scholarly journals Using quality improvement to standardise and enhance the use of the national early warning score (NEWS) in an old age psychiatry inpatient setting

BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. S38-S39
Author(s):  
Fraser MacNicoll ◽  
Mong Sun Tung ◽  
Brion McGowan
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Quality Improvement Project ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Early Warning Score ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Improvement Project ◽  
Physical Deterioration ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Old Age Psychiatry

AimsWithin an inpatient old-age psychiatry setting, there is an increased risk of acute physical deterioration secondary to age, comorbidities and reduced physiological reserve. Numerous recent clinical incidents highlighted late recognition of physical deterioration within this population. We assessed the use of the NEWS, a system for scoring physiological measurements, in an old-age psychiatry ward and subsequently attempted to improve performance of obtaining physical health observations in this cohort of patients.MethodRetrospective pre- and post- quality improvement study in a twenty bed Old Age Psychiatry Ward in East Lothian Community Hospital, Haddington, Scotland. Data were collected from 12th October – 16th November, 2020 (pre- period) and from 16th November 2020 to 15th February, 2021 (post- period). The primary process measure was ensuring all patients had at least one full set of physical observations at least once a week, or more frequent as deemed clinically appropriate. Secondary measures included ensuring NEWS scores were accurately calculated and improved documentation. This was tracked using a run chart. Improvement activities focused on increased awareness, effective training, key stakeholder buy-in and reviewing trust policy.ResultThe percentage of NEWS documented for all patients at least once a week improved from a mean of 28.7% (31/108) in the 6 weeks prior to intervention, to a mean of 71.4% (125/175) in the following 13 weeks. The minimum required physical observations required to accurately calculate a NEWS improved from 51.6% (16/31) pre-intervention to 95.2% (119/125) post-intervention and NEWS being calculated correctly increased from 80.6% (25/31) to 96% (120/125). Documentation of a reason why physical observations were not taken increased from 2.5% (2/77) to 62% (31/50) pre- and post- intervention respectively.ConclusionThis quality improvement project highlighted that recording of physical observations and use of NEWS was inadequate in this setting, increasing the risk of a delay in identification of acute physical deterioration and thus increase morbidity and mortality. Introducing simple measures and standardising the NEWS assessment process, along with senior nursing and medical oversight, greatly enhanced acquiring and recording of physical observations and NEWS scores. This quality improvement project has shown that practical solutions and staff education can increase efficacy and are hoping further input can consolidate the gains achieved and lead to continued improvements.

scholarly journals Examining trainee awareness of dermatoses and dermatological assessments during acute admissions (A quality improvement project)

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 137-143
Author(s):  
Priya Patel ◽  
◽  
Natalie King ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Elderly Patients ◽  
Skin Care ◽  
Quality Improvement Project ◽  
Psychological Consequences ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Improvement Project ◽  
Care Bundles ◽  
Trust Hospital ◽  
Acute Admissions

Studies demonstrate 67% of elderly patients can have dermatoses, which could result in functional and psychological consequences. Elderly presentations are further complicated by comorbidities and polypharmacy. This combined with limited dermatology training at undergraduate and postgraduate levels creates diagnostic challenges. This project investigated dermatology assessments by trainees using the Trust’s acute medical admissions proforma. 100 proforma were reviewed for skin assessments alongside nursing skin care bundles. Subsequently, a skin survey was conducted amongst trainees evaluating knowledge and confidence when diagnosing and managing common dermatoses. Successively, a dermatology teaching series was delivered. Post-intervention the above were reassessed, demonstrating improvements in most areas. The dermatology teaching series will continue alongside a Trust hospital guideline to sustain improvements in dermatological care on admission.

