Document Type
DNP Project
Publication Date
4-2025
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Faculty Advisor
Chrystyne Olivieri, DNP, FNP-BC, CDCES
Practice Mentor
Lindsey Maloney, DNP, FNP
Abstract
Significance and Background: The nutrition literacy assessment instrument (NLit) and healthy eating habits assessment, are underutilized tools, as components in providing nutrition education for patients in primary care. There is a lack of knowledge of their availability, thus leading to missed opportunities to provide a more targeted approach to improve nutrition literacy. In the primary care setting, no formal approach is utilized in providing nutrition education to patients being seen for medical weight-loss management. Another element missing from the current process, is a tool that medical providers can utilize, to understand a patient’s baseline nutrition literacy and eating habits. Thus, streamlining nutrition education in the management of obesity.
Objective/Purpose: To increase the nutrition literacy and healthy eating habit scores by 10% from baseline, within a three-month period. To create a nutrition education pamphlet, focusing on the Mediterranean diet, understanding the nutrition facts label, and specific masked named “sugars” seen on nutrition labels, for patients being initiated on Semaglutide.
Methods: Project implementation and evaluation was guided by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, utilizing the plan, do, study, act (PDSA) framework. A total of one PDSA cycle was completed. The NLit, healthy eating habits assessment, and patient surveys, were administered during the patient’s initial medical weight-loss appointment, along with follow-up appointment in 8-weeks.
Results: Over a 20-week period, there were a total of 30 patients seen for medical weight-loss with a total of 7 patients included in the study. Exclusion criteria included: another weight-loss medication being initiated or refusing initiation related to cost. Initial NLit scores averaged 4.28 with 8-week follow-up scores averaging 4.57. This displayed a 6.7% increase in nutrition literacy scores. Healthy eating habits scores showed similar variability, with initial scores averaging 28.43 and 8-week follow-up scores averaging 32.71. This displayed a 13.10% increase from initial scores.
Conclusion: Results showed practice change of implementing nutrition education by utilizing the NLit and healthy eating habits assessment, improved overall nutrition literacy scores. Next steps will be to disseminate project details to other medical providers within the primary care office.
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Recommended Citation
Colbert, L. (2025). Implementing nutrition education for patient's being initiated in Semaglutide: Quality improvement project [Unpublished DNP project]. Sacred Heart University. https://digitalcommons.sacredheart.edu/dnp_projects/85
Comments
Presented to the Faculty of Sacred Heart University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education, Sacred Heart University