Degree Name
Nursing Practice, DNP
Publication Date
4-28-2026
First Advisor
Lisa Drake
Second Advisor
Amber Calendar
Abstract
Substance use disorder (SUD) is a serious public health issue in people with psychiatric disorders. However, diagnosis and treatment are often delayed, leading to poor treatment outcomes and increased social and economic costs. The purpose and aim of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to educate providers on the Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) model to facilitate the timely diagnosis of SUDs in patients with dual diagnoses. The key outcomes were provider knowledge and SBIRT implementation rates. The Donabedian Model of Healthcare Quality assessed the outcomes, whereas Lewin’s Change Model guided implementation. The project employed a quasi-experimental pre-post intervention design implemented according to the Plan-Do-Study-Act framework. The population comprised mental healthcare providers in an outpatient clinic. Knowledge levels were evaluated using the SBIRT Assessment Quiz before and after a 20-minute educational session. Data on SBIRT implementation rates was retrieved from the clinic’s records. The mean posttest knowledge score (M= 4.44, SD= 2.13) was significantly higher than the pretest knowledge scores (M= 9.11, SD= 0.78), t (8) = -7.77, p < .001. SBIRT implementation increased from 12% pre-intervention to 63% post-intervention. The findings showed that SBIRT education enhances the knowledge, confidence, and implementation of SBIRT. The outcomes highlight the value of education in bridging knowledge gaps and increasing collaboration between behavioral health and substance use experts. It was concluded that provider education enables linking evidence to practice to enhance care in mental and behavioral health nursing.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Ogala, Faith, "Quality Improvement Project: Evaluating the Impact of Provider Education on SBIRT on Screening for SUDs" (2026). Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects. 318.
https://arch.astate.edu/dnp-projects/318
