Degree Name
Nursing Practice, DNP
Publication Date
2-24-2026
First Advisor
Lisa Drake
Second Advisor
Kristie Givens
Abstract
Pneumococcal disease remains a major cause of illness and mortality among adults aged 65 years and older, leading to severe pneumonia, bacteremia, and meningitis, particularly in vulnerable populations. Although effective vaccines and clear Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Advisory Committee Immunization Practice (ACIP) guidelines, vaccination in this age group remains inadequate. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement project aimed to determine the impact of pneumococcal vaccination compliance through evaluating provider knowledge, confidence, and adherence to evidence-based guidelines through targeted education. Guided by Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation Theory and the Health Belief Model, a 20-minute evidence‑based educational session was delivered to licensed clinical staff. A quasi-experimental pre- and post-intervention design was used, and provider confidence was measured with the 10-item International Professionals Vaccine Confidence and Behaviors (I-Pro-VC-Be) instrument. Descriptive statistics and a paired‑samples t‑test were used for analysis. Results demonstrated a statistically significant increase in provider confidence following the: (post: M = 4.06, SD = 0.37; pre: M = 3.46, SD = 0.41), t(7) = 2.78, p = .026, d = 0.70. The medium‑to‑large effect size indicates meaningful improvement in provider confidence and alignment with evidence‑based vaccination practices. These results confirm that brief, structured education enhances provider confidence and alignment with vaccination standards, supporting nursing leadership in advancing preventive care and quality outcomes. Sustaining periodic education and EHR-based prompts is recommended to maintain compliance and promote vaccination best practices.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Recommended Citation
Allen, Leikasha, "Quality Improvement Project: Improving Pneumococcal Vaccination Rates Through Provider Education in Primary Care" (2026). Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects. 284.
https://arch.astate.edu/dnp-projects/284
