Remote Patient Monitoring Improves Patient Falls and Reduces Harm.

BACKGROUND: Minimizing patient falls and fall-related injuries within organizational constraints is a high priority for nurse leaders. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services do not reimburse hospitals for fall-related expenditures. In-person sitters are used to prevent falls but are resource intensive and costly. Remote patient monitoring (RPM) may offer alternatives to in-person sitters to reduce fall-related harm. PURPOSE: The efficacy of RPM to reduce patient falls and fall-related injuries was explored. METHODS: Electronic health record data were extracted from a 13-hospital integrated health care system. Incidence rate ratios were used to analyze the impact of RPM technology on falls and fall-related injuries. RESULTS: When used in conjunction with standard fall precautions, RPM reduced falls 33.7% and fall-related injuries 47.4%. Fall-related expenditures decreased $304 400 with a combined estimated savings systemwide of $2 089 600 annually. CONCLUSIONS: RPM technology minimized falls and associated harm and improved patient safety, positively impacting hospital expenditures.

Efficacy of the Crisis Risk Triage Scale in Inpatient Units Within the United States.

ABSTRACT: Patient violence toward others, including doctors and nurses, is a serious concern worldwide. A wealth of literature supports the assertion that violent behavior can be prevented with proper screening and management policies. This project aimed to evaluate the Crisis Triage Rating Scale (CTRS) within a 12-hospital integrated healthcare delivery system located in the southeastern United States. An initial sample of 112,708 unique patient visits between January 2019 and December 2020 was included in this retrospective review of electronic health records. We found that the CTRS harm triage question and risk levels were significant predictors of harm to others. Consistent with previous literature, positive predictive values ranged between 0.025 and 0.070 and negative predictive values ranged between 0.991 and 0.995. Our results support the assertion that clinicians should make balanced judgments about using a positive risk score to allocate safety measures. Variations in practice were evident across our healthcare systems. Improving appropriate assessment procedures may improve the diagnostic tools and risk stratification. When documented correctly, the CTRS performed as expected in an environment where harm to others occurred infrequently.

Nursing Moral Distress and Intent to Leave Employment During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Complexity in nursing practice creates an intense and stressful environment that may lead to moral distress (MD) and registered nurses (RNs) seeking other employment. LOCAL PROBLEM: In 2020, the RN turnover rate was 8%, with postpandemic turnover projected to reach 13%. METHODS: The Measure of Moral Distress for Health Care Professionals (MMD-HP) was used to measure the frequency and level of RNs' MD. RESULTS: t tests showed significant differences for 16 of 27 MMD-HP items in RN intent to leave. RNs had 2.9 times the odds of intent to leave (P = .019) due to perceived issues with patient quality and safety and 9.1 times the odds of intent to leave (P < .001) due to perceived issues with the work environment. Results explained 40.3% of outcome variance. CONCLUSIONS: MD related to work environment or patient quality and safety were significant factors in RN intent to leave their position.

The Impact of Burnout on Emergency Nurses' Intent to Leave: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

INTRODUCTION: Emergency nurses work in one of the busiest and most stressful departments in a hospital and, as such, may experience burnout more often than nurses working in other nursing units. This study examined the relationship among orientation, burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low sense of personal accomplishment), and intent to leave. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey design was used. Emergency nurses who were members of the Emergency Nurses Association were invited to participate in an anonymous survey. The Maslach Burnout Inventory tool was used to explore emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and sense of personal accomplishment. Emergency nurses' intent to leave was assessed with the Turnover Intention Scale. A logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the odds of intent to leave for those who scored at or above versus below the median on each burnout subscale. RESULTS: The findings revealed that a formal orientation enhanced emergency nurses' sense of personal accomplishment and was associated with lower intent to leave. The odds of intent to leave were almost 9 times greater for participants with 5 or more years of experience, approximately 13 times greater for those with above-median emotional exhaustion, and more than 6 times lower for those with above-median sense of personal accomplishment. DISCUSSION: Emotional exhaustion and low sense of personal accomplishment were key factors influencing emergency nurses' intent to leave. Emergency nurse leaders may find that a formal orientation program enhances sense of personal accomplishment and decreases intent to leave. Creating work environments to help emergency nurses find joy in their work may be critical to work-life balance and staff retention.

