Staff Education to Expand Clinicians’ Knowledge on the Use of Depression Screening Tools in a Longterm Care Facility

Depression exists as a common yet often undetected mental health issue which affects many elderly residents who live in long-term care facilities. The combination of multiple depression screening tools with inadequate staff training leads to delayed resident diagnosis and produces variable treatment methods which raises the possibility of negative results for residents. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project addressed a practice gap related to inconsistent implementation of the Patient Health Questionnaire–2 (PHQ-2) and Patient Health Questionnaire–9 (PHQ-9) through the development and implementation of an evidence-based staff education intervention in a long-term care setting. The research study worked to improve medical care through nurse training development and screening system and documentation system creation which would help them meet CMS standards for depression identification. The educational program for nursing staff included evidence-based teaching methods which combined didactic instruction with case-based learning and skills practice and workflow support tools. The practice change focused on creating standardized depression screening protocols which healthcare providers could implement through PHQ-2 and PHQ-9 assessments in their standard clinical work. The evaluation process employed three assessment approaches which consisted of pre- and post-intervention knowledge tests and reviews of depression screening documentation and staff feedback surveys to measure their confidence and perceived abilities.