817 A Proactive Feeding Regimen on Meeting Caloric Goals with Continuous Enteral Nutrition Support: A Quality Improvement Project

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S247-S248
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Lu
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Enteral Nutrition ◽  
Total Body Surface Area ◽  
Quality Improvement Project ◽  
Nutrition Support ◽  
Burn Patients ◽  
Improvement Project ◽  
Impaired Wound Healing ◽  
Protocol Group ◽  
Increased Risk

Abstract Introduction Severe burn injuries are characterized by elevated metabolic demands. Numerous studies have documented iatrogenic underfeeding of critical care patients, which can lead to malnutrition, impaired wound healing, weakened immune response, and increased risk of infections. Enteral nutrition (EN) support is often utilized to help meet the increased caloric demands of burn patients. However, discrepancies between prescribed and delivered EN can occur due to frequent interruptions, delays initiating EN, gradual advancement of EN rate, and/or physician directed changes. The objective of this quality improvement project is to assess whether a proactive calculation of EN regimens can improve the provision of calories compared to a traditional calculation method. Methods A retrospective review of patients in a pediatric acute burn unit that received continuous EN for greater than three days was performed. The pre-protocol group consisted of patients from January 1st, 2017 to November 30th, 2017 who had continuous EN rates calculated by the dietitian based on 24 hours per day. This group was compared to patients from September 1st, 2018 to July 31st, 2019 who had EN rates calculated by the dietitian based on 23 hours per day (post-protocol group). Periods in which parenteral nutrition was administered or the EN regimen was prescribed in a non-continuous fashion were excluded. The primary outcome measure was the percentage of admissions in which patients met at least 85% of calorie estimations. This project was undertaken as a Quality Improvement initiative and, as such, was not formally supervised by an Institutional Review Board. Results A total of 132 patients (73 pre- and 59 post-protocol) from 134 separate inpatient admissions (73 pre- and 61 post-protocol) were identified. The average total body surface area burn was 40.9% (SD 18.8) vs. 49.4% (SD 19.8) and average age was 8.6 years (SD 5.9) vs. 7.9 years (SD 5.4) in the pre- and post-protocol groups, respectively. Continuous EN ran for an average of 20 hours a day (SD 2.2, median = 21) vs. 21 hours a day (SD 2.7, median = 22) in the pre- and post-protocol groups, respectively. The average number of days on continuous EN was comparable in both groups. The post-protocol group had 75% of admissions meet at least 85% of calorie estimations compared to the pre-protocol group with 52% of admissions having met the goal. Conclusions Due to the heightened metabolic demands of burn patients and the barriers to meeting caloric goals, it is important to minimize calorie deficits with EN support. Although a seemingly small change, calculating continuous EN rates based on 23 hours per day can yield improved caloric provisions compared to rates based on 24 hours per day. Applicability of Research to Practice A proactive approach to calculating continuous EN support should be considered to help decrease caloric deficits.

Poster 117: Pain Assessment Survey (PAS) for Assessing Physical Pain in Post-Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA) Patients Post Intervention: Quality Improvement Project

PM&R ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. S172-S172
Author(s):  
Kirill Alekseyev ◽  
Nikhil Verma ◽  
Swathy Sreekumar ◽  
Amarin Suriyakhamhaengwongse ◽  
Malcolm Lakdawala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Pain Assessment ◽  
Cerebrovascular Accident ◽  
Quality Improvement Project ◽  
Physical Pain ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Improvement Project ◽  
Assessment Survey

scholarly journals Improving cardiometabolic screening on an inpatient psychiatric ward: a quality improvement project

BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. S194-S194
Author(s):  
Harrison Howarth ◽  
Jonathan Pass ◽  
Fahel Ahmed ◽  
Sarah Wiethoff
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Quality Improvement ◽  
General Population ◽  
Serious Mental Illness ◽  
Quality Improvement Project ◽  
Cardiometabolic Health ◽  
Improvement Project ◽  
Information Leaflets ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Cardiometabolic Screening

