Date of Conferral

11-7-2025

Date of Award

November 2025

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Jill Walsh

Abstract

In this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project, I developed a clinical practice guideline to address the absence of a standardized process for identifying adult outpatients at risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a community-based mental health clinic. Without such a process, delays in trauma-focused care and inconsistent referrals may occur. The evidence base supports the use of brief, validated screening tools, such as the Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5, for accurate risk identification in routine practice. The practice-focused question that I used to guide this project was: Will an evidence-based guideline for PTSD risk identification be approved by subject matter experts using the AGREE II evaluation tool? The purpose of the project was to develop, assess, and enhance a clinical practice guideline for implementation within the organization. The analytical strategy included a critical appraisal and synthesis of current evidence, structured guideline development across the six AGREE II domains, expert review using the 23-item AGREE II instrument, descriptive analysis of item and domain ratings, and an end-user review to assess overall quality and recommendation status. Key deliverables from the project included the finalized clinical guideline and the development of a stepwise screening and referral workflow by the organization. Implications for nursing practice include enhanced assessment competencies, improved communication strategies that foster patient disclosure, and the development of equitable care pathways that reduce disparities among both civilian and military-affiliated individuals across community-based settings. This initiative promotes positive social change by facilitating earlier access to effective treatments and incorporating equity-focused design elements.

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