Abstract: The aim of this project was to describe hospital nurses’ work activity through observations, nurses’ perceptions of time spent on tasks, and electronic health record time stamps. Nurses’ attitudes toward technology and patients’ perceptions and satisfaction with nurses’ time at the bedside were also examined. Activities most frequently observed included documenting in and reviewing […]
Abstract: Frontline care clinicians and staff in hospitals spend at least 10% of their time working around operational failures: situations in which information, supplies, or equipment needed for patient care are insufficient. However, little is known about underlying causes of operational failures and what hospitals can do to reduce their occurrence. To address this gap, […]
To improve patient safety and quality outcomes, health care professionals are using multiple methods to reduce patient harm and eliminate medical errors. One method being implemented more and more is the checklist. In his book “The Checklist Manifesto,” Atul Gawande, MD, analyzes the positive impact of checklists used in many fields, including health care, to […]
This white paper examines the relationship between nursing and support service functions within a hospital setting. Successful organization have begun the process of restructuring operations to meet patient care demands by developing models of care that engender more collaborative relationships among these two areas. These new models have been developed within organization structures and cultures […]
A checklist can be many things, as simple as “a list of items required, things to be done, or points to be considered, used as a reminder,” or, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, “an algorithmic listing of actions to be performed in a given clinical setting, the goal being to ensure […]
This paper examines the internal supply chains of two hospitals. Hospitals, in particular, face a dire need to provide higher quality care for lower costs. In the wake of increased consumer visibility into hospital quality performance and reduced reimbursements, hospitals must learn how to create organizational routines that can deliver high quality care at the […]
Conclusions: This review indicates that CDI places a significant financial burden on the US healthcare system. This review adds strong evidence to aid policy-making on adequate resource allocation to CDI prevention and treatment in the US. Future studies should focus on recurrent CDI, CDI in long-term care facilities and persons with comorbidities and indirect cost […]
Frontline health care providers are challenged by poorly performing work systems. Required equipment is broken, patient medications are in the wrong dose, key information fails to get communicated, and essential supplies are out of stock. Research suggests that hospital nurses experience an average of one of these “operational failures” per hour. Dealing with them takes […]
APIC Implementation Guides help infection preventionists apply current scientific knowledge and best practices to achieve targeted outcomes and enhance patient safety. This series reflects APIC’s commitment to implementation science and focus on the utilization of infection prevention research.
Hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. While risk factors like antibiotic exposure modulate susceptibility, infection control efforts aimed at reducing contact with infectious spores are critical to prevent nosocomial transmission. During hospitalization, patients visit many procedural and diagnostic common areas, presenting opportunities for contact with contaminated surfaces. However, these […]
