Screening Initiative for Non-Stroke Geriatric Inpatients

Current literature reveals a need for improved depression screening efforts among inpatient geriatrics. This population is at higher risk for severe depression, suicidal ideations, poorer health outcomes related to decreased compliance to healthcare regimens, and increased healthcare costs. Current best practice involves the utilization of the Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form (GDS-SF), a 15-question yes or no answer screening tool. While not diagnostic, the tool has established validity and reliability testing. The GDS-SF should not be used on subsets of the population diagnosed with stroke, dementia or delirium. The purpose of this project was to develop a protocol for implementation of the GDS-SF screening tool on an inpatient neuroscience unit in a 344-bed Midwestern hospital. Both qualitative and quantitative results of implementation were analyzed, revealing barriers and facilitators to further organizational scale-up of use of this protocol to additional units. The protocol was revised based on these findings, with the revised protocol delivered to organizational leadership for continued organizational implementation efforts