Date of Graduation

Spring 5-17-2019

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

College/School

School of Nursing and Health Professions

Program

Family Nurse Practitioner

First Advisor

Alexa Curtis

Second Advisor

Kelly L'Engle

Abstract

Adolescents and young adults experience relatively high rates of preventable morbidity and mortality due to injuries, mental health disorders, suicide, substance use, and reproductive health issues. It is paramount for healthcare providers to address risky behaviors early to thwart future adverse outcomes. Rural communities especially struggle with meeting the healthcare needs of their youth because there are fewer resources specifically dedicated to serving adolescents and young adults. This issue is evident in Grass Valley, California, a rural community in Nevada County, an area located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. In response to limited access to youth-friendly healthcare in Grass Valley, this project aimed to research, organize, and develop an adolescent and young adult healthcare program by expanding the scope of services offered to this population at Community Recovery Resources (CoRR) in Grass Valley.

Drawing from the community stakeholder needs assessment interviews, an adolescent focus group, a literature review, and best practice interviews, a youth-friendly healthcare program was designed for implementation at CoRR. In addition, the project was introduced to CoRR staff members at a site-wide, in-service meeting. At this time, a survey was conducted to gauge staff members’ readiness for change related to project implementation. Results from the survey indicated staff members understand the need for expanding adolescent and young adult health services and are supportive of the program, but they also feel more training and resources are required prior to implementation. However, due to licensing and billing issues, the project did not move beyond the research and design phases. Moving forward, the next step is to pilot test the adolescent and young adult healthcare program designed during this project using a plan-do-study-act quality improvement process. The overall goal is to improve the health outcomes of youth living in Nevada County.

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