Date of Award

Summer 8-2021

Document Type

Capstone

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Department

Nursing

Program Affiliation

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

First Advisor

Dr. Karen Semmens

Abstract

Background: At the beginning of the pandemic, primary care clinics in North Dakota (ND) had just a trickle of daily telehealth encounters. Over time, these encounters increased, primarily for the youngest seniors (55 – 70 years old). Due to increased COVID-19 cases among the elderly population in ND, the Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) allocated a grant to the University of North Dakota (UND) to promote telehealth use in the elderly residing in rural ND and receiving home care through the desired home care agency. This project aims to promote telehealth to reduce exposure to COVID-19 among the geriatric populations in rural ND. The project was implemented as Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students used video monitoring technologies to complete a geriatric modified assessment with focus on the 4Ms. The 4Ms consists of medication, mobility, mentation, and what matters most (4Ms).

Methods: Mixed-method of qualitative and quantitative study approach was utilized. Participants were given a pre-survey focusing on previous telehealth experience. The modified geriatric assessment was conducted, followed by a post-survey questionnaire asking about their experience.

Results: Pre/post-survey answers were compared and analyzed by a statistician

Conclusions: The findings suggest that the utilization of telehealth in conducting modified wellness assessments is beneficial and more convenient in reducing the risk of COVID-19 exposure compared to going to the provider’s office.

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