A Nurse-Led Staff Education Program to Prevent and Detect Elder Abuse by Caregivers in the Home

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was a nurse-led, evidence-based staff education initiative designed to improve the prevention and detection of elder abuse in the home by caregivers within an outpatient primary care setting. Elder abuse places older adults at risk for physical harm, neglect, medication mismanagement, and violations of autonomy and patient rights. Elder abuse remains a pervasive and underrecognized problem in nursing practice, often resulting from limited staff education, inconsistent screening practices, and uncertainty regarding mandatory reporting requirements. The practice-focused question examined whether implementing a nurse-led targeted education program guided by the ADDIE instructional design model and incorporating the caregiver stress theory (CST) and the social exchange theory (SET) would improve staff’s perception of their knowledge, skills, and confidence to identify and respond to suspected elder abuse. Using the Johns Hopkins evidence-based practice model, evidence was systematically appraised and translated into practice. Project outcomes were evaluated through pre- and posteducation assessments. Postimplementation findings showed an improvement in perceived knowledge by 20.0%, skills by 30.41%, and confidence by 15.47%. Marked improvements were in awareness of risk factors and private screening; skills in assessment, documentation, and mandated reporting; and confidence in recognizing, reporting, and documenting elder abuse. Overall, results indicate enhanced preparedness to deliver ethical, trauma informed, and legally compliant care promoting equitable protection of vulnerable older adults, supporting regulatory compliance, and reinforcing the critical advocacy role of nurses in preventing elder abuse.