Cost-Benefit Analysis of Allowing Additional Time in Cleaning Hospital Contact Precautions Rooms.

Increasing cleaning time may reduce hospital-acquired transmission of Clostridioides difficile, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE). We constructed a cost-benefit model to estimate the impact of implementing an enhanced cleaning protocol, allowing hospital housekeepers an additional 15 minutes to terminally clean contact precautions rooms. The enhanced cleaning protocol saved the hospital $758 per terminally-cleaned room when accounting for only C. difficile. Scaling up to a hospital with 100 cases of C. difficile/year, and the US annual C. difficile incidence, cost savings were $75,832/year and $169.8 million/year, respectively. These results may inform infection control strategic decision-making and resource allocation.

Understanding Barriers and Facilitators to Nonpharmacological Pain Management on Adult Inpatient Units.

Interprofessional staff are in a position to champion nonpharmacological pain management interventions, which can be effective when used in conjunction with analgesic medications. The purposes of this study were to understand the barriers and facilitators to using nonpharmacological pain management interventions as perceived by interprofessional staff, as well as to describe current knowledge, attitudes, and practices of interprofessional staff. An interpretive, descriptive study design at a large, urban, academic teaching hospital in the United States was used. This study provides a starting point for further understanding the potential implementation of nonpharmacological pain management interventions at the bedside. Recommendations include further evaluation of the current use of nonpharmacological pain management interventions as well as promoting education about available resources.

Room Costs for Common Pediatric Hospitalizations and Cost-Reducing Quality Initiatives.

BACKGROUND: Improvement initiatives promote safe and efficient care for hospitalized children. However, these may be associated with limited cost savings. In this article, we sought to understand the potential financial benefit yielded by improvement initiatives by describing the inpatient allocation of costs for common pediatric diagnoses. METHODS: This study is a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of pediatric patients aged 0 to 21 years from 48 children's hospitals included in the Pediatric Health Information System database from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2017. We included hospitalizations for 8 common inpatient pediatric diagnoses (seizure, bronchiolitis, asthma, pneumonia, acute gastroenteritis, upper respiratory tract infection, other gastrointestinal diagnoses, and skin and soft tissue infection) and categorized the distribution of hospitalization costs (room, clinical, laboratory, imaging, pharmacy, supplies, and other). We summarized our findings with mean percentages and percent of total costs and used mixed-effects models to account for disease severity and to describe hospital-level variation. RESULTS: For 195 436 hospitalizations, room costs accounted for 52.5% to 70.3% of total hospitalization costs. We observed wide hospital-level variation in nonroom costs for the same diagnoses (25%-81% for seizure, 12%-51% for bronchiolitis, 19%-63% for asthma, 19%-62% for pneumonia, 21%-78% for acute gastroenteritis, 21%-63% for upper respiratory tract infection, 28%-69% for other gastrointestinal diagnoses, and 21%-71% for skin and soft tissue infection). However, to achieve a cost reduction equal to 10% of room costs, large, often unattainable reductions (>100%) in nonroom cost categories are needed. CONCLUSIONS: Inconsistencies in nonroom costs for similar diagnoses suggest hospital-level treatment variation and improvement opportunities. However, individual improvement initiatives may not result in significant cost savings without specifically addressing room costs.

Keeping a 2009 Design Award-Winning Intensive Care Unit Current: A 13-Year Case Study.

In a complex medical center environment, the occupants of newly built or renovated spaces expect everything to "function almost perfectly" immediately upon occupancy and for years to come. However, the reality is usually quite different. The need to remediate initial design deficiencies or problems not noted with simulated workflows may occur. In our intensive care unit (ICU), we were very committed to both short-term and long-term enhancements to improve the built and technological environments in order to correct design flaws and modernize the space to extend its operational life way beyond a decade. In this case study, we present all the improvements and their background in our 20-bed, adult medical-surgical ICU. This ICU was the recipient of the Society of Critical Care Medicine's 2009 ICU Design Award Citation. Our discussion addresses redesign and repurposing of ICU and support spaces to accommodate expanding clinical or entirely new programs, new regulations and mandates; upgrading of new technologies and informatics platforms; introducing new design initiatives; and addressing wear and tear and gaps in security and disaster management. These initiatives were all implemented while our ICU remained fully operational. Proposals that could not be implemented are also discussed. We believe this case study describing our experiences and real-life approaches to analyzing and solving challenges in a dynamic environment may offer great value to architects, designers, critical care providers, and hospital administrators whether they are involved in initial ICU design or participate in long-term ICU redesign or modernization.

