Date
8-20-2026
Department
School of Nursing
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Chair
Sherry Walker
Keywords
physical activity, mental health, depression, anxiety, prescribing physical activity
Disciplines
Nursing | Psychiatry and Psychology
Recommended Citation
Upshaw, Seleste N., "Integrating Movement into Mental Health: A Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Training Program for Prescribing Physical Activity for Depression and Anxiety" (2026). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 8861.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/8861
Abstract
Depressive and anxiety disorders are highly prevalent, contributing significantly to global disability and healthcare costs. While evidence robustly supports physical activity (PA) as an effective first-line or adjunct treatment for these conditions, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs) frequently underutilize PA prescriptions due to a lack of formal training, standardized protocols, and confidence. This evidence-based practice improvement project, guided by the Iowa Model, implemented a targeted educational training program for a single PMHNP in an independent outpatient psychiatric clinic to increase the frequency of evidence-based PA prescribing. Utilizing a pre- and post-intervention quasi-experimental design, the intervention consisted of a 30-minute educational session on PA guidelines (FITT-VP), safety screening (PAR-Q+), and the integration of electronic health record templates and patient handouts. Measurable outcomes included changes in provider knowledge, confidence, and prescribing frequency, assessed via Likert-scale surveys and retrospective chart reviews (n=540). Results indicated positive improvements across all self-reported domains, particularly in the provider's confidence to use motivational strategies and manage patient resistance. Objective chart reviews revealed a modest, non-significant increase in documented PA prescriptions (from 0% to 1.2%). Despite the small sample size and lack of statistical significance, the findings suggest that brief, structured educational interventions can successfully enhance a PMHNP's readiness and intent to prescribe PA. This project highlights the necessity of integrating PA prescription training into PMHNP professional development and the need for structural clinical supports to sustain practice changes and promote holistic, evidence-based mental healthcare.
