Date of Award

Spring 5-25-2024

Document Type

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscript

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Department

Nursing

First Advisor

Joseph Burkard, DNSc, CRNA

Abstract

Current best practice among emergency departments worldwide includes the maintenance of a dedicated resuscitation space. This practice allows for team members and equipment to be ready at a moment’s notice to provide care to a patient in need of lifesaving interventions. This evidence-based performance improvement project seeks to implement this standard of care in a busy, urban emergency department in Southern California.

Prior to this study, patients at this facility were placed in the next available care space, without the maintenance of a dedicated resuscitation area for critically ill patients. Survey data evaluating staff levels of perceived readiness to care for critically ill patients was collected before and after implementing a dedicated resuscitation space, and pre- and post-intervention data was collected to determine the length of time required for key resuscitation documentation within the patient chart: (1) Documentation of full set of vitals, (2) Definitive airway placement, (3) Documentation of patient weight, and (4) Documentation of end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2).

The use of a dedicated resuscitation space for the care of critically ill nontrauma patients improved this ED’s overall staff levels of perceived readiness and reduced the amount of time required for three of the four key resuscitative measures. Further improvements in the use of the dedicated resuscitation space, including standardization of resuscitation room protocols and essential equipment maintenance, should be explored in future projects.

Download

Share

COinS