NR 505 Week 1 Area of Interest in NP

Grace J.
August 30, 2025August 30, 2025
CU MSN, NR-505

Student Name

Chamberlain University

NR-505: Advanced Research Methods: Evidence-Based Practice

Prof. Name

Date

Week 1: Area of Interest in Nurse Practitioner (NP) Practice

Selected Area of Interest

An important issue within nurse practitioner (NP) practice that captures my interest is the mental health of patients in primary care settings, particularly in the areas of depression and anxiety screening. Despite mental health concerns being highly prevalent, they often remain underdiagnosed or untreated. Research shows that more than 17.3 million adults in the United States experience depression annually, representing approximately 7.1% of the adult population (National Institute of Mental Health [NIMH], 2017). Unfortunately, stigma and misconceptions regarding mental health continue to prevent individuals from seeking help or accepting screenings (Aci et al., 2018).

I recommend implementing routine annual depression and anxiety screenings for all patients during primary care visits. By adopting this practice, nurse practitioners can proactively identify individuals at risk, initiate timely interventions, and enhance overall treatment outcomes. Routine screening will not only improve patient health but also promote holistic, evidence-based care that addresses both physical and mental well-being.

Relevance and Proposed Change

Mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety have profound effects on patients’ quality of life, occupational functioning, and even mortality risks. Evidence indicates that primary care settings are optimal environments for implementing early mental health screening and intervention strategies (Geyti et al., 2018). If nurse practitioners incorporate standardized tools, such as the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) for adults and the PHQ-A for adolescents, it will provide measurable and reliable data for timely diagnosis.

Integrating evidence-based practice into primary care allows for more comprehensive treatment, reduces suicide rates, and increases patient satisfaction. Furthermore, the application of such screening demonstrates a provider’s commitment to individualized, patient-centered care (Chamberlain University, 2021).

Table 1

Proposed Change: Routine Mental Health Screening in Primary Care

Aspect	Details
Issue of Interest	Depression and anxiety in community and primary care populations
Target Population	Adults (18+) and adolescents (12–17 years)
Screening Tools	PHQ-9 (adults), PHQ-A (adolescents)
Frequency of Screening	At least once annually during primary care visits
Expected Outcomes	Earlier diagnosis, improved treatment initiation, reduced suicide rates, enhanced patient/provider satisfaction
Evidence Base	Supported by studies on effectiveness of screening in primary care (Geyti et al., 2018; NIMH, 2017)

Response 1

How Would I Implement This Intervention?

If I were to implement routine depression and anxiety screening, I would use validated tools such as the PHQ-9 for adults and the PHQ-A for adolescents (ages 12–17). A score of 10 or higher would be considered a positive screen, prompting further evaluation and discussion of treatment options.

Each patient would undergo screening annually, and outcomes would be tracked by recording both positive and negative results. Importantly, documentation would highlight patients diagnosed for the first time without prior history, enabling early intervention. For those who screen positive, follow-up care plans—including therapy, medication, or referrals—would be developed on the same day as the screening (Savoy, 2016).

Measuring Outcomes

To measure effectiveness, I would maintain records of:

Number of screenings completed annually
Positive vs. negative screening rates
New diagnoses identified
Types of interventions initiated (medication, therapy, referrals)

Continuous monitoring and follow-up would ensure ongoing evaluation of patient progress and effectiveness of interventions (Maurer et al., 2018).

Table 2

Implementation and Outcome Tracking

Implementation Strategy	Outcome Measures
Annual screenings using PHQ-9 / PHQ-A	Number of screenings conducted
Positive score ≥10	Percentage of patients screening positive
Same-day documentation and care plan	New diagnoses identified and interventions initiated
Follow-up plans (therapy/medications)	Patient adherence and progress documented at subsequent visits

Response 2

Shauna,
Your insights about the importance of addressing mental health in children and adolescents are significant. I completely agree that mental health challenges in youth are frequently underestimated or overlooked. Many parents assume that children do not face real struggles, yet societal pressures, academic demands, extracurricular activities, and social expectations place tremendous stress on them.

In the United States, approximately 10.3% of children are diagnosed with depression or anxiety, and these rates continue to rise as expectations increase (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2021). Unfortunately, many children and adolescents mask their emotions, making it difficult to detect their struggles until symptoms become severe.

I strongly believe that children and adolescents should undergo annual depression and anxiety screenings, whether or not they exhibit symptoms. Routine screening during school physicals or primary care visits would ensure early identification and support, preventing worsening of mental health issues.

Thank you for sharing your valuable perspective!

References

Aci, M., Zhang, S., Chomanczuk, A. H., O’Brian, K. H., De Zitella, M. L. M., Scrifanim, P. R., Velez, L., Garay, E., Sezer, S., Little, V., Cleek, A., & McKay, M. M. (2018). Barriers and facilitators to mental health screening efforts for families in pediatric primary care. Journal of Family Social Work, 21(3), 191–199. https://doi.org/10.1080/10522158.2018.1429212

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Data and statistics on children’s mental health. https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/data.html