NRS 465 Evidence-Based Patient-Centered Needs Assessment Project

Course Context

Grand Canyon University, College of Nursing and Health Care Professions. NRS-465: Applied Evidence-Based Project and Practicum represents the terminal course in the RN to BSN degree pathway. The evidence-based patient-centered needs assessment project requires students to identify a clinical nursing practice issue within their practicum site, analyze the health, economic, and cultural needs of an affected patient population, and propose a technology-supported intervention grounded in current best evidence.

Clinical practicum hours: 100 total (50 leadership, 50 community health). Prerequisites: NRS-415, NRS-420, NRS-425, HLT-362V, NRS-445, PHI-413V, NRS-450, NRS-455, NRS-460.

Assignment Overview

Write a 4–6 page paper (1,050–1,400 words, excluding title page and references) presenting an evidence-based patient-centered needs assessment for a specific patient population. The paper must demonstrate how health care technology can improve patient engagement and outcomes while addressing the population’s health, economic, and cultural needs.

Format the paper according to APA 7th edition. Cite a minimum of five peer-reviewed sources published within the last five years.

Task Instructions

Section 1: Population and Problem Identification

Identify a patient population affected by a clinical practice issue observed during practicum hours. Describe the population’s demographics, the scope of the problem, and the relevance to nursing practice. Include prevalence data or clinical significance supported by at least two peer-reviewed sources.

Section 2: Evidence-Based Needs Assessment

Conduct a systematic needs assessment using the best available evidence. Address the following:

Health needs: physiological and psychological factors affecting the population
Economic needs: financial barriers to care, insurance coverage gaps, and cost-related nonadherence
Cultural needs: cultural beliefs, values, and practices influencing health behaviors and care seeking

Support each domain with current evidence. Explain how these needs interconnect and influence patient engagement.

Section 3: Patient Engagement and Technology

Evaluate the role of patient engagement in managing the identified health condition. Answer the following questions:

Why is patient engagement necessary for this population to manage health conditions effectively?
What does current literature (published within the last five years) demonstrate about the benefits of patient engagement for this population?
Which information and communication technology tools could improve consumer health literacy? Consider mobile applications, telehealth platforms, patient portals, and electronic health records.
What is the value and relevance of these technology modalities for addressing the identified needs?

Section 4: Ethical and Culturally Sensitive Considerations

Explain how the proposed technology modalities can encourage patient engagement in ethical, culturally sensitive, and inclusive ways. Address patient autonomy, privacy, and equitable access. Discuss strategies for tailoring technology to diverse cultural contexts without reinforcing stigma or exclusion.

Rubric

Criteria	Points	Excellent (90–100%)	Proficient (80–89%)	Developing (70–79%)	Unsatisfactory (0–69%)
Population and Problem Identification	15	Identifies a focused population with compelling clinical relevance. Prevalence data and scope of problem are expertly supported by evidence.	Identifies a relevant population. Problem is clearly stated with adequate evidence support.	Population identified but problem lacks specificity or evidence support is limited.	Population or problem is unclear, irrelevant, or unsupported.
Health, Economic, and Cultural Needs Assessment	25	Expertly analyzes all three need domains with integrated evidence. Demonstrates sophisticated understanding of how needs interact.	Analyzes all three domains with appropriate evidence. Explains interconnections adequately.	Addresses some domains superficially or omits one domain. Evidence support is weak.	Needs assessment is incomplete, inaccurate, or unsupported.
Patient Engagement Evidence	20	Critically evaluates current evidence on patient engagement. Synthesis demonstrates advanced understanding of engagement mechanisms.	Summarizes relevant evidence on patient engagement. Connection to population is clear.	Evidence is dated, tangential, or poorly connected to the population.	Evidence is absent, irrelevant, or misinterpreted.
Technology Modalities and Health Literacy	20	Evaluates specific technology tools with precision. Demonstrates deep understanding of how tools improve health literacy for the population.	Identifies relevant technology tools and explains their value. Connection to health literacy is sound.	Technology tools are described vaguely or lack evidence support.	Technology discussion is absent or irrelevant.
Ethical and Cultural Considerations	10	Expertly addresses autonomy, privacy, and equity. Strategies are culturally tailored and ethically sound.	Addresses ethical and cultural considerations adequately. Strategies are appropriate.	Discussion is superficial or addresses only one consideration.	Ethical or cultural considerations are omitted or poorly addressed.
Mechanics of Writing	10	APA 7th edition formatting is flawless. Writing is clear, precise, and free of errors.	APA formatting is correct with minor errors. Writing is clear with few mechanical issues.	APA errors are noticeable. Writing lacks clarity in places.	APA formatting is absent or severely flawed. Writing contains frequent errors.

