Date of Conferral

6-5-2025

Date of Award

June 2025

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Catherine Fant

Abstract

Psychiatric readmission rates remain a major concern in outpatient mental health clinics, often resulting from inconsistent discharge practices and limited patient education. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project aimed to develop and evaluate a clinical practice guideline (CPG) to standardize discharge planning and reduce psychiatric readmission rates. Guided by the question: Does evidence support the quality of an evidence-based standardized discharge planning protocol to reduce readmissions?, this project integrated findings from a structured literature review and expert panel evaluation. The CPG was developed using evidence-based strategies and evaluated using the AGREE II instrument, a validated tool for assessing the quality of clinical guidelines. A five-member expert panel assessed the CPG across six domains: scope and purpose, stakeholder involvement, rigor of development, clarity, applicability, and editorial independence. Results showed high-quality scores in all domains, with particular strengths in clarity of presentation (6.7) and scope (6.5). The CPG outlines 16 standardized discharge steps, including risk assessments, patient education, safety planning, and follow-up protocols. Implementation of the CPG is expected to enhance continuity of care, reduce disparities, and promote equitable mental health services post-discharge. Stakeholder feedback affirmed the guideline’s practicality and alignment with patient-centered care, although concerns about initial workflow burden highlight the need for phased training and support. This project contributes to nursing practice by offering a scalable model for reducing psychiatric readmissions through structured discharge planning in outpatient settings.

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