Evaluation of obstructive sleep apnea in veterans with coexisting psychiatric symptoms

Author

Zenith PerpignaniFollow

Date of Award

Spring 5-11-2020

Document Type

DNP Project

Project Team Faculty Member

Wendy Hochreiter, DNP RN CNL

Project Team Faculty Member

Andrew Griffin, PhD, CRNA APRN

Keywords

VA, Implementing, STOP-BANG protocol

Abstract

Abstract

There is a growing body of evidence that suggests a correlation between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), nightmares with broken sleep, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and worsening of symptoms by OSA, Veterans who received treatment at a Midwest Veteran Affairs (VA) Center for Behavioral Health were often subject to variable wait times between scheduling of behavioral health and primary care providers (PCP). The purpose of the doctoral project was to reduce a Veteran's wait time for evaluation by a PCP after having been identified as at risk for OSA during routine psychiatric evaluation. The project examined Veteran's reports and measures of PTSD (47.82%), anxiety (56.52%), depression (65.21%), nightmares (39.1%), disrupted sleep (73.9%), sleep movement (21.73%), memory/concentration deficits (17.39%), suicidal thoughts (17.39%), Body Mass Index (43.6), hypertension (74.1 %), snoring (88.9 %), witnessed apnea (59.3 %), abnormal breathing/awakening gasping for breath (33.3%), gender (male 93 %; female 7%), age (46.5 years of age), and short neck (52 %). This project provided insight for behavioral health providers, PCPs, pulmonologists, and sleep medicine professionals about the special needs of Veterans at risk for OSA. Data resulting from this doctoral project contributed to the development of an assessment tool designed to more specifically meet the needs of evaluation of OSA in the Veteran with complex psychiatric symptoms by psychiatric providers. By eliminating the need for a secondary referral to primary care, this doctoral project reduced the wait time for diagnosis by 8-21 days.

Recommended Citation

Perpignani, Zenith, "Evaluation of obstructive sleep apnea in veterans with coexisting psychiatric symptoms" (2020). Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects. 121.
https://spark.siue.edu/dnpprojects/121

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