Date of Award

Fall 12-2012

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Committee Chair

Dr. Karen Rich

Committee Chair Department

Nursing

Committee Member 2

Dr. Patsy Anderson

Committee Member 2 Department

Nursing

Abstract

Elderly patients 65 years and older who have chronic illness and disabilities living in rural Mississippi have increased difficulty in obtaining timely cost-effective healthcare services from nurse practitioners. The purpose of the capstone project was to utilize social marketing strategies for promoting nurse practitioners’ acceptance of clinical video telehealth (CVT) in improving healthcare access for rural elderly patients in Mississippi. Clinical video telehealth is an innovative way to provide healthcare services to populations in need by reducing barriers to healthcare, such as distances, time, and transportation, and financial resources. However, providing healthcare through the use of technology has not always been well received by nurse practitioners due to concerns related to the lack of human touch, confidence in the reliability of CVT, knowledge of new technology, and provider workload reimbursement challenges.

Lee and Kotler’s (2011) principles and techniques of social marketing were used as the framework to promote Mississippi nurse practitioners’ acceptance of new technology for providing healthcare services in rural Mississippi. Additionally, using the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN) (2006) Doctoral of Nursing Practice (DNP) Essentials II and IV supported this capstone social marketing telehealth project through technology system redesigns of healthcare.

Twelve Mississippi nurse practitioners participated in a focus group survey and CVT educational event. A focus group post-survey was utilized to collect descriptive data regarding nurse practitioners’ perceptions and acceptance of CVT. Data were obtained through five open-ended questions with additional comment section to identify concerns and barriers for acceptance of CVT.

The slogan 3 Rs (right service to the right person at the right time and place) was the social marketing campaign platform. Increasing nurse practitioners’ knowledge of new technology through social marketing can be instrumental in changing behavior and increasing acceptance of CVT for improving access to rural elderly as well as being a virtual connection for physician and peer review process.

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