Analysis of Nursing Dashboard

Analysis of Nursing Dashboard

            The primary aim of the paper is the provision of a sufficient focus on quarterly Dashboard-base of a specific inpatient rehab-based unit. The presented information involves data concerning nurses’ sensitive quality indicators, which include; pressure ulcers assessed within 24 hours, the total number of falls, and patients subjected to risks on fall protocols. Also, RN care-based hours, data interpretation, and generate a nursing care plan on low scoring areas explicitly based on sound (best) practices. Besides, included is a nurse based sensitive patient satisfaction surveys indicators. The indicators include; RN courtesy, attention subjected to individual needs, promptness, response plans, instruct homes, and well-care coordinators.

In past years, opinion-based and experience-abased practice forms have factually proved to be harmful or bear ineffectiveness, hence opting for the utilization of evidences-based medicines (Leape, Berwick, & Bates, 2018). This paper, in particular, will effectively provide an in-depth analysis based on the selected areas of performance that require improvement. The article is going to discuss statistical discoveries and the primary reason why the said area was chosen.

Analysis of the Dashboard

Utilization of the provided information obtained from National Data Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI) assists healthcare institutions to provide better health care services to patients. Moreover, NDNQI is categorized as one of the wealthiest database associated with nursing performances throughout the country. Every member hospital of NDNQI has the ability to identify site coordinators, whose main task is to act as the primary linking contact point for every activity related to NDNQI. The primary site coordinator associated with NDNQI serves a crucial role whereby he or she ensures all data reporting and collection adhere to all guidelines provided by NDNQI (NDNQI, 2015).

Functional performing areas and opportunity improvement areas are thoroughly analyzed through effective use of the dashboard (Garrard, 2016). Benchmarking perpetual researches concerned with evidence-steered practices causes improvements in pursuit of outstanding competitive performance with the same supplemental hospitals in confidential contexts. Therefore, benchmarking becomes a crucial element in the above-stated process. Current pay-for- performances demonstration projects and reporting public initiatives funded by the CMS represents a card report based strategy. The strategy shows how hospital performances are judged through external-based constituents that incorporate performance improvement initiatives. Nurses unit-specific indicators, overall indicators, patient-based satisfaction surveys indicators, and NDNQI data.

Similarly, the general data showcased improved overtime performances. This improvement involves thorough descriptions of the selected performing area that requires improvement. This particular paper will specifically include statistical discoveries and the primary reason for choosing the area.

Pressure ulcers showed a significant worsening trend in the last quarter. This condition will be the primary focus discussed in the formulated nursing care plan. The nurse’s sensitive satisfactions surveys indicators proved general improvement heading into the third-based quarter, having a decline in the previous quarter. Similarly, total falls showed higher targets than pressure ulcers targets. Patients who got subjected to pressure ulcer assessments within 24 hours based on point prevalence’s estimates showed significant increases in the previous quarter.

Falls

            The data obtained from the dashboard showed a result that presented an increase in total falls in the last quarter over its target. Therefore, falls are an essential area based on performance that requires improvement. Similarly, “best practices” get explained as those processes of care that are explicitly based on expert opinions and literature and represent excellent ways known that can prevent falls in hospitals. Falls are viewed as informal events that showcase the adverse effects experienced in patients present in hospitals. These adverse events (falls) pose significant challenges to the quality of health care rendered to patients. The reduction of falls gets identified explicitly as the patient-based safety priorities in America (NPP, 2011).

As falls possess tremendous impacts on patients, they also have direct adverse effects on the healthcare institution costs on cases and lengths of stay. The patient’s general functionality declines, and an increase in healthcare institutions use are as a result of falls. Even though falls won’t cause serious injuries, they may lead to patients requiring triple placements in skilled nursing facilities.

Pressure Ulcers

            Besides falls, another poorly performing indicator as per the information presented on the dashboard is pressure ulcers. The incidence and prevalence rates of the ulcer, coupled up with treatment cost, constitute a substantial primary burden for the healthcare system. A study in 2008 showed that the Centre for Medicare and Medicaid’s Services made significant announcements that they would not cater to any additional costs attracted to pressure ulcers acquired from hospitals. The total cost of a single-stage IV or III pressure ulcer may range between $6,000 and $51,000. And the prices depend on co-morbidities. The quality care that is specifically aimed at minimizing and preventing pressure ulcers and skin breakdowns got identified as a special nursing-based research priority. As per the said dashboard, incidences of pressure ulcers showed a definite increase over the previous quarter (Brown & Aydin, 2017).

Nursing Plan

What are some of the best ways that promote the prevention of fall? For example, those patients wearing bracelets for fall alert should alert staff members in healthcare institutions to know that these patients are at high risk. Another critical way is done through the turning of bed alarms on fall affected patients. However, in some crucial cases, the use of restraints is advised, but it does not serve as an ethical strategy that takes good care of patients, thus causing pressure ulcer issues. Proper assessments by practitioners are required in place to ensure there is the prevention of pressure ulcers and a significant dashboard improvement. Despite having evidences-based prevention protocols, the pressure ulcer rates are still sky-rocketing.

Therefore, proper assessments with higher-risk populations include old patients, patients who are critically ill, and those patients who have a history with pressure ulcers before hospital stays. Patients can be put at very high risks due to insufficient usage of preventive measures that are implemented through better practices (Balzer & Kottner, 2015). The fact that pressure ulcers bear a vast familiarity on the heels, sacrum, and coccyx, these areas need more attention based on prevention and assessment. For bed-bound patients or those that remain in bed for longer hours during the day, they face minimal chances of skin breakdown.

Some essential ways that reduce or minimize pressure ulcers include the effective use of heel lifting boots and the use of a pillow or pillows. Documentation should get done once skin assessment is completed. One sure way that ends accurate estimates is done through completing the Braden-scale that predicts pressure sores risks. This scale includes perception, sensory, activity, moisture, nutrition, mobility, shear, and friction. Each of the stated areas gets rated from 1-4 in proper significance then totaled. However, an at-risks Braden score ranging from 15 to 18 requires the implementation of preventive measures.

References

Balzer, Katrin, Kottner, Jan (Nov 2015). Evidence-based practices in pressure ulcer prevention: Lost in implementation?

Brown, S., & Aydin, C. (2017). Beyond Nursing Quality Measurement: The Nation’s First Regional Nursing Virtual Dashboard. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK43614/

Evaluation of the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI) Training Program on Pressure Ulcers (2009). Retrieved from:https.www://  The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing

Garrard, L., Boyle, D. K., Simon, M., Dunton, N., & Gajewski, B. (2016). The reliability and validity of the NDNQI® injury fall measure. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 38(1), 111–128. doi: 10.1177/019394591454281

Leape LL, Berwick DM, Bates DW. What Practices Will Most Improve Safety? Evidence-Based Medicine Meets Patient Safety. JAMA. 2002;288(4):501-507. doi:10.1001/jama.288.4.501