Date of Paper/Work

5-2022

Type of Paper/Work

Doctor of Nursing Practice Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Gwen Short

Department/School

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Abstract

Purpose: To combat loneliness in assisted living (AL) settings, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, providers need to be aware of the definition of loneliness, its consequences, and appropriate interventions.

Method: Educational content on loneliness’s definition, consequences and interventions was delivered via PowerPoint to five nurse practitioners. Five nurse practitioners evaluated the education session’s effectiveness via questionnaire and the Three-Item Loneliness Scale was administered to fifteen cognitively intact patients in AL settings. Four nurse practitioners then evaluated the Three-Item Loneliness Scale’s implementation. The Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle was used for this quality improvement project.

Findings: Based on the post-education survey results, the Three-Item Loneliness Scale education session is useful and increases knowledge of loneliness for providers caring for patients in AL settings. The Three-Item loneliness scale was found to be effective in identifying patients experiencing loneliness and assists providers in applying appropriate interventions to decrease the negative consequences of loneliness.

Conclusion: An education session on loneliness has been found to be helpful for providers. The Three-Item Loneliness Scale is an adequate tool that can be used to identify patients experiencing loneliness. The Three-Item Loneliness Scale has been implemented on a small scale with a positive response by providers on its appropriateness for the current environment, ease of use, and effectiveness in identifying loneliness. Provider response during this project highlights the need for effective and accessible interventions in the AL community.

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