Effects of an Online Pediatric Mental Health Training Intervention for Nurse Practitioners

Abstract

Abstract In the United States one in every five youths aged 13-18 meet criteria for a lifetime mental disorder, yet fewer than half of these children receive mental health services. Primary care providers are relied upon as the first line of detection and management of mental health issues, but a lack of knowledge and low confidence in this area are significant barriers that affect delivery of care. In collaboration with the Hawaii Keiki program, this evidence-based practice project utilized an online training intervention to improve nurse practitioners’ ability to effectively identify, address, and refer MH issues in school health clinics. A pretest/posttest evaluation was performed to analyze providers’ knowledge, confidence, and preparedness over three months. Results demonstrated an overall increase in scores over time compared to baseline data. Provider trends in knowledge and self-efficacy were analyzed, and individual t-tests were used to determine statistical significance. Results will aid the organization in refining protocols for mental health training of school-based providers.