Degree Name
Nursing Practice, DNP
Publication Date
2-24-2026
First Advisor
Lisa Drake
Second Advisor
Beatrice Bailey
Abstract
Medication nonadherence is a persistent challenge in clinical settings that negatively influences patient outcomes and is often driven by cost, access, and patient-related barriers, as widely documented in the literature. Nurses and medical assistants play a critical role in identifying these barriers; however, inconsistent screening and limited staff confidence may hinder intervention. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate the impact of implementing the Brief Medication Questionnaire (BMQ) on staff confidence in addressing medication adherence and to assess clinic-wide utilization of the tool. The project was guided by the Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice and Lewin’s Change Theory to support the process change. Using a quantitative, quasi-experimental pre–post design, eight nurses and medical assistants participated in an educational intervention implemented using the Plan-Do-Study-Act framework to support BMQ use. Staff confidence was measured pre- and post-training using the Confidence Scale and BMQ utilization was tracked over a four-week implementation period. Data was analyzed using a paired samples t-test via Intellectus Statistics. Results demonstrated a statistically significant increase in staff confidence following the intervention, t(7) = −3.43, p = .011, with a large effect size (Cohen’s d = 1.21). Limitations included the small sample size. Descriptive findings indicated adoption of the BMQ into clinic workflow. The project incurred minimal costs and relied on existing resources, supporting feasibility and sustainability. This project demonstrates that targeted education, combined with an evidence-based screening tool, can improve confidence and support systematic identification of medication adherence barriers, thereby enhancing quality of care and nursing practice in outpatient settings.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Recommended Citation
Garcia, Maria, "Quality Improvement Project: Empowering Nurses and Medical Assistants to Improve Medication Adherence: A Screening-Based Quality Improvement Initiative" (2026). Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects. 290.
https://arch.astate.edu/dnp-projects/290
