Date of Graduation

Spring 5-19-2016

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

College/School

School of Nursing and Health Professions

Department/Program

Nursing

First Advisor

Dr. Juli Maxworthy

Second Advisor

Dr. Cathy Coleman

Third Advisor

Dr. Jo Loomis

Abstract

Breast cancer is a major public health concern in the United States and remains a priority for national women’s health centers, primary care practices and cancer control organizations such as the American Cancer Society (ACS). The cancer care continuum includes the spectrum of prevention/risk reduction, early detection, treatment, and living with the diagnosis. Currently there are no proven primary prevention options for women at average risk of developing breast cancer; therefore, secondary prevention interventions such as screening mammography and clinical breast examination (CBE) are required to reduce morbidity and mortality. This manuscript describes a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) led quality improvement project aimed at increasing mammography screening completion rates in one community health center within a reputable safety-net community health network with access to a mobile mammography van. The intent of this project was to discover the barriers that patients view in complying with their breast cancer screening recommendation, the workflow of the health centers with the best practice, and the creation of a mammography toolkit to provide consistency in processes amongst multiple sites. Although there were challenges in reaching a significant amount of patients to unveil all the possible barriers, overall implementation of this quality improvement project resulted in a well appreciated mammography toolkit, which will be available to all primary care health centers and included in the orientation of medical evaluation workers and health workers as it relates to patients obtaining proper breast health.

Keywords: screening mammography, telephone reminder calls, toolkit, DNP

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