Using Evidence to Prevent Risk Associated With Perioperative Pressure Injuries.

Pressure injuries (PI) are a significant concern for surgical patients due to prolonged immobility and potential exposure to other risk factors associated with procedures. PI prevention strategies should begin early in the patient's surgical encounter starting with preoperative assessment. Much literature has been published to discuss PI risk factors, assessment tools, and evidence-based prevention measures. The purpose of this article is to critically review current best evidence to holistically assess patient risk for Hospital Acquired Pressure Injuries (HAPI) and review current tools used for risk assessment, interventions to combat skin injuries, and discuss implications for practice in perioperative nursing.

The lived experiences of graduate nurses transitioning to professional practice during a pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Graduate nurses face challenges during their transition to professional practice. Understanding these experiences during a pandemic has not been explored. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to describe the lived experiences of graduate nurses transitioning to practice during a pandemic. METHODS: Using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, focus groups were conducted with fifteen nurses who were at three different stages of transition and participating in a 12-month Graduate Nurse Residency Program. FINDINGS: Seven themes emerged: 1) being new is overwhelming, even more so during COVID-19, 2) need to be flexible, 3) pandemic knowledge and practice disconnect, 4) communication barriers worsened with masks, 5) being a "COVID nurse," 6) no self-care, and 7) gratitude: still glad to be a nurse. DISCUSSION: Findings emphasize the important focus on graduate nurse support and educational foundation for role transition into professional practice, especially during a pandemic. Participants expressed lack of preparedness for practice but remain excited about being a nurse.

Central Line Care and Management: Adopting Evidence-Based Nursing Interventions.

Central line-associated bloodstream infections occur not only in the intensive care unit but also the non-intensive care units of the hospital. The purpose of this article is to review current evidence to guide perianesthesia nurses in the care of a patient with a central vascular access device (CVAD). The CVAD bundle focuses on five key elements: hand hygiene, maximal sterile barrier, chlorhexidine antiseptic, catheter site selection, and daily evaluation of the need for the device. Once the CVAD is placed, evidence-based care and maintenance are the responsibility of the nurse. Ensuring proper maintenance and care of a CVAD falls within nursing practice and interventions can significantly reduce the patient's risk of central line-associated bloodstream infection. The single most crucial step a nurse can take to help prevent central line-associated bloodstream infections is performing proper hand hygiene. Other interventions focus on dressing management, bathing practices, access of intravenous infusion sets, blood draws, and management of port line occlusions. Familiarity and adoption of best practice interventions in the maintenance and care of patients with CVADs will help the perianesthesia nurse protect patients and prevent harm.

Design and Evaluation of Low-Fidelity Visual Display Prototypes for Multiple Hospital-Acquired Conditions.

Hospital-acquired conditions such as catheter-associated urinary tract infection, stage 3 or 4 hospital-acquired pressure injury, and falls with injury are common, costly, and largely preventable. This study used participatory design methods to design and evaluate low-fidelity prototypes of clinical dashboards to inform high-fidelity prototype designs to visualize integrated risks based on patient profiles. Five low-fidelity prototypes were developed through literature review and by engaging nurses, nurse managers, and providers as participants (N = 23) from two hospitals in different healthcare systems using focus groups and interviews. Five themes were identified from participatory design sessions: Need for Integrated Hospital-Acquired Condition Risk Tool, Information Needs, Sources of Information, Trustworthiness of Information, and Performance Tracking Perspectives. Participants preferred visual displays that represented patient comparative risks for hospital-acquired conditions using the familiar design metaphor of a gauge and green, yellow, and red "traffic light" colors scheme. Findings from this study were used to design a high-fidelity prototype to be tested in the next phase of the project. Visual displays of hospital-acquired conditions that are familiar in display and simplify complex information such as the green, yellow, and red dashboard are needed to assist clinicians in fast-paced clinical environments and be designed to prevent alert fatigue.

Decreasing Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections in Urologic Oncology Patients Discharged With an Indwelling Urinary Catheter: A Quality Improvement Project.

