Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects
Access Control
Open Access
Embargo Period
4-22-2017
Degree Program
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Degree Track
Family Nurse Practioner
Year Degree Awarded
2017
Month Degree Awarded
May
Keywords
education, high-risk adult smokers, low-dose computed tomography, lung cancer screening, primary care, toolkit
Advisor
Karen Kalmakis
DNP Project Chair
Rachel Walker
DNP Project Outside Member Name
Alicia Czarnecki
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in the United States for both men and women. Lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) demonstrates reductions in lung cancer mortality and all-cause mortality, and improved rates of early stage diagnosis in high-risk current and former adult smokers. Evidence-based screening guidelines include annual LDCT in high-risk current and former adult smokers; however, these guidelines have not been fully translated into clinical practice. The purpose of this project was to create a toolkit for lung cancer screening to assist primary care providers in educating and screening their patients at high-risk for lung cancer with an overall goal of reducing lung cancer mortality and improving early stage diagnosis of lung cancer. An educational intervention using single group post-test was carried out in a primary care practice. Providers were asked to use a toolkit that included resources for lung cancer screening in clinical practice. Survey data was collected to determine effectiveness of the toolkit and educational intervention. Analysis of the data indicated that the toolkit may be beneficial to practice, although there were provider concerns about time and patient receptiveness. Lung cancer is a significant cause of mortality; giving providers tools to educate and screen high-risk patients for lung cancer may reduce mortality rates and improve survival.
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