Staff Education on PHQ-9 to Improve Depression Screening and Patient Outcomes

Depression is a prevalent mental health condition that significantly affects patient quality of life and healthcare utilization. Clinical guidelines recommend routine depression screening in adults when appropriate systems for follow-up and treatment are in place. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is a validated instrument used to identify depressive symptoms and assess severity in outpatient settings. Despite national recommendations supporting routine depression screening using the PHQ-9, a significant practice gap remains in the consistent administration, accurate scoring, and proper documentation of the tool in outpatient. Research indicated that variability in screening practices is frequently associated with inadequate staff training and lack of standardized clinical workflows. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) evidencebased practice project was to implement a structured PHQ-9 staff training program to improve staff knowledge, confidence, screening accuracy, documentation consistency, and overall depression screening compliance among clinic nursing staff over a six-week period. Guided by the Johns Hopkins nursing evidence-based practice model, the project utilized pre- and post-intervention knowledge assessments, confidence surveys, and audits of PHQ-9 documentation to evaluate outcomes. Results demonstrated measurable improvement in staff knowledge, increased confidence in administering and interpreting the PHQ-9, higher screening completion rates, and improved documentation consistency. This project highlights the importance of structured staff education and DNP leadership in translating evidence into sustainable clinical practice to improve patient outcomes.