Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Improving Nurse Support Of Patient Satisfaction Surveys Through Team Huddle Education, Matthew Price

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem As a leading cause of death and disability in the US, strokes often require complex, multifaceted care. Often ignored, patient satisfaction is a crucial aspect of this care and is positively linked to key health indicators. Regulatory guidelines underscore the need for stroke-specific patient satisfaction survey (SSPS) utilization in post-stroke care. Context Hospital X is a large Comprehensive Stroke Center in the Bay Area, serving patients with various stroke etiologies and complexities. At present, its Neuro Observational Unit (NOU) does not administer a SSPS. Intervention To address this gap in care, an educational presentation using literature evidence in support …

Enhancing Nurse Awareness Of A Stroke Patient Satisfaction Survey And Their Significance In Practice, Amanda Dao

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem As a leading cause of death and disability in the US, strokes often require complex, multifaceted care. Often ignored, patient satisfaction is a crucial aspect of this care and is positively linked to key health indicators. Regulatory guidelines underscore the need for stroke-specific patient satisfaction survey (SSPS) utilization in post-stroke care. Context Hospital X is a large Comprehensive Stroke Center in the Bay Area, serving patients with various stroke etiologies and complexities. At present, its Neuro Observational Unit (NOU) does not administer a SSPS. InterventionTo address this gap in care, an educational presentation using literature evidence in support …

Seeking Patient-Centered Care Through Bedside Handoff In The Postpartum Unit, Evelyn Ndaki

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: Patient discontent with nurse compassion and attentiveness prompted the implementation of standardized bedside shift handoff (BSH) for nurses in the postpartum unit of a Northern California teaching hospital.

Context: Pandemic stressors led to nurse practices not reflecting patient-centered care. Bedside handoff offers an opportunity to improve patient-centered nurse behaviors.

Intervention: To standardize BSH, a modified SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) tool was implemented.

Measures: The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) question on “Nurses kept you informed” was tracked, and nurse satisfaction with the handoff process was measured with a pre- and post-implementation survey.

Results: Final …

Increasing Lactation Consultant Support To The Mch Unit, Daniella Grace Mcclendon

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: Breastfeeding is the most beneficial feeding choice for newborns and one of the best ways for mothers to bond with their newborns. In the current Maternal Child Health (MCH) unit, exclusive breastfeeding rates have fallen lower than the unit’s goal of 82%.

Context: Exclusive breastfeeding, when a newborn consumes only human breastmilk, is not always an easy process to initiate immediately after birth and in the early postpartum period. On this specific unit, there is not enough lactation consultant support to provide all patients on the unit.

Interventions: This project considers adding additional lactation consultants to support the MCH …

Improving Quality Of Care Through Discharge Planning, Maria Pasillas

Master's Projects and Capstones

Providing good education for the new mother is key to improving the quality of care for both mom and baby. Since nurses are frontline health care providers who perform the most postpartum education, it is imperative they work to improve discharge education so information provided is consistent, appropriate, and evidence based (Suplee et al., 2016).

The aim of this project is to improve the discharge planning process of a local community hospital utilizing evidence-based research (EBR) with the intent to increase patient satisfaction scores in care transitions to above 65% within 3 months.

The community hospital is a 122-bed acute …

Improving Medication Communication Of Nurses To Patients In The Cardiac Procedure Unit, Jose Abrogar

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Problem: Effective communication about medications and their potential side effects is a significant indicator of safe patient care and improved health outcomes. The Cardiac Procedure Unit (CPU) of a large medical center in California recently received a low HCAHPS (CMS, 2019) score of one star (out of five) in the area of medication communication.

Context: The CPU is a microsystem that provides pre and post cardiac procedure care for patients of diverse backgrounds. It has a highly competent staff administering patient care. Current patient medication education faces challenges that hinder patient receptivity and thus understanding.