Development of a Simple and Practical Delirium Screening Tool for Use in Surgical Wards.

BACKGROUND: Delirium is an important and common medical condition, particularly in hospitalized patients, that is associated with adverse outcomes. The identification, prevention, and treatment of delirium are increasingly regarded as major public health priorities. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to create a simple-to-use screening tool for delirium in hospitalized patients using clinical manifestations of delirium regularly observed by nurses. METHODS: This study was conducted using data on 2,168 patients who had been admitted to the surgical ward between January 2011 and December 2014. Data were collected retrospectively from medical records. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed, and a logistic regression model was constructed for the development of a predictive screening tool. After constructing a new screening tool for delirium, a receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn, the most appropriate cutoff value was decided, and the area under the curve was obtained. Bootstrapping was used for the internal model validation. RESULTS: A screening tool for delirium (Subjective Delirium Screening Scale by Nurse) with a total score of 5 points was constructed as follows: 2 points for disorientation and 1 point each for restlessness, somnolence, and hallucination. The area under the curve for the Subjective Delirium Screening Scale by Nurse was 81.9% (95% CI [77.9%, 85.8%]), and the most appropriate cutoff value was determined to be 2 (sensitivity of 61.0% and specificity of 96.7%). Bootstrapped validation beta coefficients of the predictive factors were similar to the original cohort beta coefficients. CONCLUSIONS: We created a screening tool for delirium using factors that were regularly observed and recorded by nurses. This tool is simple and practical and has adequate diagnostic accuracy.

Mapping nursing practices in rehabilitation units in Spain and the United Kingdom: A multiple case study.

Because of the crisis in the health sector with few employment opportunities, many Spanish nurses are looking for professional development abroad. No studies have mapped nursing practices across Europe. The aim of this research was to provide a comprehensive approach to understand nursing practices and features of the context in Spain and the United Kingdom within the rehabilitation unit and to discuss those practices from a patient safety point of view. Multiple case study design with thematic analysis was applied in this study. The methods for data collection were in-depth interviews, nonparticipant observations, and document analysis. Results were classified into six categories: resources, techniques and nursing procedures, patients' personal care, health education, documentation task, and attitudes and communication skills. This study concludes that differences exist between nursing practices despite both countries having similar nursing competences. In addition, the UK unit has a positive safety culture, recognizes that mistakes happen, and applies more barriers to avoid them. The study provides valuable information to help the decision-making process for Spanish nurses considering working in the UK.

The learning environment on a student ward: an observational study.

INTRODUCTION: Worldwide, a growing number of healthcare students require clinical environments for learning. Some wards have become adapted 'student wards' to meet this demand. Benefits have been reported from the students', supervisors' and patients' perspectives. There is no definition of a student ward, and little research on what the term means. A deeper understanding of the characteristics of student wards is needed to support their use. The aim of this study is to describe what characterises the learning environment on one student ward. METHODS: An ethnographic approach was used for an observational study on a student ward in a hospital in Sweden. Student nurses, supervisors and others on the ward were observed. Field notes were thematically analysed. RESULTS: Four themes were identified: 'Student-led learning' described students learning by actively performing clinical tasks and taking responsibility for patients and for their own learning. 'Learning together' described peer learning and supervision. 'Staff's approach to learning' described personalised relationships between the students and staff and the build-up of trust, the unified inter-professional approach to teaching, and the supervisors' motivation for teaching and for their own learning. 'Student-dedicated space' described the effect of the student room on the learning environment. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: This study describes the characteristics of a student ward that centred around a community of practice that shared a view of learning as a priority, allowing staff to provide clinical care without compromising students' learning. This qualitative study at a single centre lays the groundwork for future research into other student wards.

