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A Quality Improvement Approach To Reducing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Readmissions, Florwisse Rubio

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Project

Problem:

The problem identified at the project site is that care transitions for patients with COPD lack standardized discharge processes, leading to inconsistent education, limited follow-up, and poor coordination of care.

Aim of the Project:

The primary aim was to improve patient outcomes by reducing the 19.6% 30-day readmissions among older adults diagnosed with COPD at the selected project site by implementing a standardized discharge intervention over 12 weeks, measuring progress, and ensuring appropriate workflow. The initiative of this project sought to foster a sense of proper continuity of care through timely follow-up, interprofessional communication among patients and providers, and …

[Excerpt From] Leading Academic-Practice Partnerships In Nursing And Healthcare, Doreen C. Harper, Maria R. Shirey, Cynthia S. Selleck, Michele H. Talley, Connie White-Williams

Sigma Publications: Book Excerpts

Leading Academic-Practice Partnerships in Nursing and Healthcare: A Paradigm for Change is a comprehensive guide for unlocking the power of partnerships—transforming healthcare by improving care processes, care coordination, and patient outcomes through collaborative partnerships among nursing academic and practice sectors. Written by experts immersed in this work for well over a decade, this indispensable resource shows how to develop robust partnerships focused on health systems, population health, and community care—and how to build the organizational structure needed to sustain and grow those partnerships.

This book provides:

• An understanding of why academic-practice partnerships are important, their benefits, and the nurses’ …

Interchange, 1996, V16-17 N1-2, January-February, Advocate Health - Midwest

Historical Documents - Combined

The lnterChange newsletter was published monthly for the nursing division of St. Luke's Medical Center. It's purpose was to provide health care and shared governance information and inform nurses of new program benefits and upcoming special events.

Interchange, 1992, V12 N3, March, Advocate Health - Midwest

Historical Documents - Combined

The lnterChange newsletter was published monthly for the nursing division of St. Luke's Medical Center. It's purpose was to provide health care and shared governance information and inform nurses of new program benefits and upcoming special events.

Interchange, 1991, V11 N5, May, Advocate Health - Midwest

Historical Documents - Combined

The lnterChange newsletter was published monthly for the nursing division of St. Luke's Medical Center. It's purpose was to provide health care and shared governance information and inform nurses of new program benefits and upcoming special events.

Interchange, 1991, V11 N4, April, Advocate Health - Midwest

Historical Documents - Combined

The lnterChange newsletter was published monthly for the nursing division of St. Luke's Medical Center. It's purpose was to provide health care and shared governance information and inform nurses of new program benefits and upcoming special events.

Interchange, 1991, V11 N11, December, Advocate Health - Midwest

Historical Documents - Combined

The lnterChange newsletter was published monthly for the nursing division of St. Luke's Medical Center. It's purpose was to provide health care and shared governance information and inform nurses of new program benefits and upcoming special events.

Inter-Change, 1982, V2 N7, July, Advocate Health - Midwest

Historical Documents - Combined

The lnter-Change newsletter was published monthly for the nursing division of St. Luke's Medical Center. It's purpose was to provide health care and shared governance information and inform nurses of new program benefits and upcoming special events.

Implementing An Anxiety Management Bundle In Long-Term Nursing Facilities, Sundan G. Bryson

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

There is currently a gap in accurate screening and treatment of anxiety in Long-Term Care (LTC) nursing facilities. The question for this quality improvement project was: Will implementing interventions for long-term care residents aged 65 and older improve anxiety screening, non-pharmacological interventions, and mental health referrals by 10% compared to current practices? Interventions to enhance anxiety screening included the Geriatric Anxiety Scale-Long Term Care (GAS-LTC) tool to assess and score anxiety. In addition, a Non-Pharmacological Intervention (Non-PI) tool was created to evaluate interventions performed by facility staff. Referrals to the mental health care provider were submitted if a resident scored …

Organizational Return On Investment In Nursing: A Systematic Review, Olga Yakusheva, Kathryn Lee, Alissa V. Fial, Marianne E. Weiss

Individual Articles

Background: High-quality nursing care is crucial for healthcare quality and safety, yet there’s limited understanding of the business case for investing in nursing from an organizational perspective. This study seeks to address this evidence gap by identifying and synthesizing data on the organizational return on investment in nursing human capital, considering initial investment costs and the resulting impact on production costs and revenue.

