Date of Conferral

8-7-2025

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Cynthia Fletcher

Abstract

This quality improvement staff education program addressed the delayed treatment of patients with dementia at the outpatient project facility. Patients with depression were treated according to protocol; however, the practitioners were not recognizing that some of these patients with depression had dementia and required a different plan of treatment. This knowledge gap had the potential to result in delayed diagnosis, inadequate patient support, and less favorable patient outcomes. This evidence-based education program was developed to increase healthcare practitioners’ competency in recognizing dementia and providing early referral and treatment. I determined the effectiveness of the educational intervention by analyzing the data from the pre- and posttest using Microsoft Excel statistical analysis for descriptive statistics and paired t tests. The findings demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in participants’ knowledge. The mean pretest score was 7.00, the mean posttest score was 9.82, p < .001. The findings indicated improved primary care providers’ knowledge and confidence in providing patient-centered, culturally competent care, effectively addressing a critical gap in dementia care management, supporting equitable care in the facility, and helping to reduce disparities in treatment among diverse populations. Therefore, I recommend integrating dementia education into routine professional development programs and expanding education opportunities to a larger audience. The project has important implications for nursing practice because it supports early detection and management of dementia through targeted education. The project also promotes positive social change by addressing care disparities and advancing equitable, inclusive care for diverse adult populations in primary care settings.

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