Predictive Validity of the Cubbin-Jackson and Braden Skin Risk Tools in Critical Care Patients: A Multisite Project.

BACKGROUND: Patients in intensive care units are 5 times more likely to have skin integrity issues develop than patients in other units. Identifying the most appropriate assessment tool may be critical to preventing pressure injuries in intensive care patients. OBJECTIVES: To validate the Cubbin-Jackson skin risk assessment in the critical care setting and to compare the predictive accuracy of the Cubbin-Jackson and Braden scales for the same patients. METHODS: In 5 intensive care units, the Cubbin-Jackson and Braden assessments were completed by different clinicians within 61 minutes of each other for 4137 patients between October 2017 and March 2018. Bivariate correlations and the Fisher exact test were used to check for associations between the scores. RESULTS: The Cubbin-Jackson and Braden scores were significantly and positively correlated (r = 0.80, P < .001). Both tools were significant predictors of skin changes and identified as "at risk" 100% of the patients who had a change in skin integrity occur. The specificity was 18.4% for the Cubbin-Jackson scale and 27.9% for the Braden scale, and the area under the curve was 0.75 (P < .001) for the Cubbin-Jackson scale and 0.76 (P < .001) for the Braden scale. These findings show acceptable construct validity for both scales. CONCLUSIONS: The predictive validities of the Cubbin-Jackson and Braden scales are similar, but both are sub-optimal because of poor specificity and positive predictive value. Change in practice may not be warranted, because there are no differences between the 2 scales of practical benefit to bedside nurses.

Women RISE: Empowering Women to Manage Chronic Pain and Informing Provider Opioid Prescribing Practices.

BACKGROUND: The Women RISE program, educating women and health care providers along with technology support, may reduce opioid use. LOCAL PROBLEM: Opioid use presented health concerns for women in Virginia's Central Shenandoah Valley. METHODS: We evaluated the impact of Women RISE on self-management of chronic pain and opioid use, provider prescribing practices, and opioid reduction within our community. INTERVENTIONS: We implemented the Chronic Pain Self-Management Program (CPSMP), educated women and providers, and streamlined access to the Prescription Management Program. Opioid best practice alerts informed providers about their prescribing practices. RESULTS: The CPSMP was beneficial in improving women's coping skills, knowledge about opioid use, and overall quality of life. Opioid prescriptions were reduced 34%. We also reduced unneeded opioid analgesics within our community. CONCLUSIONS: Women were better able to manage chronic pain and stressors impacting opioid misuse. Opioid prescribing practices improved, limiting opioid availability in our community.

Impact of a Telephonic Outreach Program on Patient Outcomes Within the Heart Failure Community.

BACKGROUND: Telephonic outreach programs (TOPs) can be an effective measure to improve 30-day readmissions and self-management behaviors. LOCAL PROBLEM: Our health care providers identified that patients admitted with heart failure (HF) were among those with the highest readmission rate, so we implemented a TOP specific to HF. METHODS: This project evaluated retrospective data from a convenience sample of adult patients admitted to our hospitals between January 2015 and June 2017, with a primary diagnosis of HF, and discharged home (N = 6271). Of those, 1708 patients also had at least partial TOP data, and a subset had timestamped TOP data (n = 1524). INTERVENTIONS: The TOP program included patient education and personal follow-up via an automatic voice calling system that employed a series of 4 phone calls over a 27-day period. RESULTS: Results showed that the TOP enhanced our hospital discharge process and contributed to program outcomes when the patients completed all 4 of the calls, with those patients having 11 times lower odds of having a 30-day readmission. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of patients who completed the program reported more use of self-management behaviors compared with those who answered fewer than 4 calls. Our findings related to the lower frequency of self-management behaviors of patients who did not complete all vendor calls stress the important issue of vendor management.

