Date of Conferral
5-23-2025
Date of Award
May 2025
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
Cara Krulewitch
Abstract
The goal of the project was to improve nursing competency in assessing suicide risk using a structured staff education intervention. The specific problem identified was the inconsistent use of validated suicide screening tools, limiting clinical efficiency and the ability to detect and intervene for at-risk patients. The project question was as follows: For nursing staff working in a mental health clinic, will staff knowledge increase following a staff education program on the use of suicide screening tools? This practice-focused question concerns itself with the ability to enhance nurse proficiency, confidence, and consistency in utilizing screening instruments, thus positively impacting the quality of nursing practice. Using the ADDIE process, an expert panel provided input into the appropriateness of the education and assessment. A pre-post-test evaluated the effectiveness of the educational intervention. Evaluation of staff responses showed a marked increase in knowledge accuracy from 64% to 100% in the pretest and posttest, respectively. Further, confidence scores rose from 2.4 to 4.9 on a five-point scale. Overall, the project helped to develop a structured and evidence-based protocol to inform suicide screening in an outpatient setting. This project demonstrated the importance of implementing an ongoing suicide screening staff training program. These recommendations have important nursing implications, including enhanced nursing process outcomes. The project also has social change implications because it drives equity in mental health care.
Recommended Citation
Missiet Fogoum, Nadine carole, "Staff Education on the Use of Suicide Screening Tools" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 17825.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/17825
