Role of the Clinical Nurse Specialist in Improving Patient Outcomes After Cardiac Surgery

2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-42
Author(s):  
Lisa M. Soltis
Keyword(s):  
Patient Safety ◽  
Cardiac Surgery ◽  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Patient Outcomes ◽  
Postoperative Period ◽  
Open Heart Surgery ◽  
Pulmonary Complications ◽  
Nurse Specialist ◽  
Early Extubation ◽  
Clinical Nurse

Health care reform continues to focus on improving patient outcomes while reducing costs. Clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) should facilitate this process to ensure that best practice standards are used and patient safety is enhanced. One example of ensuring best practices and patient safety is early extubation after open heart surgery, which is a critical component of fast track protocols that reduces may reduce the development of pulmonary complications in the postoperative period while decreasing overall length of stay in the hospital. This project was an interdisciplinary endeavor, led by the CNS and nurse manager, which combined early extubation protocols with enhanced rounding initiatives to help decrease overall length of ventilation time as well as reduce pulmonary complications in patients in the cardiac surgery intensive care unit. The project resulted in a significant decrease in length of stay and a decrease in pulmonary complications in the postoperative period.

scholarly journals 144 The Use of a Multidisciplinary Team Discharge “Huddle” to Improve Patient Flow and Planning

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. iii1-iii16
Author(s):  
Mary Randles ◽  
Sylvia Hickey ◽  
Susanne Cotter ◽  
Carmel Walsh ◽  
Kieran O'Connor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Patient Care ◽  
Multidisciplinary Team ◽  
Older Persons ◽  
Patient Flow ◽  
Geriatric Medicine ◽  
City Centre ◽  
Nurse Specialist ◽  
Complex Care ◽  
Clinical Nurse

Abstract Background Patient flow, the movement of patients is an integral part of the patient care pathway. With the goal of improving overall patient care and discharge planning, a hospital wide, multidisciplinary team based, patient discharge meeting or ‘HUDDLE’ was devised with the goal of facilitating onward care planning for all inpatients especially those with complex discharge needs in a city centre teaching hospital. Methods The patient flow huddle has evolved to include a Patient Flow Clinical Nurse Manager, Bed Manager, Medicine for Older Persons Clinical Nurse Specialist, Physiotherapist/Occupational Therapist, Consultant Geriatrician and Geriatric Medicine Registrar. Each team in the hospital are requested to attend at least twice a week. Predicted discharge dates are established. Teams discuss patients who have a requirement for rehabilitation, either short-term or complex rehabilitation and patients over 65 years who may need review from Older Persons Services .We sought to optimise issues including housing, home care packages, interim home supports, community intervention team referrals, integrated care and Nursing Home Support Scheme applications. Results There were 3918 Emergency Department presentations by adults over 75 in 2018 and 2113 admissions (3704, 2081 respectively in 2017). Accuracy for discharge within one day of PDD ranged from 52.5% (Jan) to 72.6 % (Nov). The average length of stay was 6.2days (SD 0.47). 172 patients (84 female, 88 male) were admitted for slow stream rehabilitation (median length of stay 30 days). Conclusion Rather than using a negative view of older adults as potential ‘bed blockers’, the discharge huddle allowed a pro-active approach to assist medical and surgical teams in the management and re-enablement of patients with complex care needs. Early identification of such patients with complex care and discharge needs allowed greater focus on appropriate planning earlier in the patient’s hospital journey.

666 EARLY EXTUBATION AFTER ESOPHAGECTOMY IS SAFE. A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS

2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Serafim ◽  
Clara Santos ◽  
Marina Orlandini ◽  
Letícia Datrino ◽  
Guilherme Tavares ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Hospital Stay ◽  
Length Of Hospital Stay ◽  
Risk Difference ◽  
Pulmonary Complications ◽  
Mean Difference ◽  
Early Extubation ◽  
Icu Length Of Stay ◽  
Anastomotic Fistula

