Date of Award
2017
Document Type
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Department
Nursing
Committee Chair
Azita Amiri
Committee Member
Darlene Showalter
Subject(s)
Polycystic ovary syndrome, Patient education
Abstract
Introduction: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common cause of menstrual dysfunction and hyperandrogenism. PCOS is recognized as a heterogeneous disorder that results in overproduction of androgens, primarily from the ovaries and leads to anovulation, hirsutism, and insulin resistance. PCOS diagnosis is challenging for providers because of the varying diagnostic criteria and inconsistency of the patients’ complaints. A validated diagnostic screening questionnaire would be very helpful in assisting providers in making a clinical diagnosis of PCOS. The purpose is to have an effective diagnostic screening questionnaire that can be used in any provider’s office to assist in diagnosing probable PCOS. Objectives: The objectives were to determine how many Health Care professionals (HCP’s) used the PCOS screening questionnaire to identify probable PCOS, determine if questionnaire was helpful in diagnosing PCOS patients, identify feasibility of the utilization of PCOS Screening questionnaire in clinical practice, and to identify barriers in the use of the PCOS diagnostic screening questionnaire. Implementation Plan: Health care professionals (Nurse Practitioners and Physicians) that worked in Obstetrics/Gynecology and Family Practice/Adult Medicine participated in the study. A pre-test was given to each provider before they started using the PCOS screening questionnaire. The health care professional used the PCOS screening questionnaire in their office for 3 months with patients that had complaints of menstrual dysfunction, hirsutism, obesity, or acne. At the conclusion of the 3 months, the health care provider was given a post-test. All participation was voluntary. Results: Before participation in the project, none of the providers had used a diagnostic PCOS screening questionnaire. 62.5% of the health care providers diagnosed 1-5 patients with PCOS; 12.5% diagnosed 5-10 patients with PCOS; and 25% diagnosed >10 patients with PCOS. Conclusion: All the health care providers found the PCOS screening questionnaire to be helpful and effective in diagnosing PCOS patients and would continue to use in their practice. In addition, the providers would recommend the questionnaire to their colleagues.
Recommended Citation
Williams, Minnetta FNP-BC, "Application of a polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) diagnostic questionnaire in clinical practice" (2017). Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). 13.
https://louis.uah.edu/uah-dnp/13