NR 711 Week 2 Assignment; Adult obesity

Organizational Needs Assessment Irene Ginczek Chamberlain University College of Nursing NR 711 Fiscal Analysis and Project Management Dr. Bounds, Mandy May 2026 Session Adult obesity requires effective care focus, due to the challenges this poses on the healthcare system with consequences that may develop without comprehensive treatment in primary care settings. The integration of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with lifestyle counseling presents a promising avenue for addressing adult obesity as a public health problem, particularly within primary care settings (Nutu et al., 2023). This paper aims to conduct a comprehensive organizational needs assessment that underscores the importance of implementing this practice change. By addressing the identified practice practicum site problem of adult obesity and its associated challenges, this assessment will identify key stakeholders, analyze gaps in current practice, and highlight the need for structured intervention to facilitate this change. The rapidly growing health issue of obesity today represents a serious public health challenge in the United States of America that negatively impacts quality of life. The impact of adult obesity on population health is such that the current fragmented and limited approach to addressing adult obesity in primary care settings must be addressed. The purpose of this organizational needs assessment is to identify a critical gap within the current approach to managing adult obesity at my practicum site, which is a community-based primary care clinic, and to propose an evidence-based solution designed to address this gap by integrating a psychological component Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with lifestyle counseling to promoting long-term success with weight reduction. In support of this proposed integrative model for managing adult obesity, this paper outlines the scope of the problem, demonstrates the need for change through existing research and local data, identifies those who would be impacted by the change, and provides a detailed gap analysis that demonstrates the need for urgent action now and the ability to implement the proposed model. Through this assessment, I will provide the foundation for a DNP project that will promote the integration of a structured strategic intervention to obesity care at my practicum site. Identification of the Practice Problem or Need The practice problem identified at the practicum site is the rising prevalence of adult obesity, which has become an urgent health issue affecting both individual and population health. Recent epidemiological data indicate that obesity rates among adults have increased significantly over the past decade, leading to an increased risk of comorbid diseases such as cardiometabolic diseases, cancers, lifetime disabilities and socioeconomic stress according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021). Literature indicates that effective management of obesity requires associating behavioral interventions to modified lifestyle choices, such as a healthy diet and regular physical activity (Cha et al., 2025; Genis et al., 2021; Kurnik et al., 2023). The practice problem addressed in this needs assessment is the ineffective management of adult obesity in a primary care setting, where traditional interventions such as brief nutritional advice and referrals to external programs yield minimal long-term success. At the practicum