Method: We conducted a systematic review using four databases (PubMed, CINAHL, EconLit, Web of Science) to find nursing human capital studies from January 1990 to June 2024. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they examined nurses …

Effects Of Communication Boards On Improving Communication In Assisted Living Care Facilities, Koleen Beatrice Arribas

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: A Residential Care facility utilizes paper charting causing limited access to vital information such as code status, allergies, and/or diet for those caring for the resident.

Context: Exceptional charting only when a resident’s condition changes may not provide enough vital information for the caregiver to administer medication or provide proper support during an emergency, such as the resident’s DNR status.

Interventions: A communication board was placed in a secure space near the nurses’ station with key resident information. Nurses would huddle at the board at before the change of shift and make updates as necessary.

Measures: Staff input in …

The Impact Of High-Fidelity Simulation On Graduate Nursing Students’ Knowledge And Confidence In Septic Shock Management, Shaden Mustafa

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) Doctorate of Nursing (DNP) project was to create and evaluate the impact of high-fidelity simulation-based training (SBT) on graduate nursing students’ knowledge and confidence in diagnosing and treating septic shock. Outcomes were measured with pre- and post-simulation tests featuring competency questions and Likert-scale confidence ratings.

Accordingly, the two research questions guiding this project were: (1) How effective is high-fidelity simulation training in improving students’ knowledge and competence in managing septic shock? (2) How effective is high-fidelity simulation training in enhancing students’ confidence when caring for patients with septic shock?

Septic shock was selected …

Taste Matters: Innovative Nurse-Led Research In Oncology, Sharon S. Kilbride Bsn,Rn,Ocn, Abigail M. Dillon Msn, Rn, Ocn, Bree Aguilar Msn, Rn-Bc - Nursing Professional Development Generalist - Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center

Nursing Research & Professional Development Conference

Background

Taste alteration (TA) affects up to 70% of oncology patients receiving chemotherapy, leading to decreased dietary intake, malnutrition, and poor quality of life. TA is unreported due to lack of taste assessments or toxicity screening, with no known treatment. However, researchers have shown that breast cancer patients were able to control TA with a researcher-delivered intervention. Research is needed to translate this promising strategy for real-world clinical use with populations beyond breast cancer.

Purpose

The study is aimed at testing the effectiveness of a nurse-led TA intervention to reduce symptom intensity for oncology patients initiating chemotherapy.

Methods

This prospective …

An Exploration Of The Career Choices Of Nursing And Midwifery Students In A Uk University: A Survey, Kevin Hambridge, Frazer Underwood, Gosia Bettache, Matt Carey, Mohamed Eid, Lisa Burrows, Christian Brailsford, Rachel Tims

School of Nursing and Midwifery

AbstractBackground:There is a worldwide shortage of nurses, so an increase in the supply of graduating nurses is needed. Little is known about nursing students' career choices and the reasons why certain jobs, specialties and locations are chosen. Gaining a better understanding of these choices could help healthcare employers to plan the nursing workforce of the future.Aims:The study explored the career choices of nursing and midwifery students.Methods:A convenience sample of 163 final-year nursing, midwifery and nursing associate students responded to an online survey exploring career choices.Findings:Most students (87.1%; n=142) had secured their first job, with the vast majority staying in the …

Experience To Evidence: A Nurse-Initiated Framework For Mechanical Circulatory Support Withdrawal, Graysen Q. Fulbright

2025 Nursing Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

No One Dies Alone, Jessica Schmidt, Jennifer Rice

2025 Nursing Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Conference Proceedings: Select Abstracts Presented At The 2025 Advocate Aurora Scientific Day, Advocate Aurora Scientific Day

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

This abstract supplement includes findings presented through oral or poster presentations at the 51st annual Scientific Day event held on May 21, 2025. Scientific Day provides both an in-person and virtual forum for the sharing of research, quality improvement, and case studies conducted by Illinois- and Wisconsin-based faculty, fellows, residents, and other health professionals associated with Advocate Health.