AimsPrimary aim: To increase the proportion of patients receiving a full cardiometabolic screen whilst on the ward to 75%.Secondary aims: To improve communication with GPs regarding cardiometabolic health, to improve the rates of intervention when abnormalities are found to 75%.BackgroundPeople with serious mental illness are known to have significantly increased risk of cardiometabolic syndrome than the general population. Estimates suggest there would be up to 12,000 fewer deaths from cardiovascular disease if people with serious mental illness had the same outcomes as the general population. People with serious mental illness die on average 20 years earlier than the general population due to preventable physical health problems.Whilst on the ward, we have an excellent opportunity to screen and treat patients with cardiometabolic risk factors, yet screens are often incomplete, not acted upon, or simply not carried out.MethodUsing the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) methodology, we trialed interventions to improve the cardiometabolic screening process on out 16 bed inpatient ward. Across 8 cycles, we set up a protocol to ensure all new patients received a full cardiometabolic screen during their admission reviews, engaged nursing staff with the process and managed inconsistencies with blood transportation and delivery. We also started using British Heart Foundation information leaflets, and treating patients in accordance with the Lester Tool: Positive Cardiometabolic Health Resource. We made design changes to the discharge summary template allowing for clear communication with GPs on discharge.ResultAt the end of 8 cycles, we had achieved 100% compliance with the full cardiometabolic screen (as defined by the Lester Tool) from a baseline of just 25%. We also improved intervention with identified abnormalities from a baseline of 0% to 100%.ConclusionImprovements in cardiometabolic screening and treatment were possible using the PDSA methodology. Given the success of this quality improvement project, we plan to introduce our methodology onto other wards in the trust.

The modified early warning score in gynecologic oncology inpatients: A quality improvement project

2020 ◽  
Vol 159 ◽  
pp. 286-287
Author(s):  
K.V. Grette ◽  
C. Hude ◽  
R. Paladugu ◽  
G.L. Mantell ◽  
N.L. Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Early Warning ◽  
Gynecologic Oncology ◽  
Quality Improvement Project ◽  
Early Warning Score ◽  
Improvement Project

Improvement in Herpes Zoster Vaccination in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Quality Improvement Project

2016 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heena Sheth ◽  
Larry Moreland ◽  
Hilary Peterson ◽  
Rohit Aggarwal
Keyword(s):  
Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Herpes Zoster ◽  
Immunosuppressive Therapy ◽  
Eligible Patient ◽  
Quality Improvement Project ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Improvement Project ◽  
Intervention Phase ◽  
Vaccination Rates

Objective.To improve herpes zoster (HZ) vaccination rates in high-risk patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) being treated with immunosuppressive therapy.Methods.This quality improvement project was based on the pre- and post-intervention design. The project targeted all patients with RA over the age of 60 years while being treated with immunosuppressive therapy (not with biologics) seen in 13 rheumatology outpatient clinics. The study period was from July 2012 to June 2013 for the pre-intervention and February 2014 to January 2015 for the post-intervention phase. The electronic best practice alert (BPA) for HZ vaccination was developed; it appeared on electronic medical records during registration and medication reconciliation of the eligible patient by the medical assistant. The BPA was designed to electronically identify patient eligibility and to enable the physician to order the vaccine or to document refusal or deferral reason. Education regarding vaccine guidelines, BPA, vaccination process, and feedback were crucial components of the project interventions. The vaccination rates were compared using the chi-square test.Results.We evaluated 1823 and 1554 eligible patients with RA during the pre-intervention and post-intervention phases, respectively. The HZ vaccination rates, reported as patients vaccinated among all eligible patients, improved significantly from the pre-intervention period of 10.1% (184/1823) to 51.7% (804/1554) during the intervention phase (p < 0.0001). The documentation rates (vaccine received, vaccine ordered, patient refusal, and deferral reasons) increased from 28% (510/1823) to 72.9% (1133/1554; p < 0.0001). The HZ infection rates decreased significantly from 2% to 0.3% (p = 0.002).Conclusion.Electronic identification of vaccine eligibility and BPA significantly improved HZ vaccination rates. The process required minimal modification of clinic work flow and did not burden the physician’s time, and has the potential for self-sustainability and generalizability.

