First Advisor

Dr. Carol Wallman

College

Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

Number of Pages

74 pages

Abstract

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome is a common health issue in individuals with mental health diagnoses and taking antipsychotic drugs. In this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) pilot project, a nurse practitioner (NP) at mental health specialty primary care clinic in British Columbia, Canada, implemented an eight-week evidence-based program to motivate clients to initiate healthy behaviors. The project set the PICO question as "Do individuals with mental health illness being treated with antipsychotic drugs (and receiving treatment via telehealth visits) (P) who perform regular self-abdominal circumferences measurement and receive patient education about risks for metabolic syndrome (I) initiate more lifestyle-changing behaviors (O) than prior to these interventions? (C)".

The project recruited five mentally and physically stable participants receiving antipsychotic drugs associated with metabolic syndrome from the clinic. All the participants received education on the risks of metabolic syndrome and healthy behaviors from the NP via telephone. The participants were also encouraged to measure their abdominal girth and followed up every two weeks, up to eight weeks. Additionally, health-related quality of questionnaires (HRQOL) were administered at weeks one and eight to see if their health perception improved. Although HRQOL scores and abdominal circumference measurements did not change with statistical significance, the mean of abdominal circumference measurements declined at week eight. Furthermore, the participants who completed the program, initiated and maintained healthy behaviors in week eight. Although the results were limited to this clinic, this project suggests a potential for the future application of such a cardiometabolic program in the clinics in a similar setting in the region.

Keywords: DNP Project, Cardiometanolic, Metabolic Syndrome, Mental Health, Primary Care

Date of Award

Spring 2023

Location (Creation)

Colorado (state); Denver (county); Denver (inhabited place)

Rights Statement

All content in this Collection is owned by and subject to the exclusive control of Regis University and the authors of the materials. It is available only for research purposes and may not be used in violation of copyright laws or for unlawful purposes. The materials may not be downloaded in whole or in part without permission of the copyright holder or as otherwise authorized in the “fair use” standards of the U.S. copyright laws and regulations.

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