and engagement and desired clinical outcomes. Such efforts may facilitate patients’ recovery from OUD, which may help to curb the opioid crisis. Work-related support and continued training of primary care staff may ensure quality methadone treatment services.
Recommended Citation
Meli, Christelle, "Staff Education Project Staff Education to Increase Confidence in Administering Methadone Maintenance" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 17212.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/17212
