Implementation of Motivational Interviewing, an Evidence-Based Practice, In the Mentally Ill Homeless Population

Harrell, S. Elizabeth

Monday, 18 November 2013

S. Elizabeth Harrell, MSN, PMHNP-BC
College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ

Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to describe how evidence is translated into practice and guides practice setting cultural shifts towards evidence based practice.

Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to relate lessons learned during this applied project to their own efforts to implement evidence based practices.

Background: Approximately 50% of individuals experiencing homelessness suffer from mental health issues and/or substance abuse. Individuals with homelessness have higher death rates than the general population thus, requires access to multiple human service systems due to their disease and disadvantaged status yet, homeless with mental illness often resist treatment. Studies using Motivational Interviewing (MI) were appraised for clinical relevance, validity, reliability, and applicability of MI interventions designed to motivate mentally ill homeless adults into health services. MI was found to be effective therefore; a project to implement MI in the homeless population was designed and implemented.

Aims: The project consisting of MI focused weekly group meetings and/or individual counseling sessions was aimed at identifying and resolving individual barriers of engagement into health services.

Methods: A DNP student and state university faculty member in a long standing relationship with an area southwest homeless outreach program designed and implemented five weekly group meetings and/or individual counseling sessions occurring once a week. Project implementation, data collection, and measurement tools are presented.

Results: Evaluation of the project implementation process will be presented at the poster presentation.

Conclusion: The evidence based model and MI interventions used for this practice change combined with relationship based care synthesized into an effective implementation strategy, not only in identify and reducing barriers to change on an individual basis but, on the organizational level as well. Lessons learned offer valuable contributions towards future efforts to engage individuals and organizations into evidence based practice.

See more of: Evidence-Based Practice Posters Session 2
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