"GAD-7 Screening Tool Implementation" by CHARITY ALLWELL

Date of Conferral

2-19-2025

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

JILL WALSH

Abstract

The purpose of this doctor of nursing practice (DNP) project was to provide a staff education program to improve staff knowledge about the use of the GAD-7 screening tool. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) remains an underdiagnosed condition, often due to inadequate use of standardized tools in clinical settings, leading to delayed treatments and suboptimal outcomes for patients experiencing anxiety disorders. The identified gap in practice necessitated an educational intervention to equip healthcare providers with the skills to effectively use the GAD-7 screening tool. To address this gap, a 2-hour staff education program was delivered via in-person sessions and online modules. The practice-focused question guiding this project was: What is the effect of implementing a staff education program to improve staff knowledge to effectively implement changes that affect the use of the GAD-7 screening tool to identify, measure, and track treatment progress and outcomes for patients with GAD? A pretest/posttest design was used for this project. Findings were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a Wilcoxon signed-rank test, which showed a significant difference (p < .05) between the pretest and posttest evaluation of knowledge scores. These findings show that educating staff could improve their knowledge of the use of the GAD-7 screening tool to improve outcomes. Implementation of GAD-7 education is recommended and emphasizes the importance of standardized screening in improving mental health outcomes, mental health diagnoses, and care. By promoting evidence-based screening practices, the project fosters an inclusive environment and prioritizes all patients’ mental well-being regardless of background or circumstances.

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