Date of Conferral
2-9-2026
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
Terese Verklan
Abstract
Timely and accurate documentation is essential to patient safety, care coordination, and risk reduction in home health care. In this Doctor of Nursing Practice project, I implemented an evidence-based educational intervention to improve documentation practices among clinicians at a pediatric home health agency in the southwest United States. Guided by the analyze, design, develop, implement, and evaluate (ADDIE) instructional design model, I conducted the project to evaluate whether focused education would improve documentation accuracy, consistency, and timeliness. A targeted literature review on electronic health record (EHR) best practices, structured documentation, and patient safety informed the development of five training modules addressing knowledge, workflow integration, and accountability. The intervention included a blended approach combining in-person sessions, e-learning modules, case-based learning, and reflective activities. Baseline assessments revealed documentation delays and inaccuracies. I evaluated project outcomes using knowledge assessments, chart audits, error tracking, staff surveys, and reflective journals. Results showed a 50% reduction in medication discrepancies, greater than 95% documentation accuracy, and 89.3% of records updated within 24 hours. The project demonstrates that structured, multimodal education improves documentation quality in home health care. Sustainability strategies include integration into annual competencies, refresher training, routine audits, and ongoing leadership support, offering a scalable model for enhancing patient safety. Accurate, timely documentation promotes equitable care for vulnerable populations by reducing errors, supporting continuity, and minimizing disparities from fragmented records.
Recommended Citation
Aigbekaen, Sandra, "The Importance of Timely Documentation of Updates on Patients’ Records in Improving Documentation Accuracy and Reducing Clinical Errors at the Home Health Agency" (2026). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 19084.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/19084