PURPOSE: Few strategies exist regarding decreasing catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) in the outpatient urologic oncology population discharged with an indwelling urinary catheter (IUC). DESIGN: A quality improvement methodology using a premeasurement-postmeasurement structure was used to study the impact of process interventions on reducing CAUTIs. METHODS: Creation of IUC outpatient materials, an "IUC Removal Form," and bundling IUC supplies were translated to an outpatient and perioperative setting to reduce CAUTIs. FINDINGS: The CAUTI rate in urologic surgical patients requiring an IUC at discharge decreased from 12.5% to 8%. Preoperative IUC education increased from 0% to 100%. The average number of days the IUC was present was unchanged. The average postanesthesia care unit length of stay decreased from 1.98 to 1.32 hours, saving the organization $11,880.00. IUC removal appointments at discharge increased from 4% to 33% (P = .0146). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of consistent patient education and improved process for IUC removal reduced CAUTIs in this population.

Use of Electronic Health Records by Nurses for Symptom Management in Inpatient Settings: A Systematic Review.

Symptom management is one of the essential functions of nurses in inpatient settings; yet, little is understood about the manner in which nurses use electronic health records for symptom documentation. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review is to characterize nurses' use of electronic health records for documentation of symptom assessment and management in inpatient settings, to inform design studies that better support electronic health records for patient symptom management by nurses. We searched the Ovid Medline (1946-current), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (EBSCO, 1981-current), and Excerpta Medica Database (Embase.com, 1974-current) databases from inception through May 2015 using multiple subject headings and "free text" key words, representing the concepts of electronic medical records, symptom documentation, and inpatient setting. One thousand nine hundred eighty-two articles were returned from the search. Eighteen publications from the years 2003 to 2014 were included after abstract and full text review. Studies heavily focused on a pain as symptom. Nurses face challenges when using electronic health records that can threaten quality and safety of care. Clinical, design, and administrative recommendations were identified to overcome the challenges of nurses' electronic health record use. A call for interdisciplinary, comprehensive, systematic interventions and user-centered design of information systems is needed.

Comparative effectiveness of quality improvement interventions for pressure ulcer prevention in academic medical centers in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Prevention of pressure ulcers, one of the hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) targeted by the 2008 nonpayment policy of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), is a critical issue. This study was conducted to determine the comparative effectiveness of quality improvement (QI) interventions associated with reduced hospital-acquired pressure ulcer (HAPU) rates. METHODS: In an quasi-experimental design, interrupted time series analyses were conducted to determine the correlation between HAPU incidence rates and adoption of QI interventions. Among University HealthSystem Consortium hospitals, 55 academic medical centers were surveyed from September 2007 through February 2012 for adoption patterns of QI interventions for pressure ulcer prevention, and hospital-level data for 5,208 pressure ulcer cases were analyzed. Between- and within-hospital reduction significance was tested with t-tests post-CMS policy intervention. RESULTS: Fifty-three (96%) of the 55 hospitals used QI interventions for pressure ulcer prevention. The effect size analysis identified five effective interventions that each reduced pressure ulcer rates by greater than 1 case per 1,000 patient discharges per quarter: leadership initiatives, visual tools, pressure ulcer staging, skin care, and patient nutrition. The greatest reductions in rates occurred earlier in the adoption process (p<.05). CONCLUSIONS: Five QI interventions had clinically meaningful associations with reduced stage III and IV HAPU incidence rates in 55 academic medical centers. These QI interventions can be used in support of an evidence-based prevention protocol for pressure ulcers. Hospitals can not only use these findings from this study as part of a QI bundle for preventing HAPUs.

Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcers at Academic Medical Centers in the United States, 2008-2012: Tracking Changes Since the CMS Nonpayment Policy.

