Date of Award

Spring 5-30-2016

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Nursing

Advisor

Dr. Patricia Keane, PhD, RN

First Committee Member

Dr. Jacqueline Haverkamp, DNP, RN, CNP, NHA

Second Committee Member

Dr. Gabrielle Rude, PhD

Keywords

Colorectal Cancer, Cancer Screening, Rural Health Care, Practice Change

Subject Categories

Medicine and Health Sciences

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States (Siegel, DeSantis, & Jemal, 2014). The United States Preventative Services Task Force (2008) “recommends screening for CRC using fecal occult blood testing, sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy in adults, beginning at age 50 years and continuing until age 75 years” to decrease CRC rates (p. 627). In May 2015, CRC screening rates were 70.65% at the Monroe Clinic-Durand Primary Care branch (D. Dubs, personal communication, May 18, 2015). Increasing CRC screening rates in the Monroe Clinic-Primary Care branch office could decrease CRC rates and deaths in the area.

Current literature supports the use of provider-directed interventions, education, and staff involvement to increase CRC screening rates (Atassi, 2012). This DNP project implemented two 45 minute education sessions with staff and providers at the Monroe Clinic-Durand Primary Care branch office, incorporating the Health Belief Model, the Change Model, and Motivational Interviewing. The sessions reviewed CRC and CRC screening and encouraged staff involvement in creating change.

Data was collected for patients seen in the Monroe Clinic-Primary Care branch office during a three month time period, comparing CRC screening rates prior to and following the intervention. The goal was a 2% increase in CRC screening rates. Through implementing a practice change in a rural health care office, a 15.9% increase in CRC screening rates was noted over a three month time period. Interventions utilized in the project are transferable to other quality initiatives in a clinic setting.

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