International journal for quality in health care : journal of the International Society for Quality in Health Care
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Int J Qual Health Care · Sep 2016
Vital signs monitoring on general wards: clinical staff perceptions of current practices and the planned introduction of continuous monitoring technology.
Early detection of patient deterioration and prevention of adverse events are key challenges to patient safety. This study investigated clinical staff perceptions of current monitoring practices and the planned introduction of continuous monitoring devices on general wards. ⋯ While continuous monitoring devices were seen as a potentially positive tool to support the identification of patient deterioration, drawbacks, such as the potential for reduced patient contact, revealed key areas that will require close surveillance following the implementation of devices. Training and improved interdisciplinary communication were identified as key requisites for successful implementation.
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Int J Qual Health Care · Jun 2016
Observational StudyCohort study for evaluation of dose omission without justification in a teaching general hospital in Bahia, Brazil.
To evaluate the incidence of medication errors due to dose omissions and the reasons for non-administration of medications. ⋯ High incidence of omission errors occurs in our institution. Factors such as the deficit of nursing staff and clinical pharmacists and a weak medication dispensing system, probably contributed to incidence detected. Blinding nursing staff was essential to improve the sensibility of the method for detecting omission errors.
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Int J Qual Health Care · Jun 2016
Development, implementation and evaluation of a patient handoff tool to improve safety in orthopaedic surgery.
To develop, implement and test the effect of a handoff tool for orthopaedic trauma residents that reduces adverse events associated with the omission of critical information and the transfer of erroneous information. ⋯ Preliminary evidence suggests that our resident handoff tool may contribute to a decrease in adverse events in orthopaedic patients.
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Int J Qual Health Care · Jun 2016
Observational StudyA PICU patient safety checklist: rate of utilization and impact on patient care.
In healthcare, checklists help to ensure patients receive evidence-based, safe care. Since 2007, we have used a bedside checklist in our PICU to facilitate daily discussion of care-related questions at each bedside. The primary objective of this study was to assess compliance with checklist use and to assess how often individual checklist elements affected patient management. A secondary objective was to determine whether patient and unit factors (severity of illness, unit census, weekday vs. weekend, admitting diagnosis group) influenced checklist use. ⋯ Our study found high rates of compliance with an established checklist that has been in use in the PICU since 2007. Checklist use frequently resulted in a change in the patient management plan.
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Int J Qual Health Care · Jun 2016
Off-hours admission and quality of hip fracture care: a nationwide cohort study of performance measures and 30-day mortality.
Higher risks of adverse outcomes have been reported for patients admitted acutely during off-hours. However, in relation to hip fracture, the evidence is inconsistent. We examined whether time of admission influenced compliance with performance measures, surgical delay and 30-day mortality in patients with hip fracture. ⋯ Patients admitted off-hours and on-hours received similar quality of care. The risk of surgical delay and 30 days mortality was higher among patients admitted during weekends; explanations need to be clarified.