Improving Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Rates Through Evidence-Based Interventions

• Main Author: Thompson, Deidra
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: ScholarWorks 2018
• Subjects: cervical cancer; evidence-based interventions; HPV; human papillomavirus; vaccination; vaccine; Nursing
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/4892; https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6171&context=dissertations

Cervical cancer is the most common human papilloma virus (HPV) -associated cancer and is the second leading cause of death in the world. Vaccination against HPV is essential to reduce the incidence of HPV and subsequent morbidity and mortality. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 79 million Americans are currently infected with HPV. The site for this DNP project was a 163-bed facility with inpatient and outpatient services in the southern United States. The vaccination rate at the site was 48%. The facility lacked educational interventions to prepare and remind providers to offer HPV vaccine. The purpose of this DNP project was to address a significant gap by increasing clinician knowledge through the development of educational materials, the design and implementation of training sessions for staff, and the development of protocols that require providers to offer the vaccine to every eligible patient and to call the patient and remind them of appointments for vaccine injections. The academic center for evidence-based practice star model was used to translate knowledge into nursing practice to improve outcomes change. For this project, a panel of 10 experts from the facility was formed to conduct a formative and summative evaluation of the educational materials and protocols. The findings of the study showed an acceptance of the plan suggesting the importance of the educational materials and the educational process to increase HPV vaccination rates, which can thereby reduce death and disease associated with HPV through the empowerment of the clinicians to provide necessary and appropriate care.