Quality improvement: Adherence to nurse-driven heparin protocols.

PURPOSE: This study assessed the impact of process standard work, a quality improvement tool, on staff adherence to nurse-driven unfractionated heparin (UFH) protocols in adult patients at a community teaching hospital. METHODS: This was a retrospective quality improvement project, and statistical analysis was performed by a senior research specialist at the facility. RESULTS: In total, 109 venous thromboembolism or cardiac UFH anticoagulant protocols were included in the final analysis, accounting for 445 activated partial thromboplastin time results. CONCLUSION: There was no change in adherence to a nurse-driven UFH protocol among adult patients after the implementation of process standard work.