Abstract   Esophagectomy has high morbidity and mortality, mainly due to pulmonary complications. Consequently, ventilatory support is a cornerstone in postoperative management. However, there is still no consensus on the timing for extubation. There is a fear that untimely extubation would lead to a high risk for an urgent reintubation. On the other hand, there is a risk for pulmonary damage in prolonged intubation. Thus, the present study aimed to compare early and late extubation after esophagectomy. Methods A systematic review was carried out on PubMed, Lilacs, Cochrane Library Central, and Embase, comparing early and late extubation after esophagectomy. The primary outcome was reintubation. Secondary outcomes included mortality; complications; pulmonary complications; pneumonia; anastomotic fistula; length of hospital stay; and ICU length of stay. The inclusion criteria were: a) clinical trials and cohort studies; b) adult patients (> 18 years); and c) patients with esophageal cancer undergoing esophagectomy. The results were summarized by risk difference and mean difference. 95% confidence interval and random model were applied. Results Four articles were selected, comprising 490 patients. Early extubation did not increase the risk for reintubation, with a risk difference of 0.01 (95%CI -0.03; 0.04). Also, there was no difference for mortality −0.01 (95%CI -0.04; 0.03); complications −0.09 (95%CI -0.22; 0.05); pulmonary complications −0.05 (95%CI -0.13; 0.03); pneumonia −0.06 (95% CI-0.18; 0.05); anastomotic fistula −0.01 (95% CI -0.09; 0.08). In addition, there was no significant mean difference for: length of hospital stay −0.10 (95%CI -0.38; 0.1); and ICU length of stay 0.00 (95%CI -0.22; 0.22). Conclusion Early extubation after esophagectomy does not increase the risk for reintubation, mortality, complications, and lenght of stay.

scholarly journals Influence of biomarkers level during follow-up when operating under cardiopulmonary bypass

2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 39
Author(s):  
Yu. I. Petrishchev ◽  
A. L. Levit ◽  
I. N. Leyderman
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Surgery ◽  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Plasma Levels ◽  
Heart Surgery ◽  
Open Heart Surgery ◽  
Open Heart ◽  
Cardiac Surgeons ◽  
The Given ◽  
The Relationship

Systemic inflammatory response was first determined in 1980 and cardiac surgeons turned to it in 1996. At present, there are a lot of publications on this issue, however, the extent of operation and duration of CPB are considered in clinical practice as crucial indicators of severity of patient's condition following cardiac surgery. In our study we tried to look at this problem from a different perspective and draw a parallel between the severity of patient's condition resulting from operational trauma and CPB. We included 48 patients who under-went cardiac surgery under CPB. Plasma levels of procalcitonin (PCT), lactate and interleukin-6 were investigated before the operation, after CPB and at 24 hours. Also revealed was the relationship between the plasma levels of IL-6, lactate and PCT (r = 0.53; p = 0.000 in both cases). The level of PCT at the 3rd stage was found to relate to the duration of CPB (r = 0.4; p = 0.005), ALV (r = 0.44; p = 0.001) and length of stay at ICU (r = 0.53; p = 0.000). We didn't manage to find any relationship between the length of stay at ICU and the duration of CPB. Correlation between the PCT plasma level and the duration of intensive care indicates the importance of dynamics of the given biomarker for early prediction of follow-up course after open-heart surgery.

Improving Family Communications at the End of Life: Implications for Length of Stay in the Intensive Care Unit and Resource Use

2003 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 317-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Ahrens ◽  
Valerie Yancey ◽  
Marin Kollef
Keyword(s):  
Intensive Care Unit ◽  
Intensive Care ◽  
Length Of Stay ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Resource Utilization ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Clinical Nurse Specialist ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Nurse Specialist ◽  
Clinical Nurse

