Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

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Department

Nursing

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Abstract

Background: The need for advanced care planning (ACP) is crucial in ensuring that individuals can specify their medical care preferences, especially in scenarios of incapacitation, underscoring the importance of respecting their wishes. However, ACP remains underutilized in healthcare. This project involved implementing an ACP day at a senior center to increase discussions about advanced directives. The project targeted all adults at a Senior Center located in Northeast, Pennsylvania, aiming to educate them on ACP's significance through structured sessions covering advanced directives, legal considerations, and communication strategies. Question and answer sessions fostered engagement and understanding among participants, encouraging them to share personal experiences and concerns.

Methods: The project was open to all persons who visited the senior center. The Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) cycle was utilized after each education session. The sessions were implemented once a month over three months. The outcome measured was attendance at the ACP day. The participants’ privacy and confidentiality were maintained since identifiers did not form part of the collected data. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the attendance data.

Results: Twenty-six people attended the event across three months, with 10, 8, and 8 people gracing the event in September, October, and December, respectively (M=8.6; SD = 1.1).

Conclusion: The project set a foundation for future ACP campaigns at the senior center. Health practitioners should create more awareness about ACP through continued discussions with elderly patients.

Keywords

Advanced care planning, advanced directives, end-of-life care, senior center, PDSA model

Advisor

Dr. Jenny Manry

Date of Award

Spring 2025

Document Type

DNP Project

Rights

© The Author

Additional Files
2025_DNP_Rivera, S Poster.pdf (297 kB)
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