Date of Conferral

2-5-2026

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Cara Krulewitch

Abstract

Psychotropic medication nonadherence is a pervasive issue in psychiatric care and one of the leading contributors to relapse, symptom destabilization, and preventable behavioral‐health crises. At the outpatient psychiatric clinic project site, inconsistent medication-adherence education and the absence of a standardized, evidence‐based approach resulted in variable patient understanding and engagement. The purpose of this doctoral project was to implement and evaluate a structured staff education program to determine its effect on staff knowledge, confidence, and consistency in delivering standardized psychotropic medication-adherence education. I developed the intervention to engage clinical staff through a structured educational session grounded in Knowles’s adult learning theory and incorporate interactive teaching, case scenarios, and simplified educational materials. Pre- and postsurvey assessments of the participants demonstrated a 20% increase in knowledge, a 2.5-point rise in confidence, and a 25% improvement in consistency of patient education practices. These results reflect strengthened provider readiness to deliver effective education on medication adherence, supporting improved patient outcomes. The implementation process highlighted enhanced strategies to support adherence, improved staff engagement, and increased recognition of the role of standardized communication in psychiatric care. My recommendations include sustaining the program through recurring training, addressing workflow barriers, implementing change-management strategies, and leveraging organizational resources to support program longevity.

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