Graduation Semester and Year
Summer 2026
Language
English
Document Type
DNP Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Department
Nursing
First Advisor
Dr. Cathy Brown
Abstract
Introduction: Veterans often face challenges accessing care services due to limited awareness of available resources for support, Self-care, and mental health (Harding et al., 2019; Patel et al., 2024). Given the high prevalence of Chronic pain and opioid use in this population, Self-management (SM) education and non-pharmacologic interventions are required to address the biological, psychological, and social effects of pain (Bair et al., 2015; Mumba et al., 2024; Nahin, 2017; Higgins et al., 2020). This Quality improvement project aims to determine whether implementing an evidence-based SM bundle for chronic pain improved Pain severity scores and increased understanding of SM strategies. Methods: A pre- and post-quality improvement design was used in a private outpatient clinic in Texas to evaluate an eight-week Nurse-led SM education bundle for veterans with chronic pain. Measures included weekly Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) assessment, PHQ-2/PHQ-9 depression screening, and veteran-reported use of SM strategies. Data was collected in Excel and analyzed in SPSS. Results: Of the 20 participants enrolled, 13 completed the eight-week intervention. Engagement varied due to voluntary participation, telephone-based follow-up, and limited continuity of care among non-returning patients. Knowledge of SM strategies improved substantially, with all participants reporting no prior awareness during enrollment. Heat or ice, exercise, and relaxation were the most frequently used SM strategies. A paired samples t-test comparing pre-intervention and post-intervention NPRS showed no statistically significant difference, t (12) = 0.887, p = .392, Cohen’s d = 0.246 indicated a small treatment effect. Conclusion: The nurse-led structured SM Education bundle increased participant understanding and use of pain self-management strategies and demonstrated potential for pain reduction. Future interventions should optimize delivery methods, duration, and patient selection criteria to achieve meaningful change.
Keywords
Veterans, Self-management, Chronic pain, Pain education, Nurse-led, Quality improvement, Self-care, Telephone-based, Patient education, Non-pharmacologic interventions
Disciplines
Family Practice Nursing | Health and Physical Education | Musculoskeletal Diseases | Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing | Other Medical Specialties | Other Nursing | Pain Management | Primary Care | Public Health Education and Promotion | Quality Improvement
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Baniya, Srijana D., "A Chronic Pain Self-Management Quality Improvement Bundle for Veterans" (2026). Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects. 6.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/nursing_dnpprojects2/6
Included in
Family Practice Nursing Commons, Health and Physical Education Commons, Musculoskeletal Diseases Commons, Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing Commons, Other Medical Specialties Commons, Other Nursing Commons, Pain Management Commons, Primary Care Commons, Public Health Education and Promotion Commons, Quality Improvement Commons