• Background Inadequate communication persists between healthcare professionals and patients and patients’ families in intensive care units. Unwanted or ineffective treatments can occur when patients’ goals of care are unknown or not honored, increasing costs and care. Having the primary physician provide medical information and then having a physician and clinical nurse specialist team improve opportunities for patients and their families to process that information could improve the situation. This model has not been tested for its effect on patients’ outcomes and resource utilization.• Objectives To evaluate the effect of a communication team that included a physician and a clinical nurse specialist on length of stay and costs for patients near the end of life in the intensive care unit.• Methods During a 1-year period, patients judged to be at high risk for death (N = 151) were divided into 2 groups: 43 patients who were cared for by the medical director teamed with a clinical nurse specialist and 108 patients who received standard care, provided by an attending physician.• Results Compared with the control group, patients in the intervention group had significantly shorter stays in both the intensive care unit (6.1 vs 9.5 days) and the hospital (11.3 vs 16.4 days) and had lower fixed ($15 559 vs $24 080) and variable ($5087 vs $8035) costs.• Conclusions Use of a physician and a clinical nurse specialist focused on improving communication with patients and patients’ families reduced lengths of stay and resource utilization.

A new approach to managing follow-up patients with sino-nasal disorders: the rhinology panel

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 88-93
Author(s):  
Abdulaziz Abushaala ◽  
Helen Sargent ◽  
Jennifer McLean ◽  
Deborah Grech-Marguerat ◽  
Hisham Khalil
Keyword(s):  
Patient Safety ◽  
Waiting List ◽  
Nurse Specialist ◽  
Review Panel ◽  
Clinical Nurse ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Specialist Registrar ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Clinical Records

Background/aims There is a growing backlog of patients with sino-nasal disorders waiting for a follow-up appointment. This study aimed to identify rhinology patients on the outpatient follow-up list who could be removed from the waiting list for a face to face follow-up appointment and instead either given a phone consultation by a clinical nurse specialist or discharged from the service. Methods The clinical records of patients on the waiting list for a follow-up appointment at a nasal disorders clinic were reviewed by a panel comprising a consultant rhinologist, a rhinology fellow, a specialist registrar and two nurse specialists. Results A total of 300 clinical records of patients on the follow-up list of the Rhinology clinic were identified, of which 253 were found to have a sino-nasal disorder. Of these, 137 patients (54%) were discharged from the rhinology face to face follow-up clinics, while 116 patients (46%) were given face to face review appointments. Conclusions A multi-professional rhinology review panel is an effective way of managing the waiting list of an outpatient rhinology clinic and providing nurse-led telephone consultations could decrease the strain on resources while maintaining patient safety.

scholarly journals Effects of frequent PATient moves on patient outcomes in a large tertiary Hospital (the PATH study): a prospective cohort study

2016 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joan Webster ◽  
Karen New ◽  
Mary Fenn ◽  
Mary Batch ◽  
Alyson Eastgate ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Patient Safety ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Length Of Stay ◽  
Adverse Events ◽  
Patient Outcomes ◽  
Prospective Cohort Study ◽  
Prospective Cohort ◽  
Tertiary Hospital ◽  
Tertiary Referral Hospital ◽  
Specific Patient

Objective The aim of the present study was to investigate the incidence of and patient outcomes associated with frequent patient moves. Methods In a prospective cohort study, any bed move and the reason for the move were documented. Patients were assessed on admission for anxiety, social support and delirium. Adverse events, length of stay and satisfaction were recorded. Patients moved three or more times were compared with those moved less than three times. Results In all, 566 patients admitted to a tertiary referral hospital were included in the study. Of these, 156 patients (27.6%) were moved once, 46 (8.1%) were moved twice and 28 (4.9%) were moved at least three times. Those moved three or more times were almost threefold more likely to have an adverse event recorded compared with those moved fewer times (relative risk (RR) 2.75; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.18, 6.42; P = 0.02) and to have a hospital stay twice as long (RR 7.10; 95% CI 2.60, 11.60; P = 0.002). Levels of satisfaction and anxiety were not affected by frequent moves and there was no effect on delirium. Conclusion Frequent bed moves affect patient safety and prolong length of stay. What is known about the topic? Retrospective and qualitative studies suggest that patient safety and costs may be affected by frequent patient moves. What does this paper add? The present study is the first prospective study to assess the negative effects of frequent patient moves on specific patient outcomes, such as adverse events, length of stay and satisfaction with care. What are the implications for practitioners? Within- and between-ward moves may affect patient safety. Patients should be moved only when there is a clear and unavoidable reason for doing so.

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