DNP Scholarly Projects

Abstract

Unmet contraceptive need represents a persistent quality gap in rural primary care, where reproductive health discussions are often inconsistently addressed. A rural primary care clinic in Shelbyville, Tennessee lacked a standardized, evidence-based process for screening women of childbearing age (15–44 years) for contraceptive needs. This quality improvement project evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of implementing the Self-Identified Need for Contraception (SINC) screening tool to support routine, patient-centered care. The SINC tool consists of a single validated question designed to identify patients who wish to discuss contraception or pregnancy prevention during clinical visits. Plan–Do–Study–Act cycles were used to integrate the tool into new patient and wellness visits over a six-week implementation period. Screening rates ranged from 20% to 42.8%, with a mean implementation rate of 26.17%, representing improvement from a baseline of 0%. Variability was influenced by provider availability and scheduling constraints. Findings demonstrate that standardized contraceptive screening is feasible in rural primary care and supports improved preventive care delivery, patient–provider communication, and early identification of reproductive health needs.

Streaming Media

Date

Winter 12-12-2025

First Advisor

Laura Gray, Ph.D., RN

Second Advisor

R. David Phillippi, Ph.D., M.S.

Scholarly Project Team Member

Madison Foss, B.S.N., RN

Department

Nursing, School of

College

Health Sciences & Nursing, Gordon E. Inman College of

Document Type

Scholarly Project

Degree

Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Degree Level

Doctoral

Degree Grantor

Belmont University

Keywords

Contraceptive screening; Unmet contraceptive need; Rural primary care; Quality improvement; Preventive health care; Reproductive health; Patient-centered care; SINC screening tool; Primary care workflows; Evidence-based practice

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