Automated continuous noninvasive ward monitoring: future directions and challenges.

Automated continuous noninvasive ward monitoring may enable subtle changes in vital signs to be recognized. There is already some evidence that automated ward monitoring can improve patient outcome. Before automated continuous noninvasive ward monitoring can be implemented in clinical routine, several challenges and problems need to be considered and resolved; these include the meticulous validation of the monitoring systems with regard to their measurement performance, minimization of artifacts and false alarms, integration and combined analysis of massive amounts of data including various vital signs, and technical problems regarding the connectivity of the systems.

Adaptation of software with the nursing process for innovation units.

OBJECTIVE: To adapt data collection of the Information System software with the nursing process in Intensive Therapy for use in medical and surgical clinic units. METHODS: A descriptive study developed in three stages. The first consisted of team training; in the second, the software was applied in clinical practice with 100 patients; and in the third, we analyzed the modifications to be done. RESULTS: There was inter-observer agreement of 91%, followed by application of the software in 100 patients. In the "patient registration" module, it was suggested the exclusion of one item, inclusion of six and modification of four of them. In the anamnesis screens, no items were flagged to be deleted; 26 inclusions and 7 changes were proposed. In the physical examination screens, it was suggested the exclusion of 31 items, inclusion of 26 and modification of 27. CONCLUSION: Modifying information systems and going through stages methodologically constructed and implemented was important.

Adaptation of software with the nursing process for innovation units / Adaptación de software con el proceso de enfermería para unidades de internación / Adaptação de software com o processo de enfermagem para unidades de internação

ABSTRACT Objective: To adapt data collection of the Information System software with the nursing process in Intensive Therapy for use in medical and surgical clinic units. Methods: A descriptive study developed in three stages. The first consisted of team training; in the second, the software was applied in clinical practice with 100 patients; and in the third, we analyzed the modifications to be done. Results: There was inter-observer agreement of 91%, followed by application of the software in 100 patients. In the "patient registration" module, it was suggested the exclusion of one item, inclusion of six and modification of four of them. In the anamnesis screens, no items were flagged to be deleted; 26 inclusions and 7 changes were proposed. In the physical examination screens, it was suggested the exclusion of 31 items, inclusion of 26 and modification of 27. Conclusion: Modifying information systems and going through stages methodologically constructed and implemented was important.

RESUMEN Objetivo: adaptar la etapa de recolección de datos del software Sistema de Información con el Proceso de Enfermería en Terapia Intensiva para uso en unidades de clínica médica y quirúrgica. Métodos: estudio descriptivo desarrollado en tres etapas. La primera consistió en la capacitación del equipo; la segunda, en la aplicación del software a la práctica clínica con 100 pacientes y; la tercera, en el análisis de las modificaciones que se deben llevar a cabo. Resultados: se obtuvo concordancia interobservador del 91 %, seguida de aplicación del software a 100 pacientes. En el módulo de registro de los pacientes, se sugirió la exclusión de un ítem, la inclusión de seis ítems y la modificación de cuatro. En las pantallas de Anamnesis, no se señaló ningún ítem que excluir; se propusieron 26 inclusiones y siete modificaciones. En las pantallas del examen físico se sugirió la exclusión de 31 ítems, la inclusión de 26 y la modificación de 27. Conclusión: se observa la importancia de modificar sistemas de información, avanzando por etapas metodológicamente construidas e implementadas.

