Date of Conferral

4-25-2025

Date of Award

April 2025

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Sue Subocz

Abstract

The rising rates of patients diagnosed with mental health and substance use disorders (MHSUD) signify a critical national crisis, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, as reported by the United States Department of Health and Human Services. This increase has reduced access to essential resources and treatment options, resulting in overcrowded emergency rooms (ER) and extended wait times. Addressing these issues is vital for nursing practice, as they significantly influence patient care and health outcomes, especially for vulnerable populations. This doctoral project explores whether an organizational change designed to raise awareness of updated community resources impacts MHSUD patient visits to the ER. The initiative seeks to guide patients toward external resources instead of defaulting to ER visits. To evaluate the effectiveness of this organizational change, the study analyzed deidentified data from patients who visited the ER more than twice within a 10-week period before and after the implementation of the change. A comparative analysis of pre- and post-organizational change data (N = 32) indicated a mean decrease of 45.09% in ER visits. The findings highlight the importance of ongoing evaluation of organizational processes to improve care for MHSUD patients. Enhancing nursing practice through increased staff awareness of available community resources can lead to improved access to care, better patient outcomes, and more effective healthcare utilization. By promoting the use of community resources and reducing reliance on emergency services, this approach fosters positive social change and addresses the pressing needs of the MHSUD community.

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