The Effect of Nurse Practice Environment on Retention and Quality of Care via Burnout, Work Characteristics, and Resilience: A Moderated Mediation Model.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the influence of nurse work characteristics, resiliency, and burnout on retention, and patient quality and safety. BACKGROUND: With an ongoing nursing shortage, maintaining qualified nursing staff is critical. We explored the direct and indirect effects of practice environment, nurse work characteristics, and burnout on retention, and perceived quality and safety. METHODS: Responses from 507 RNs were collected via an anonymous online survey. Theorized relationships were explored via path analysis and invariance testing. RESULTS: Positive practice environment and favorable work characteristics lowered burnout and improved outcomes. The indirect effects of work characteristics and burnout were dependent upon individual level of resilience. Social capital minimized the effects of burnout for participants reporting below-average resilience. CONCLUSIONS: Leader support was critical in shaping positive perception of the practice environment. A nurse leader's visibility and actions impact intent to stay. Results of this study may inform healthcare systems struggling to retain a robust, engaged nursing workforce.

A Randomized Trial Comparing Outcomes of 3 Types of Peripheral Intravenous Catheters.

BACKGROUND: There was an increase in peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) complications and adverse patient events after product conversion during the merger between a rural hospital and a larger hospital system. A review of the existing literature identified a gap in evidence evaluating 2 closed PIVC systems compared with an open PIVC system. PURPOSE: The purpose of the current project was to ascertain whether open or closed PIVCs are best for patients, staff, and the health care system in terms of 3 main criteria: quality, safety, and cost. METHODS: A prospective, 2-site randomized controlled trial was used to compare outcomes. RESULTS: There were no differences in the complication rates between catheter types. There was a statistically significant increase in blood leakage and a decrease in clinician satisfaction with the open-system catheter. CONCLUSIONS: Our project supports current clinical recommendation that a closed PIVC system, regardless of type, is not only safer and cost-effective but also preferred by patients and clinicians.

Interdisciplinary Rounds on a Hospitalist Service: Impact on Palliative Care Measures, Quality, and Utilization Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Despite growth in service availability, palliative care (PC) referrals are often underutilized or delayed, which may compromise patient outcomes. LOCAL PROBLEM: Underutilized or delayed PC referrals among hospitalized adults prompted this project aimed at improving PC measures, quality, and utilization outcomes. METHODS: Data extracted from the electronic medical record were used to identify needed improvements in PC. INTERVENTION: Interdisciplinary rounds (IDRs) were implemented on the hospitalist service in a nonintensive care setting. RESULTS: Following implementation, median time to PC referral decreased by 2 days. Length of stay (LOS), direct cost, and 30-day mortality also decreased. Postintervention patients were more likely to transition home compared with another facility. CONCLUSIONS: Results support IDRs as a mechanism to improve time to PC referral, decrease LOS, direct cost, and 30-day mortality among hospitalized adults. A more objective method of identifying patients with unmet PC needs may be warranted.

The effect of an active shooter response intervention on hospital employees' response knowledge, perceived program usefulness, and perceived organizational preparedness.

Active shooter events occur frequently across the United States in a variety of locations, including health care facilities. Hospital health care worker response to an active shooter event may mean the difference in life or death for self or others. There is little research on how hospitals prepare nonmanagers to respond to active shooter events. We conducted a study to explore differences in knowledge, perceived organizational preparedness, and program utility following participation in an active shooter response program. Self-efficacy, personal characteristics, and professional characteristics were also explored. Program evaluation was conducted via a one-group pretest/posttest design. There was a significant increase in knowledge and perceived organizational preparedness postintervention. Trait-level self-efficacy did not have a significant effect on retained knowledge and perceived organizational preparedness. The current study is the first known to evaluate the efficacy of an active shooter response program for nonmanagers within an inpatient health care facility. Findings from this study may inform risk managers on how to educate employees on what to expect and how to react should an active shooter event occur.