RESUMO Objetivo: adaptar a etapa de coleta de dados do software Sistema de Informação com o Processo de Enfermagem em Terapia Intensiva para uso em unidades de clínica médica e cirúrgica. Métodos: estudo descritivo desenvolvido em três etapas. A primeira consistiu na capacitação da equipe, na segunda o software foi aplicado na prática clínica com 100 pacientes e na terceira analisaram-se as modificações a serem realizadas. Resultados: obteve-se concordância inter-observador de 91%, seguido por aplicação do software em 100 pacientes. No módulo cadastro dos pacientes foi sugerida a exclusão de um item, incluídos seis e modificados quatro. Nas telas de Anamnese, nenhum item foi sinalizado para ser excluído; foram propostas 26 inclusões e sete alterações. Nas telas do exame físico foi sugerida a exclusão de 31 itens, a inclusão de 26 e 27 modificações. Conclusão: Observa-se a importância de modificar sistemas de informação, perpassando por etapas metodologicamente construídas e implementadas.

Cameras on beds: The ethics of surveillance in nursing home rooms.

Surveillance cameras are increasingly being deployed in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, with insufficient attention to what is ethically fraught about this way of assuaging concerns about abuse and other personnel challenges. With seven state laws now regulating camera monitoring and more on the way, it is urgent for us to consider the ethical implications of how we use technology to keep older adults safe. Drawing on findings from the first facility survey on this topic, we address three ethical issues: the risk that in-room cameras pose to residents' privacy and dignity, the risk of undermining care workers' sense of being fiduciaries for residents, and the probable extension of camera use by facilities to monitor staff and residents. We argue that with an aging population, intensifying strain on the care workforce, and ease of access to Web-connected cameras, this is a critical moment to address these ethical challenges.

Anticipated advantages and disadvantages of a move to 100% single-room hospital in Australia: A case study.

OBJECTIVES: There is an international policy trend for building government hospitals with greater proportions of single-occupancy rooms. The study aim was to identify advantages and disadvantages for patients and nursing staff of a pending move to 100% single-room hospital, in anticipation of the challenges for nurse managers of a different ward environment. This paper presents these findings, summarizing potential advantages and disadvantages as well as comparison with findings from similar studies in England. METHODS: Mixed method case study design was undertaken in four wards of a large hospital with multi-bed rooms. Three components of a larger study are reported here: nurse surveys and interviews, patient interviews of their experiences of the current multi-bedroom environment and expectations of new single-room environment. Integration was achieved via data transformation where results of the nursing staff survey and interviews and patient interviews were coded as narrative allowing for quantitative and qualitative data to be merged. RESULTS: Four constructs were derived: physical environment; patient safety and comfort; staff safety; and importance of interaction. CONCLUSION: There are important factors that inform nurse managers when considering a move to an all single-room design. These factors are important for nurses' and patients' well-being. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: This study identified for nurse managers key factors that should be considerd when contributing to the design of a 100% single-room hospital. Nurses' voices are critically important to inform the design for a safe and efficient ward environment.

High flow nasal therapy in perioperative medicine: from operating room to general ward.

BACKGROUND: High flow nasal therapy (HFNT) is a technique in which humidified and heated gas is delivered to the airways through the nose via small nasal prongs at flows that are higher than the rates generally applied during conventional oxygen therapy. The delivered high flow rates combine mixtures of air and oxygen and enable different inspired oxygen fractions ranging from 0.21 to 1. HFNT is increasingly used in critically ill adult patients, especially hypoxemic patients in different clinical settings. MAIN BODY: Noninvasive ventilation delivers positive pressure (end-expiratory and inspiratory pressures or continuous positive airway pressure) via different external interfaces. In contrast, HFNT produces different physiological effects that are only partially linked to the generation of expiratory positive airway pressure. HFNT and noninvasive ventilation (NIV) are interesting non-invasive supports in perioperative medicine. HFNT exhibits some advantages compared to NIV because HFNT is easier to apply and requires a lower nursing workload. Tolerance of HFNT remains a matter of intense debate, and it may be related to selected parameters. Patients receiving HFNT and their respiratory patterns should be closely monitored to avoid delays in intubation despite correct oxygenation parameters. CONCLUSION: HFNT seems to be an interesting noninvasive support in perioperative medicine. The present review provides anesthesiologists with an overview of current evidence and practical advice on the application of HFNT in perioperative medicine in adult patients.

