Date of Conferral
2-9-2026
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
Susan Huehn
Abstract
Doctor of Nursing Practice Project Summary Lack of standardization in the implementation and documentation of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was noted in this outpatient mental health clinic, impeding reproducible depression screening and evidence-based monitoring. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to examine whether staff education, enhanced by clinical workflow aids, could foster uniform PHQ-9 documentation in applicable patient encounters. Strategies employed included a systematic staff education session, a quick reference guide, an electronic health record (EHR) guide, and provision of prompt guidance and support during adoption. A pre- and post-quality improvement assessment was conducted using anonymized audits of patient encounters. Post-implementation results demonstrated optimization in standardized PHQ-9 completion and proper documentation, increasing from a reference point of 56% to 86%. Follow-up planning for PHQ-9 recordkeeping increased from 60% to 88%, and the rate of employee education completion reached 95%. Competency assessment scores improved from 68% pre-education to 90% post-education. These findings indicate that staff education, merged with workflow and documentation support, can enhance the reproducibility of PHQ-9 screening and follow-up documentation. This project supports the use of systematic education and workflow alignment to reinforce standardized depression assessment, thereby promoting quality improvement in an outpatient mental health clinic.
Recommended Citation
GAWUM CHINGO, CONSTANCE, "Staff Education to Enhance PHQ-9 Depression Screening in a Mental Health Clinic" (2026). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 19132.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/19132
