Improving Metabolic Syndrome Screening on Patients on Second Generation Antipsychotic Medication.

Aim: This quality improvement project aims at stressing the importance of screening for metabolic syndrome (MS) on patients with serious mental illness (SMI) managed with second generation antipsychotic (SGA) medication.

Method: One hundred charts of patients who were on SGA (n=100) were randomly selected from more than 1000 charts for the purpose of this project with (n=50) charts for pre-intervention and (n=50) charts for post intervention. A chi-square test of independence was calculated comparing the frequency of labs and vital done in pre-intervention and post-intervention period.

Results: A significant interaction was found [χ(2)=32.67, p<.001] indicating that providers were more likely to order labs in postintervention (62%) than in pre-intervention (22%). No significant relationship was found for vital signs [χ(1)=.542, p>.05]. The use of the screening and monitoring tool showed that gaps exist in the screening for MS among patients on SGA.

Implication To Practice: Advanced health nurse practitioners are well placed to take the lead in screening, monitoring, and implementing the necessary measures to address MS among patients with serious mental illness.