Software for systematization of nursing care in medical units.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the development of a software prototype to apply the nursing process in clinical units of a general hospital, and assess its usefulness. METHOD: Applied methodological research of technological production of a program based on prototyping software engineering developed in three stages: specification, development, and validation. RESULTS: Produced under the name of INFOSAE, the system represents a set of stages (history, diagnosis, expected outcomes, and nursing intervention) providing guidance to nurses to direct and guarantee the necessary care to patients, also allowing an assessment of this care. CONCLUSION: The INFOSAE software prototype, an easy-to-use computerized technology, obtained a favorable assessment by the user nurses that participated in the whole development process, from the specification to the validation of the system.

Software for systematization of nursing care in medical units / Software para sistematización de la Atención de Enfermería en unidad de internación hospitalaria / Software para Sistematização da Assistência de Enfermagem em unidade de internação hospitalar

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe the development of a software prototype to apply the nursing process in clinical units of a general hospital, and assess its usefulness. Method: Applied methodological research of technological production of a program based on prototyping software engineering developed in three stages: specification, development, and validation. Results: Produced under the name of INFOSAE, the system represents a set of stages (history, diagnosis, expected outcomes, and nursing intervention) providing guidance to nurses to direct and guarantee the necessary care to patients, also allowing an assessment of this care. Conclusion: The INFOSAE software prototype, an easy-to-use computerized technology, obtained a favorable assessment by the user nurses that participated in the whole development process, from the specification to the validation of the system.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Describir el desarrollo de un software prototipo para aplicar el Proceso de Enfermería en unidades de clínica médica de un hospital general y evaluar su utilidad. Método: Investigación metodológica aplicada de producción tecnológica de un software, basada en la ingeniería de software piloto, desarrollada en tres fases: especificación, desarrollo y validación. Resultado: Programado bajo la denominación de INFOSAE, el sistema representa un conjunto de etapas (Histórico, Diagnóstico, Resultados esperados e Intervención de enfermería), que brinda orientación a los enfermeros para dirigir y garantizar la atención necesaria al paciente, permitiendo también evaluar dicha atención. Conclusión: El software prototipo INFOSAE, tecnología informática de fácil aplicación, contó con evaluación favorable por parte de los enfermeros usuarios que participaron de todo el proceso de desarrollo, desde la especificación hasta la validación del sistema.

RESUMO Objetivo: Descrever o desenvolvimento de um software protótipo para aplicar o Processo de Enfermagem em unidades de clínica médica de um hospital geral e avaliar sua utilidade. Método: Pesquisa metodológica aplicada de produção tecnológica de um software, baseada na engenharia de software de prototipação, desenvolvida em três fases: especificação, desenvolvimento e validação. Resultado: Produzido com a denominação de INFOSAE, o sistema representa um conjunto de etapas (Histórico, Diagnóstico, Resultados esperados e Intervenção de enfermagem) que fornece orientação aos enfermeiros para direcionar e garantir a assistência necessária ao paciente, possibilitando ainda avaliar essa assistência. Conclusão: O software protótipo INFOSAE, tecnologia informatizada de fácil aplicação, teve avaliação favorável dos enfermeiros usuários que participaram de todo o processo de desenvolvimento, desde a especificação até a validação do sistema.

Education practices: research-action with nurses of Family Health Strategy.

OBJECTIVE: to identify the factors that determine the implementation of educational practices of health promotion and to construct proposals to implement the educational actions of the nurses of the Family Health Units (FHU). METHOD: research-action in which individual interviews and focus group were conducted, with 17 nurses from 12 FHU in the city of Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre state, Brazil. The results were organized by the thematic analysis method. RESULTS: the thematic units emerged from the analysis: dichotomy between knowledge and doing in the production of care and health; the nurse's qualification for educational practices; and conditions favorable to health education practices. CONCLUSION: the thematic analysis showed that the educational practice is hampered by the high demand for care in the unit, lack of physical structure and professional qualification for health education. In the action phase, nurses and local managers agreed on actions to improve the quality of educational practices.

