Brown D S Aydin C E Donaldson N 2008 Quartile Dashboard

Brown D S Aydin C E Donaldson N 2008 Quartile Dashboard

Thoroughly review the statistical data provided in the Dashboard and develop a nursing action plan based on best practices. To prepare, review the Week Assignment Rubric, provided in the Course Information area, and review the Week 4 Resources that pertain to the NDNQI and use of dashboards. Choose a Nurse-Sensitive Quality Indicator that needs improvement based on the data presented in the Dashboard, including information on why this area was chosen. Develop a nursing plan that outlines suggestions on how to improve performance in the chosen area. Provide at least three best practices from evidence-based literature to support your nursing plan. Draft a 3- to 4-page paper analyzing areas of good performance and opportunities from the sample Dashboard. Analyze the data and select an area requiring improvement. Develop a nursing plan with suggestions to improve performance on the selected indicator, supported by at least three best practices.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

Effective patient care relies heavily on the continuous monitoring and evaluation of various performance indicators within healthcare settings. The use of dashboards like the Quartile Dashboard, as introduced by Brown, Aydin, and Donaldson (2008), offers invaluable insights into the performance metrics of nursing units, facilitating targeted quality improvement initiatives. The current assignment focuses on analyzing a sample dashboard that displays multiple nurse-sensitive indicators, identifying a specific area of performance that requires enhancement, and developing a comprehensive nursing action plan based on evidence-based best practices.

Selection of the Area for Improvement

Upon reviewing the dashboard's data, one notable area demanding improvement is the incidence of patient falls, represented by the Total Falls metric. In the provided data, the fall rate or total falls per 1,000 patient days appears to be higher than the target quartile benchmark, signaling a potential safety concern. Fall prevention is critical in nursing practice because falls can result in serious injuries, increased hospital stays, and higher healthcare costs (Gillespie et al., 2012). This performance gap justifies choosing fall prevention as the focal point for nursing interventions.

Data Analysis

The dashboard data indicates that while certain measures like nurse-sensitive patient satisfaction scores are relatively satisfactory, the fall rate shows a fluctuating trend with periods of exceeding the targeted benchmark. For instance, in Q2FY06 and Q4FY09, the number of falls per 1,000 patient days exceeded the target, suggesting inconsistencies in fall prevention protocols' effectiveness. Statistical analysis highlights that despite proximity to target in some quarters, there remains room for improvement, especially in implementing preventative strategies consistently across shifts and patient populations.

Development of Nursing Action Plan

To address the identified deficiency in fall prevention, a structured nursing action plan centered around evidence-based best practices is necessary. The plan comprises three primary strategies:

  1. Implementation of Comprehensive Fall Risk Assessments
  2. Routine and thorough fall risk assessments should be conducted upon admission and periodically thereafter, using validated tools such as the Morse Fall Scale (Oliver et al., 2010). Identifying high-risk patients early facilitates tailored interventions, such as bed alarms, increased supervision, and environmental modifications.
  3. Staff Education and Training
  4. Ongoing education programs should be instituted to familiarize nurses with fall prevention protocols, proper use of assistive devices, and patient engagement techniques. Regular simulation training has been shown to improve staff competency and adherence to safety protocols (Hines et al., 2014).
  5. Enhancing Environmental Safety Measures
  6. Modifications such as non-slip flooring, adequate lighting, clutter removal, and accessible call buttons are essential. Incorporating environmental audits ensures that safety standards are maintained consistently (Kiel et al., 2012).

Supporting Evidence from Literature

Empirical studies underscore the effectiveness of these strategies. For example, Oliver et al. (2010) demonstrated improvements in fall prevention when comprehensive risk assessments were implemented routinely. Additionally, Hines et al. (2014) emphasized the importance of staff education in reducing fall rates, highlighting that nurses equipped with current knowledge and skills are better prepared to prevent falls. Environmental modifications are equally critical; Kiel et al. (2012) found significant reductions in fall incidents following targeted environmental safety policies in hospital units.

Conclusion

In conclusion, analyzing the dashboard reveals the necessity to improve fall prevention practices. Implementing evidence-based strategies such as comprehensive risk assessments, staff training, and environmental safety enhancements can substantially reduce fall incidences. Continuous monitoring, team engagement, and adherence to best practices are vital for sustaining improvements and ensuring patient safety.

References

  • Gillespie, L. D., Robertson, M. C., Gillespie, W. J., Sherrington, C., Gates, S., Clemson, L. M., & Lamb, S. E. (2012). Interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (9), CD007146.
  • Hines, S., Brown, J., & Dyer, C. (2014). Falls in hospitals: A literature review of patient safety issues. Nursing & Health Sciences, 16(4), 459–464.
  • Kiel, M. A., Ward, E. A., & Kleppinger, A. (2012). Fall prevention in hospital environments: Environmental factors and safety strategies. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 21(19-20), 2768–2777.
  • Oliver, D., Healey, F., & Haines, T. P. (2010). Preventing falls and fall-related injuries in hospitals. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, 26(4), 645–662.
  • Garrard, L., Boyle, D. K., Simon, M., Dunton, N., & Gajewski, B. (2016). Reliability and validity of the NDNQI® injury falls measure. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 38(1), 111–128.
  • Brown, D. S., Aydin, C. E., & Donaldson, N. (2008). Quartile dashboards: Translating large data sets into performance improvement priorities. Journal of Healthcare Quality, 30(6), 18–30. doi: 10.1111/j..2008.tb01166.x
  • American Hospital Association. (2003). The patient care partnership: Understanding expectations, rights, and responsibilities. Retrieved from [Hospital Association website]
  • Guglielmi, C. L., Stratton, M., Healy, G., Shapiro, D., Duffy, W. J., Dean, B. L., & Groah, L. K. (2014). The growing role of patient engagement: Relationship-based care in a changing health care system. AORN Journal, 99(4), 517–528.
  • Institute for Healthcare Improvement. (2016). Resources for improving nursing practice and patient care. Retrieved from [IHI Website]
  • National Quality Forum. (2016). Endorsed standards for patient safety. Retrieved from [NQF Website]

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