Date of Conferral

8-5-2025

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Mary Martin

Abstract

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are a persistent public health concern among veterans. A recognized knowledge gap exists among Veterans Affairs (VA) primary care nurses regarding validated SUD screening tools—the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test–Consumption (AUDIT-C), Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10), and Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST)—limiting opportunities for early identification and coordination of care. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project evaluated if a structured staff education intervention improved primary care nurses’ knowledge, confidence, and preparedness to support interdisciplinary SUD screening practices. Guided by Patricia Benner’s novice to expert model and the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation (ADDIE) instructional design framework, the project incorporated peer-reviewed literature, national guidelines, and primary pre- and post-survey data. A 15-minute voice-over PowerPoint educational module was delivered to 10 primary care nurses, who completed a 5-point Likert-scale pre- and post-survey reviewed by content experts. Descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to analyze outcomes. Results showed statistically significant improvement in theoretical knowledge (z = -2.81, p = .005); no change was observed in confidence or perceived barriers. Participants rated training effective and reported high preparedness and intent to use the content. The implications for positive social change include the potential to equip nurses with foundational knowledge to support earlier identification, referral, and collaborative care for veterans at risk for SUDs, contributing to more equitable access to behavioral health services.

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