Intervention: The proposed project …

Nurse Leader Rounding: A Stellar Strategy To Improve The Patient Experience Of Care In The Emergency Department, Polina Shishkina

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Many clinical outcomes that occur in the emergency room determine the patient’s continued care and experience in the hospital and beyond as well as influence the organizational reputation in the community. Mack and Fill emphasize that “an ED visit is a significant encounter between a patient and a hospital and one that affects ‘repurchase’ decisions for future health care” (as cited in Welch, 2010, p. 65). Thus, patient experience in the emergency department necessitates continued quality improvement efforts. The emergency room, or “the front door to the hospital”, provides equitable and affordable care to patients who need urgent medical …

A Formal Hcahps Teaching Program Targeting Communication Improves Hcahps Scores, Bobbie Davis

Master's Projects and Capstones

The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey given to patients after discharge from an inpatient unit is a validate tool used to determine the level of patient experience. Organizations across the country, including the Northern California Academic Medical Center, have implemented many initiatives aimed at improving these scores. HCAHPS scores for the hematology/oncology unit at this medical center remain low even after previous education efforts. The aim of this quality improvement project was to improve the patient experience, as evidenced by HCAHPS scores, with the implementation of an HCAHPS teaching program for nursing staff, focusing on …

Enhancing Patient Medication Knowledge: Utilizing An Educational Tool To Improve Patient Satisfaction Scores, Elizabeth Orgon

Master's Projects and Capstones

The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey has recognized the need for medication education with communication about medication as a patient satisfaction indicator. Literature shows a medication guide or tool that is readily accessible and easy to understand for the patient can help provide nurses with a teach back method to help increase patient knowledge about common medications. Continued use of this tool will then positively affect communication between patients and providers thereby increasing medication communication related HCAHPS survey scores. Review of current Stanford Health Care HCAHPS survey data shows that all nursing units are continually …

Raising Oas Cahps Scores: Using Patient Education, Katrina Pangilinan

Master's Projects and Capstones

At the Golden Gate Endoscopy Center (GGEC), the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery (OAS CAHPS) survey results on patient satisfaction have been below the 50th percentile for the last three quarters of 2018. Patient satisfaction scores are a quality measure for the patient care experience and important for the success of the organization and its providers. Based on patient comments from previous surveys, patients feel that the center does not explain the possible side effects of the anesthesia in a way they can understand. Other patient comments and concerns included confusion regarding dietary restrictions …

Improving The Quality Of Bedside Shift Report Behavior: Implementing A Standardized Bedside Report Tool On The Medical-Surgical Floor At Woodland Healthcare, Amanda Waggoner

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Nursing handoff communication at change-of-shift is a frequent, yet highly essential nursing responsibility that lays the foundation for providing care that is safe and consistent (Grimshaw, Hatch, Willard, & Abraham, 2016). A microsystem assessment conducted on the medical-surgical unit at Woodland Healthcare (WHC) utilizing the 5P’s (Purpose, Patients, Professionals, Processes, Patterns) revealed that only 6% of twelve hour night shift nurses were performing a quality BSR and 40% of twelve hour day shift nurses reported feeling satisfied with shift report. Additionally, three reportable events occurred as a result communication related errors which led to increased spending on behalf of …

Standardization Of Shift Report By Implementing A Nursing Report Sheet And Addressing Patient Values To Meet Patient Needs, Roman A. Salas

Master's Projects and Capstones

Bedside shift report is a complex process, which involves the transition of care from one clinician to another. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) (2013) reported that approximately 70% of patient adverse events are attributed to communication failures between healthcare providers. Nurses remain inconsistent with information sharing during bedside shift report leading to communication gaps. The object of the clinical nurse leader (CNL) internship project is to provide true patient-centered by standardizing bedside shift report by implementing a nursing report sheet and addressing patient needs. The project was conducted in a level-one trauma center in San Diego, CA …

Improving Pain Reassessment And Documentation Through Nurse Education, Reina Batto

Master's Projects and Capstones

The aim of the CNL Internship Project is to improve quality of patient care and pain management through improved pain reassessment and documentation. The project is to be implemented in the surgical unit of a community hospital in the California Bay Area. The unit has a maximum capacity of 38 beds and is staffed by 47 RNs and 4 LVNs. A nurse survey was conducted to assess the needs of the staff and the unit, and an education plan was created for the unit. Educational materials, including: highlighted academic articles, posters, handouts, and small posted reminders at nurse computers were …

Enhancing Education Of Medication Side Effects To Improve Patient Outcomes, Kyle R. Woolley

Master's Projects and Capstones

Patient satisfaction scores regarding how effectively staff educates patients about possible side effects of new medications are not consistently above the national average at a large metropolitan hospital in California (MHC). The results of these patient satisfaction scores shed light on the need for evidence-based strategies to improve a patient’s perception of the medication education provided to them. The basis of the incentive to improve care is ultimately increased safety and better patient outcomes. From the Root Cause Analysis, it became apparent that a few common barriers need to be addressed, but the one most frequently reported by everyone that …