Date of Conferral
11-7-2025
Date of Award
November 2025
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
Barbara Gross
Abstract
Summary This doctoral, practice-focused quality improvement project used a mixed-methods design to evaluate the usability, acceptability, and clinical integration of a nutrition screening tool in a mental health outpatient clinic. The project addresses a key practice gap, the lack of evaluation of the implementation of a systematic nutrition screening for individuals with severe mental illness (SMI), which contributes to worsening psychiatric symptoms and delayed recovery. Aligning with nursing’s holistic and patient-centered framework, the initiative aimed to strengthen interprofessional collaboration and preventive care. The guiding practice-focused questions addressed: How usable and acceptable is the clinical practice guideline (CPG) tool among clinic staff, and What is its frequency of use in practice. Quantitative data were gathered through staff Likert-scale surveys and an AGREE II evaluation, while qualitative feedback was sought on perceptions, barriers, and facilitators of implementation. Findings showed that the tool was used in 80% of eligible encounters, and all staff reported it was easy to use, fit well into the workflow, and was helpful for patient care. The AGREE II item scores (6.5–7.0) reflected CPG high clarity, applicability, and usability. Time constraints during peak clinic hours was reported as the main barrier to consistent use. Recommendations included integrating the tool into the electronic medical record (EMR), offering targeted staff education, and adapting it to better address the needs of autistic individuals. This CPG promotes sustainable nutrition screening in mental health settings and advances nursing’s role in holistic, equitable, and preventive care while supporting early risk identification, interdisciplinary collaboration, and positive social change through improved patient outcomes.
Recommended Citation
Ross, Jennifer Marie, "Executive Summary: Organization Change Process Initiative Usability and Integration of a Nutrition Screening Tool in Outpatient Mental Health Care" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 18639.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/18639
