Degree Name
Nursing Practice, DNP
Publication Date
11-17-2025
First Advisor
Lisa Drake
Second Advisor
Paige Wimberley
Abstract
Nursing education is the foundation of healthcare itself. However, several things influence nursing students’ academic success. A lack of overall health habits is a significant contributor. Generally, this lack is due to a lack of education. The goal of this quality improvement Doctor of Nurse Practice (DNP) project was to develop an educational program that addresses the identified knowledge gaps. The aim was to develop the program to promote student success and pilot-test the program to determine its impact among masters-level nursing faculty. Using Lewin’s Change Theory and Orem’s theory of self-care, the educational program was piloted over a seven-week term, with pre- and post-tests administered. The program taught stress management, nutritional and exercise standards, sleep hygiene, mental health education, and highlighted campus resources. No protected health information was gathered; all six faculty were of the Master’s Prepared Entry Nursing program. The intervention was tested for significance using the t-test. Findings revealed a significant improvement in knowledge, as measured by the knowledge, attitudes, and practices survey (KAP) (t[5] = 4.72, p = 0.005) with a mean improvement of approximately 2.33 points. However, all other sections, as well as the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Behavior Profile (HPLP-II), showed an increase in scores, although the change was not statistically significant. This project highlights that educational interventions can increase participants’ knowledge of health habits and their connections to academic research. Future recommendations include piloting the program over a longer period, placing greater emphasis on practice changes, and implementing it directly with students themselves.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Recommended Citation
Ray, Devanee, "Quality Improvement Project: Creation of an EBP Healthy Lifestyle Program: An Evidence-Based Development Program" (2025). Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects. 247.
https://arch.astate.edu/dnp-projects/247
