Date of Graduation

Fall 12-16-2016

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

College/School

School of Nursing and Health Professions

Department/Program

Nursing

First Advisor

Prabjot Sandhu

Second Advisor

Nancy Selix

Abstract

While Papanicolaou (Pap) screening has been implemented since the 1950’s, and is linked to decreased rates of cervical cancer, national screening rates are still below the national target screening rate. In Contra Costa County (CCC), the current cervical cancer screening rate is 50.92% (Contra Costa Health Services [CCHS], 2016a). This is far below the national goal of 93% and the first benchmark of 54.33% needed in order to receive state funding under the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) Medi-Cal 2020 waiver. The Medi-Cal 2020 waiver has a 5-year Public Health Incentives and Redesign in Medi-Cal (PRIME) program requiring participating health systems to complete projects that improve population health, such as increasing cancer screening rates. CCHS needs to increase screening rates in order to receive funding from DHCS.

In this paper, the author of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project discusses the design and implementation of an evidence-based cervical cancer screening toolkit to increase cervical cancer screening rates. The toolkit includes PowerPoint about the PRIME program and cervical cancer screening guidelines for Public Health Clinic Services (PHCS) staff, a pocket reference for cervical cancer screening, and a patient handout.

During the two months following implementation of the toolkit, cervical cancer screenings for the PHCS pilot group increased when compared to the same time the prior year. The toolkit helped educate providers and patients, meeting the goal of increasing staff and patient knowledge about cervical cancer screening. Overall, the toolkit is a cost effective way to assist the efforts to increase cervical cancer screening rates and obtain Medi-Cal funding.

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