Date of Conferral
8-5-2025
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
Deborah Lewis
Abstract
This doctoral project was focused on a staff education initiative to enhance the proper use of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), a validated depression screening tool, in an outpatient behavioral health (OBH) clinic. Despite its clinical utility, the PHQ-9 is often underused or inconsistently applied due to knowledge gaps among nursing staff. Inconsistent screening can delay diagnosis and treatment, negatively affecting patient outcomes. I conducted this project to address these gaps by implementing structured training to promote high-quality, patient-centered care. The practice-focused question was: Does a structured PHQ-9 training session improve staff knowledge in an outpatient behavioral health clinic, as measured by pre- and posttest scores? I conducted the staff education initiative in an OBH setting, with 11 staff members, including two office assistants, two medical assistants, one nurse (a LPN), one office manager, two nurse practitioners, and three therapists. A pre-/posttest design was employed to evaluate the impact of the education intervention. I analyzed the aggregate pre- and posttest scores using the normalized learning gain (NLG) formula. The NLG gain of 0.78 or 78% suggests a high level of learning effectiveness as a result of the education intervention. The project’s implications for nursing practice include earlier identification and monitoring of depressive symptoms and improved consistency in mental health screening. This project also supports broader social change by promoting equitable mental healthcare and demonstrating the value of nurse-led education in driving quality improvement and staff empowerment.
Recommended Citation
Weber, Josie, "Staff Education to Improve Knowledge of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Assessment" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 18186.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/18186