Education practices: research-action with nurses of Family Health Strategy / Prácticas educativas: investigación-acción con enfermeros de la Estrategia de Salud de la Familia / Práticas educativas: pesquisa-ação com enfermeiros da Estratégia de Saúde da Família

ABSTRACT Objective: to identify the factors that determine the implementation of educational practices of health promotion and to construct proposals to implement the educational actions of the nurses of the Family Health Units (FHU). Method: research-action in which individual interviews and focus group were conducted, with 17 nurses from 12 FHU in the city of Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre state, Brazil. The results were organized by the thematic analysis method. Results: the thematic units emerged from the analysis: dichotomy between knowledge and doing in the production of care and health; the nurse's qualification for educational practices; and conditions favorable to health education practices. Conclusion: the thematic analysis showed that the educational practice is hampered by the high demand for care in the unit, lack of physical structure and professional qualification for health education. In the action phase, nurses and local managers agreed on actions to improve the quality of educational practices.

RESUMEN Objetivo: identificar los factores que determinan la implementación de prácticas educativas de promoción de la salud y diseñar propuestas para efectuar las acciones educativas de los enfermeros de las Unidades de Salud de la Familia (USF). Método: investigación-acciones en las cuales se realizaron entrevistas individuales y grupo focal, con 17 enfermeros de 12 USFs de la ciudad Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brasil. Los resultados fueron organizados según el método de análisis temático. Resultados: han aparecido del análisis las unidades temáticas: dicotomía entre el saber y el hacer en la producción del cuidado y salud; la cualificación del enfermero para las prácticas educativas; y condiciones favorables a las prácticas de educación en salud. Conclusión: el análisis temático mostró que la práctica educativa es dificultada por la alta demanda de atención en la unidad, falta de estructura física y calificación profesional para la educación en salud. En la fase de acción, los enfermeros y gestores locales pactaron acciones para mejorar la calidad de las prácticas educativas.

RESUMO Objetivos: identificar os fatores que determinam a implementação de práticas educativas de promoção da saúde e construir propostas para efetivar as ações educativas dos enfermeiros das Unidades de Saúde da Família (USF). Método: pesquisa-ação em que foram realizadas entrevistas individuais e grupo focal, com 17 enfermeiros de 12 USFs do município de Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brasil. Os resultados foram organizados pelo método de análise temática. Resultados: emergiram da análise as unidades temáticas: dicotomia entre o saber e o fazer na produção do cuidado e saúde; a qualificação do enfermeiro para as práticas educacionais; e condições favoráveis às práticas de educação em saúde. Conclusão: a análise temática mostrou que a prática educativa é dificultada pela alta demanda de atendimento na unidade, falta de estrutura física e qualificação profissional para a educação em saúde. Na fase ação, os enfermeiros e gestores locais pactuaram ações para melhorar a qualidade das práticas educativas.

A tailored intervention to improving the quality of intrahospital nursing handover.

INTRODUCTION: Nursing handover is a process central to the delivery of high-quality and safe care. We aimed to improve the quality of nursing handover from the emergency department to ward and intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: A quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group pre-test - post-test design was applied. Handover quality was measured using the Handover Evaluation Scale (HES). A tailored intervention, inspired by appreciative inquiry, was designed to improve the implementation of an existing handover form and procedure. RESULTS: In total 130 nurses participated, 66 before and 64 after the intervention. Initial structure of the HES showed no good fit to our data; the questions were reshaped into 3 dimensions: Quality of information, Interaction and support, and Relevance of information. Following the intervention, mean changes in HES factor scores ranged from -3.99 to +15.9. No significant difference in factor scoring by ward and ICU nurses was found. Emergency department nurses, however, perceived Interaction and support to be improved following the intervention. CONCLUSION: The intervention did not result in an improved perception of handover quality by ward and ICU nurses. There was improvement in the perception of Interaction and support among emergency department nurses. The intervention positively effected teamwork and mutual understanding concerning nursing handover practice amongst emergency nurses. In order to improve intrahospital nursing handover, hospital-wide interventions are suggested. These interventions should be aimed at creating a generative story, improving mutual understanding, and establishing a supportive attitude regarding standardised procedures to reduce human error.