Date of Conferral

11-13-2025

Date of Award

November 2025

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Mark Wells

Abstract

The project, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) staff education project, addresses a gap in nursing practice by focusing on the need for comprehensive knowledge and effective communication skills among nursing staff regarding antidepressant discharge instructions. The practice-focused question is as follows: How does a structured educational program on antidepressant pharmacology and communication strategies impact staff knowledge and satisfaction compared to standard discharge practices? The primary purpose of the project is to improve nursing staff knowledge and communication through a systematic, phased approach that aligns with project management principles through the lens of project management theory, thereby increasing and sustaining nurses’ understanding of specific antidepressants and enhancing patient safety and care quality. Analytical strategies consist of a pre-/post-intervention survey and qualitative data to determine the efficacy of the intervention. Each subject was given a pamphlet of Nursing Antidepressant Discharge Information as an additional resource. The pre-test score in the intervention group ranged from 60 to 70, with an average of 66.7. The post-test score ranged from 80 to 100, with an average of 88.3. The difference between pre- and post-test results is 32.4, indicating that the educational program increased staff knowledge, thereby improving discharge education and, in turn, enhancing patient safety. A multi-phased educational intervention was conducted to determine improved staff knowledge and communication. The project recommendation is to integrate systematic antidepressant education into ongoing staff training to improve nursing practice and patient safety.

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