BACKGROUND: In 2007, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced its intention to no longer reimburse hospitals for costs associated with hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs) and a list of other hospital-acquired conditions (HACs), which was followed by enactment of the nonpayment policy in October 2008. This study was conducted to define changes in HAPU incidence and variance since 2008. METHODS: In a retrospective observational study, HAPU cases were identified at 210 University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) academic medical centers in the United States. HAPU incidence rates were calculated as a ratio of HAPU cases to the total number of UHC inpatients between the first quarter of 2008 and the second quarter of 2012. HAPU cases were defined by multiple criteria: not present on admission (POA); coded for stage III or IV pressure ulcers; and a length of stay greater than four days. RESULTS: Among the UHC hospitals between 2008 and June 2012, 10,386 HAPU cases were identified among 4.08 million inpatients. The HAPU incidence rate decreased significantly from 11.8 cases per 1,000 inpatients in 2008 to 0.8 cases per 1,000 in 2012 (p < .001; 95% confidence interval: 8.39-8.56). Among HAPU cases were trends of more elderly patients, greater case-mix index, and more surgical cases. The analysis of covariance model identified CMS non-payment policy as a significant covariate of changing trends in HAPU incidence rates. CONCLUSIONS: HAPU incidence rates decreased significantly among 210 UHC AMCs after the enactment of the CMS nonpayment policy. The hospitals appeared to be reacting efficiently to economic policy incentives by improving prevention efforts.

Factors Influencing Adoption of Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcer Prevention Programs in US Academic Medical Centers.

PURPOSE: Recent data show a decrease in hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (PUs) throughout US hospitals; these changes may be associated with increased success in implementing evidence-based practices for PU prevention. The purpose of this study was to identify wound care nurse perceptions of the primary factors that influenced the overall reduction of PUs. DESIGN: Cross-sectional descriptive survey. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Surveys were sent to wound care nurses at 98 University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) hospitals. The UHC consists of more than 120 academic medical centers and affiliated facilities across the United States. Responses solicited from this survey represented a geographically diverse set of hospitals from less than 200 beds to more than 1000 beds. INSTRUMENT: The survey questionnaire used a framework of 7 internal and 5 external influential factors for implementing evidence-based practices for PU prevention. Internal influential factors queried included availability of nurse specialists, high nursing job turnover, high PU rates, and prevention campaigns. External influential factors included data sharing, Medicare nonpayment policy, and applications for Magnet recognition. METHODS: Hospital-acquired PU prevention experts at UHC hospitals were contacted through the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society membership directory to complete the questionnaire. Consenting participants were e-mailed a disclosure and online questionnaire; they were also sent monthly reminders until they either responded to the survey or declined participation. RESULTS: Fifty-five respondents (59% response rate) indicated several internal factors that influenced evidence-based practice: hospital prevention campaigns; the availability of nursing specialists; and the level of preventive knowledge among hospital staff. External influential factors included financial concerns; application for Magnet recognition; data sharing among peer institutions; and regulatory issues. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services nonpayment policy influenced a large majority of hospital's changes in practice. The availability of nursing specialists for wound consult influenced hospitals internally. These factors are informative of the impact policy has on changes in hospital prioritization of adopting evidence-based practices for PU prevention.

Caring for inpatient boarders in the emergency department: improving safety and patient and staff satisfaction.

Hospital capacity constraints lead to large numbers of inpatients being held for extended periods in the emergency department. This creates concerns with safety, quality of care, and dissatisfaction of patients and staff. The aim of this quality-improvement project was to improve satisfaction and processes in which nurses provided care to inpatient boarders held in the emergency department. A quality-improvement project framework that included the use of a questionnaire was used to ascertain employee and patient dissatisfaction and identify opportunities for improvement. A task force was created to develop action plans related to holding and caring for inpatients in the emergency department. A questionnaire was sent to nursing staff in spring 2012, and responses from the questionnaire identified improvements that could be implemented to improve care for inpatient boarders. Situation-background-assessment-recommendation (SBAR) communications and direct observations were also used to identify specific improvements. Post-questionnaire results indicated improved satisfaction for both staff and patients. It was recognized early that the ED inpatient area would benefit from the supervision of an inpatient director, managers, and staff. Outcomes showed that creating an inpatient unit within the emergency department had a positive effect on staff and patient satisfaction.