Sample Answer Excerpt

Population and Problem Identification

The population selected for this needs assessment comprises adults aged 18 to 45 receiving outpatient treatment for alcohol and substance use disorders at a community behavioral health clinic. Approximately 14.5 million adults in the United States met criteria for alcohol use disorder in 2023, yet fewer than 10 percent received any form of treatment (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2023). This treatment gap reflects systemic barriers including stigma, cost, and limited access to integrated care. During practicum hours at the clinical site, a recurring pattern emerged: patients completed initial detoxification yet relapsed within 90 days because discharge planning failed to address their economic instability, housing insecurity, and co-occurring mental health conditions. The problem extends beyond individual behavior; it reflects a fragmented care system that treats addiction as an acute episode rather than a chronic condition requiring sustained engagement.

Evidence-Based Needs Assessment

A needs assessment drawing on clinical records, patient interviews, and current literature revealed three interconnected domains requiring intervention. Health needs include physiological withdrawal management and psychiatric comorbidity treatment. Economic needs center on unemployment, lack of transportation, and insufficient insurance coverage for ongoing counseling. Cultural needs involve reducing stigma within social networks and addressing mistrust of health care institutions rooted in historical discrimination. Research by Nawi et al. (2021) demonstrates that genetic predisposition interacts with environmental factors such as peer influence and family dynamics to shape addiction risk, a finding that underscores the necessity of addressing social determinants alongside clinical treatment. Patient engagement becomes the mechanism through which these domains converge. When patients participate in care planning, they are more likely to adhere to treatment protocols, attend follow-up appointments, and achieve sustained recovery (Kuipers et al., 2019).

Patient Engagement and Technology Integration

Mobile health applications and telehealth platforms offer scalable solutions for improving engagement among this population. A study by Kichloo et al. (2020) found that telehealth utilization was associated with improved medication adherence and reduced hospitalization rates among patients with chronic conditions. For individuals with substance use disorders, mobile applications can deliver medication reminders, track cravings, provide psychoeducational content, and connect users to virtual support groups. Telehealth removes transportation barriers and reduces the stigma associated with in-person visits to addiction treatment facilities. Electronic health records enhance care coordination by allowing behavioral health providers, primary care physicians, and social workers to share information securely. Gajarawala and Pelkowski (2020) note that telehealth benefits include improved access for rural populations and flexibility in scheduling, though barriers such as digital literacy and broadband access must be addressed to ensure equitable implementation.

Ethical and Culturally Sensitive Engagement

Technology-supported engagement must respect patient autonomy and cultural context. Mobile applications should offer content in multiple languages and allow users to customize recovery goals according to their values. Privacy protections are paramount given the sensitive nature of addiction treatment data. Patients must provide informed consent before using any digital tool, and they should retain control over what information is shared and with whom. Kernebeck et al. (2020) emphasize that mobile health applications designed without cultural tailoring risk alienating the very populations they intend to serve. Inclusive design requires input from patients themselves during development, ensuring that tools reflect lived experiences and address practical barriers such as limited data plans or shared device use.

References

Abdisa, E., Fekadu, G., Girma, S., Shibiru, T., Tilahun, T., Mohamed, H., Wakgari, A., Takele, A., Abebe, M., & Tsegaye, R. (2020). Self-stigma and medication adherence among patients with mental illness treated at Jimma University Medical Center, Southwest Ethiopia. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-020-00391-6

Gajarawala, S., & Pelkowski, J. (2020). Telehealth benefits and barriers. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 17(2), 218–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2020.09.013

Kernebeck, S., Busse, S., Böttcher, D., Weitz, J., Ehlers, J., & Bork, U. (2020). Impact of mobile health and medical applications on clinical practice in gastroenterology. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 26(29), 4182–4197. https://doi.org/10.3748/wjg.v26.i29.4182

Kichloo, A., Albosta, M., Dettloff, K., Wani, F., El-Amir, Z., Singh, J., Aljadah, M., Chakinala, C., Kanugula, K., Solanki, S., & Chugh, S. (2020). Telemedicine, the current COVID-19 pandemic, and the future: A narrative review and perspectives moving forward in the USA. Family Medicine and Community Health, 8(3), e000530. https://doi.org/10.1136/fmch-2020-000530

Kuipers, J., Cramm, M., & Nieboer, P. (2019). The importance of patient-centered care and co-creation of care for satisfaction with care and physical and social well-being of patients with multi-morbidity in the primary care setting. BMC Health Services Research, 19(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-018-3818-y

Nawi, M., Ismail, R., Ibrahim, F., Hassan, R., Manaf, A., Amit, N., Ibrahim, N., & Shafurdin, N. S. (2021). Risk and protective factors of drug abuse among adolescents: A systematic review. BMC Public Health, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-11906-2

Week 3 Assignment: PICOT Question Development

NRS-465: Applied Evidence-Based Project and Practicum

Develop a PICOT question based on the needs assessment conducted in Topic 2. The PICOT question must address a specific nursing practice intervention applicable to the identified patient population. Include the following elements: population, intervention, comparison, outcome, and time frame. Write 250–300 words explaining the clinical relevance of the question and how it aligns with the capstone project. Support the PICOT question with at least three peer-reviewed sources. Format according to APA 7th edition.

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