Document Type

Capstone

Title

Implementation of an Anxiety Screening and Treatment Protocol in Primary Care

Authors

Danielle E. Garcia, Nova Southeastern University

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Copyright Statement

All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of Nova Southeastern University. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.

Department

College of Nursing

First Advisor

Stefanie LaManna

Second Advisor

Kelly Henson-Evertz

Publication Date / Copyright Date

2020

Publisher

Nova Southeastern University

NSUWorks Citation

Danielle E. Garcia. 2020. Implementation of an Anxiety Screening and Treatment Protocol in Primary Care. Capstone. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, College of Nursing. (74)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/hpd_con_stuetd/74.

Abstract

Background: Anxiety is a prevalent problem frequently presenting in the primary care setting in the United States. The lack of routine anxiety screening and evidence-based treatment protocols in the adult primary care setting causes physical, social, and economic consequences.

Purpose: The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) evidence-based practice (EBP) quality improvement project was to implement an EBP anxiety screening and treatment protocol for adults in a primary care clinic to increase early identification and improve management of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

Theoretical Framework: W. Edwards Deming’s Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle framework was utilized for this project. The PDSA outlines the necessary cycles of how to effectively identify, develop, implement, analyze, and sustain quality improvement practice changes in an organization.

Methods: Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s r were used for this retrospective/prospective chart review design.

Results: Findings are clinically significant and demonstrate 69.07% of post-implementation prospective charts utilized the generalized anxiety disorder 7-item (GAD-7) screening tool to screen for GAD, which quantified an anxiety level, and can be utilized to prescribe EBP treatment for adults with GAD in primary care.

Conclusion: Although findings of anxiety score correlating to EBP treatment were statistically insignificant, further studies are necessary to determine if obtaining an anxiety level results in the provider making changes to preexisting treatment plans that align with EBP treatment in adults with GAD.

Disciplines

Nursing

Keywords

Adults, Anxiety, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Primary Care Screening

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