Date of Conferral

8-4-2026

Date of Award

August 2026

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Susan Huehn

Abstract

This doctoral project was a staff education initiative. It was motivated by the realization that depression is often under-recognized when standardized screening practices are not consistently implemented. The identified practice gap was inconsistent administration, interpretation, and documentation of the PHQ-9 by the nursing staff. The practice-focused question examined whether a staff education intervention would improve nurses’ knowledge and confidence in using the PHQ-9 for depression screening. The purpose of the project was to implement and evaluate an evidence-based educational program on PHQ-9 administration, scoring, interpretation, and documentation. Data analysis included descriptive statistics on pretest and posttest scores from 14 participating nurses. Mean scores, percentage changes, and normalized learning gains were calculated to evaluate educational effectiveness. The findings indicated substantial improvements across all measured outcomes. Mean knowledge scores increased from 53% to 88%, with an average normalized learning gain of 74%. Confidence and attitude scores also improved, while perceived barriers related to lack of training and documentation uncertainty decreased following the intervention. The major project products included the PHQ-9 educational program, training materials, and evaluation tools. Plausible recommendations include integrating PHQ-9 education into staff orientation and continuing education initiatives. The project has implications for nursing practice by strengthening evidence-based depression screening and supporting early identification of depressive symptoms. Broader implications include promoting positive social change, reducing disparities in depression identification, and supporting equitable, inclusive mental health care for diverse patient populations.

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