941496 research outputs found
Sort by
Implementation of a Patient Discharge Class
No full textUUH Burn Center admits ~350 pts/year & serves a large geographic area. Patients report challenges preparing for discharge. We identified that our patients would benefit from attending a class prior to discharge. We aimed to create a class centered on patients\u27 needs. Methods: Our patient education resource is a Burn Care Guide for Patients & Families (BCG). The BCG explains burn treatment, team roles & psychosocial support. The BCG was the foundation for the class. We co-produced the class with stakeholders by interviewing survivors about their discharge experience & developed the content based on their responses. The class is taught by RNs, SWs, & PTs. We utilized existing resources to deploy the class. The class began in 2024 & is taught weekly. All team members are empowered to encourage patients to attend the class. A pre-class survey is given to the patient prior to the class & a post-class survey is given at the patient\u27s first clinic appt after discharge. Class topics: things to expect, tips & tricks, insurance challenges, resources for support & time for questions. Results: One hundred thirty-three individuals have attended the class and thirty-one completed a post-class survey. Of those, 94% felt it was an effective class. Areas of improved effectiveness from the pre to post survey: Physical Therapy Preparation 71% to 87%, Wound Care Preparation 66% to 90% and Preparedness for Discharge 66% to 93%. We deployed a class that resulted in 93% of respondents feeling prepared for discharge. This is a 30% increase
Heal at Home: Expanding Care Capacity and Transforming Patient Recovery
No full textTransitions of care from acute to post-acute settings often face inefficiencies and communication breakdowns leading to potential medical errors, avoidable hospital readmissions, and added costs to the healthcare system. A lack of coordination between hospital teams and home health providers can leave patients vulnerable, impacting both their recovery and overall experience. Heal at Home was established to bridge this critical gap. Goal/Aim: By ensuring efficient transitions from acute care to home, this partnership enhances care coordination, improves outcomes, and increases health system efficiency. We envision a future where operations are orchestrated to allow a home health provider to be at the patient\u27s home when they arrive from the hospital. This proactive approach has demonstrated enhanced patient safety, reduced readmissions, and improved overall care outcomes. Actions Taken: Developed in collaboration with Community Nursing Services (CNS), ensures seamless care transitions by fostering transparency and accountability between our academic medical center and CNS. By prioritizing strong communication pathways and care protocols, we improve care coordination and ensure patients receive timely, high-quality support at home. Results: In CY 2024, created/saved 524 bed days, 30 day readmissions and ED visits much lower than traditional home health, exceptional high patient satisfaction rate of 98% willing to recommend Heal at Home to friend or family member, and the creation of admission avoidance model in our ED for cellulitis, pneumonia, and pyelonephritis. We currently have 22 heterogeneous medicine/surgical programs in operation with Heal at Home. Finally, this program uses the home health benefit, therefore it is self-sustaining by utilizing existing reimbursement mechanisms
Improving Nursing Documentation Compliance for IV Medication Titration in ICUs at University of Utah Health
No full textAccurate nursing documentation of intravenous (IV) medication titration is critical for patient safety, regulatory compliance, and quality improvement in intensive care units (ICUs). At University of Utah Health, baseline compliance with IV titration documentation was only 16%, posing risks for patient care and institutional adherence to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) guidelines. To address this, a multidisciplinary team implemented targeted enhancements to electronic health record (EHR) medication order, simplifying documentation workflows and improving clarity and standardization in regard to titration practices. Additionally, focused education sessions were provided to ICU nursing staff to reinforce best practices and regulatory requirements. These interventions led to a significant increase in compliance, reaching 89% over 2 years. This poster will detail the strategies employed, barriers encountered, and lessons learned. This will provide a model for other institutions seeking to improve nursing documentation in high-acuity settings
Addressing Safety Concerns by Structuring the Code White Debrief
No full textThe IHI framework was utilized to conduct What Matters to You? surveys with various members of the swing / grave float pool of psychiatric technicians at Huntsman Mental Health. The results from these in person surveys revealed that safety concerns were a top priority among team members. Additionally, safety and communication were the most significant contributors to what created a good day amongst psych techs. The team is now currently engaged in PDSA (plan-do-study-act) cycles for establishing more structure to code white debriefs. This will hopefully address deficiencies in safety education, de-escalation, and mitigate injuries among in-patient psychiatric staff. Shared Governance meetings have been the time for the team to workshop the debrief question checklist together. Nursing education and psych techs will be assisting in the data collection and interpretation once the debrief checklist is implemented. References: Perlo J, Balik B, Swensen S, Kabcenell A, Landsman J, Feeley D. IHI Framework for Improving Joy in Work. Cambridge, MA: Institute for Healthcare Improvement, 2017
Pendular nystagmus due to retinopathy
No full textWhile pendular nystagmus (PN) should always make the examiner consider oculopalatal tremor, multiple sclerosis, among rarer conditions such as drug or medication toxicity (e.g., toluene), PN may also result from vision loss. While this is often attributed to infantile nystagmus, visual deprivation in adulthood can also cause PN, perhaps due to a loss of visual (afferent) calibration at the level of the neural integrator network/gaze holding machinery. This patient experienced progressive vision loss due to achromatopsia, and a disconjugate nystagmus can be seen here - mainly torsional in the better seeing right eye, and elliptical and more symptomatic in the worse seeing left eye. MRI and neurologic work-up was normal without evidence of demyelination, and there was no palatal tremor