Utilizing Assessment Tools in Decreasing Fall Risk Among Community-Dwelling Adults: A Quality Improvement Project

2021 ◽  
pp. 108482232110347
Author(s):  
Justin Fontenot
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Fall Risk ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Quality Improvement Project ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Improvement Project ◽  
The Mean

Although there are standardized fall risk assessment tools in home care clinical practice, there are no standardized tools to reduce fall risk. This quality improvement project aims to test the adaptability of the Fall TIPS (Tailoring Interventions for Patient Safety) tool among the community-dwelling adult population by measuring the impact of the tool’s implementation on client fall risk. Participants included n = 54 clients enrolled in home care and n = 14 members of the clinical team. This project used a quantitative method with a quasi-experimental pre-and post-intervention design. The quality improvement project implemented the Fall TIPS tool, and fall risk was measured using the Morse Fall Risk Assessment (MFRA). The Fall TIPS tool was provided to participants by visiting staff, and interventions were selected based on the participant’s assessment. Participants’ fall risk was scored during in-person home visits, and the results were recorded in the electronic health record. A dependent 2-tailed t-test measured the variance of means between the pre-and-post groups. The pre-intervention MFRA score mean was 63.43 ± 22.52; p = .000 and the mean score in the post-intervention group was 58.15 ± 22.49; p = .000. The mean difference between the pre-and post-groups was 5.28. Implementing the Fall TIPS toolkit in the home care clinical setting reduced fall risk post-intervention and offered tools for future evaluation in home care settings.

scholarly journals Optimal management of children on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in primary care: a quality improvement project

2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 49
Author(s):  
Claire Van Deventer ◽  
Lauren Golden ◽  
Erica Du Plessis ◽  
Carien Lion-Cachet
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Management Strategy ◽  
Quality Improvement Project ◽  
Hiv Positive ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Improvement Project ◽  
Viral Loads ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Significant Process

Introduction: With the large volumes of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive patients in South Africa, one clinical management strategy has been to task shift. This means that previously hospi-centric HIV services have devolved to primary health care (PHC) clinics. The referral pattern is true for paediatric patients as well. With the added complexity of managing children, there was a concern in the research district that children were not being optimally managed at PHC level. Method: A quality improvement project was initiated to assess HIV-positive children’s management at PHC clinics and to implement an intervention to improve this care. Results: The initial audits of 624 children in the district revealed that only 66.6% of children had undetectable viral loads (VLs). Other poor indicators were lack of regular blood results, omission of prophylactic isoniazide (INH) and cotrimoxazole etc. Documents were disorganised and not standard across the district. The intervention sought to place the local clinic doctor as the champion in each clinic. A reorganised file was planned where all the care elements would be clearly present. Conclusion: Post intervention, it was clear that where individual doctors took on the challenge of quality improvement there were significant process changes. Results are discussed in detail. (Full text of the research articles are available online at www.medpharm.tandfonline.com/ojfp) S Afr Fam Pract 2017; DOI: 10.1080/20786190.2016.1254928

Implementing a Systematic Process for Consistent Nursing Care in a NICU: A Quality Improvement Project

2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 96-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renay Marie McCarley ◽  
Donna A. Dowling ◽  
Mary A. Dolansky ◽  
Amy Bieda
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Quality Improvement Project ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Improvement Project ◽  
Systematic Process ◽  
Percent Increase ◽  
Care Nursing ◽  
Percent Decrease ◽  
Primary Care Nursing

AimThe global aim of this quality improvement project was to develop and implement a systematic process to assign and maintain consistent bedside nurses for infants and families.MethodsA systematic process based on a primary care nursing model was implemented to assign consistent care for a 48-bed, single-family room NICU.ResultsFour PDSA cycles were necessary to obtain agreement from the nursing staff as to the best process for assigning primary nurses. Post-intervention data revealed a 9.5 percent decrease of consistent caregivers for infants in the NICU ≤ 28 days and a 2.3 percent increase of consistent caregivers for infants in the NICU ≥ 29 days.ConclusionAlthough these findings did not meet the goal of the specific aim, a systematic process was created to assign bedside nurses to infants. Further PDSAs will be needed to refine the process to reach the aim.

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