Multimodal Education to Improve Metabolic Monitoring Knowledge Among Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) staff education project was a multimodal educational intervention to improve outpatient psychiatric nurse practitioner (PNP) knowledge of metabolic monitoring guidelines for patients prescribed second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs). The project addressed low adherence to national monitoring standards that contribute to increased cardiometabolic risks associated with SGAs. The project question was: Does staff education regarding metabolic monitoring guidelines improve nursing knowledge as compared pre- to posteducation? The purpose was to enhance PNP knowledge of metabolic monitoring guidelines. Guided by the Johns Hopkins evidence-based practice (JHEBP) model, I conducted a focused literature search and identified 28 peer-reviewed articles to inform evidence collection and analysis, of which 14 high-quality sources informed project development. A single-group, pre- /posttest design was used to evaluate the short-term knowledge change of five licensed PNPs. Descriptive analysis showed improvement from a mean pretest score of 66% to a mean posttest score of 96%, reflecting a 30% point knowledge gain. Major products included the educational program and pre-/posteducation knowledge assessments. Limitations included a small sample size, single-site implementation, and a short evaluation period. Recommendations included ongoing education to support evidence-based practice, early detection of metabolic risk, and equity in preventive psychiatric care. The project’s implications for nursing practice are strengthening evidence-based metabolic monitoring and improving early risk detection. The project also supports positive social change by addressing disparities in preventive monitoring for individuals with serious mental illness.