Staff Education to Improve Detection and Treatment of Adult ADHD in an Outpatient Psychiatric Clinic

Summary Adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) remains significantly underdiagnosed in outpatient psychiatric settings despite its substantial impact on functioning and long-term mental health outcomes. At the project site, inconsistent screening practices, limited clinician familiarity with DSM-5-TR adult diagnostic criteria, and variable application of the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) contributed to delayed or missed diagnoses, representing a clear practice gap. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project implemented a structured, nurse-led staff education program to improve clinician knowledge, diagnostic accuracy, and standardized workflow adoption for adult ADHD screening using the ASRS. Guided by national evidence-based guidelines, the intervention emphasized DSM-5-TR criteria, differential diagnosis, ASRS scoring, and documentation consistency. A pretest–posttest quality improvement design demonstrated significant improvement in clinician knowledge, with mean scores increasing from 70% to 90% and a normalized learning gain of 0.67, reflecting improved educational effectiveness. Although organizational outcomes such as screening consistency and documentation quality were not directly measured, the observed knowledge gains may contribute to improved screening processes and clinician confidence over time. Beyond organizational impact, this project promotes positive social change by supporting earlier and more accurate identification of Adult ADHD, advancing equitable access to evidence-based mental health care, particularly for women, racial and ethnic minorities, and individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, thereby strengthening consistent, unbiased assessment and treatment access.