Evaluation Of Palliative Care Awareness Among Hospitalized Patients And Their Relatives In Türkiye, Füsun Uzgör, Ayşe Özkaraman, Hülya Özen

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Today, with the advances in medical knowledge and technology, chronic diseases have increased worldwide in parallel with the prolonging life expectancy and the aging of the population. This has increased the need for palliative care in the delivery of medical services. This study aimed to evaluate the palliative care awareness and level of knowledge of inpatients receiving health services in a university hospital and their relatives in Türkiye.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out with 360 patients and their relatives who volunteered to participate in the research. The study data were collected in face-to-face interviews using …

Palliative Care Beyond Cancer: The Use Of The P-Cares Tool, Breslin E. Meyer

Dissertations

Emergency Departments (EDs) often lack the necessary resources and protocols to provide comprehensive palliative care, resulting in inadequate pain and symptom management (Stoltenberg et al., 2022). This study investigates the potential transformative impact of a palliative care consultation on patients with advanced disease who screen positive using the validated P-CaRES tool. The PICOT questions: Will patients with end-stage COPD, CHF, and or other chronic conditions benefit from P-CaRES screening in the emergency department over nine weeks and receive more palliative care consultations from their primary care providers?

This project was conducted over 9 weeks, utilizing convenience sampling to select 20 …

Staff Education To Improve Quality Of Life For Patients With Dementia, Vanessa Ann Soda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Dementia is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that is incurable and unpredictable. Patients with dementia experience a decline in functional abilities, communication, and social skills. Fifty-five million people worldwide live with dementia with over 6.9 million people over 65 years of age diagnosed in the United States. The practice problem identified by a 25-bed assisted living facility in the north-central United States was staff’s lack of knowledge of dementia diagnosis, person-centered care approaches, and optimal care strategies supporting a positive quality of life for patients with dementia. The practice-focused question addressed whether an education program consisting of evidence-based practices using the …

Staff Education On Documentation For Hospice Registered Nurses, Sharon Spencer Cunningham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary Documentation is a part of a daily task that all nurses undertake. Its purpose is to provide validation of care rendered to patients. In the hospice setting, nurses’ documentation is crucial, as it supports whether a patient qualifies to receive hospice services. If proper documentation is not recorded, patients can lose services and organizations can face a loss of revenue and potential fines. At a hospice organization in the Southeast United States, there was little emphasis of the importance of documentation that adheres to guidelines set by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Therefore, nurses’ documentation lacked the …

Implementation Of A Standardized Pain Assessment Tool To Drive Opioid Management In End-Of-Life Patients In A Medical Intensive Care Unit, Sonia Carrizales

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose

This quality improvement project implemented a standardized pain assessment tool, the Multidimensional Observational Pain Assessment Tool (MOPAT), to drive opioid administration for end-of-life (EOL) patients. This project intended to increase opioid administration to EOL patients through increased confidence levels noted in bedside staff with the use of a standardized pain assessment tool.

Background

The project was implemented in a thirty-two-bed adult medical intensive care unit in Round Rock, Texas. The patients focused on in this project were those transitioned to EOL care.

Methodology

A pre-and post-survey was sent to bedside staff to gauge confidence levels. The MOPAT was then …

In-Person And Virtual Adaptation Of An Interprofessional Palliative Care Communications Skills Training Course For Pediatric Oncology Clinicians, Karen Moody, Clark R. Andersen, Robert M. Arnold, Julie Bradley, Allie Carter, Lauren Draper, Timothy Garrington, Jonathan B. Gill, Douglas J. Harrison, Masanori Hayashi, Amy Heaton, Cynthia Holladay, Alex Lion, Alakh Rajan, Beatriz N. Rozo, Daniel V. Runco, Shermini Saini, Laura K. Salvador, Kathryn Sutton, Verna Ferguson

Advances in Cancer Education and Quality Improvement

Introduction

Empathic communication is crucial for clinicians when discussing palliative and end-of-life (PC/EOL) care with parents of children with cancer. Unfortunately, many parents report inadequate communication at these distressing times. This study evaluates the communication skills training (CST) clinicians received to deliver a PC/EOL communication intervention as part of a multi-site randomized-controlled trial (RCT). Training was provided using an in-person format and then adapted to a virtual platform to accommodate remote learners.

Methods

Clinicians were trained in dyads (one physician and one nurse [RN] or advanced practice provider [APP]) over 3 days (in-person or virtually). Four pediatric oncology cases were …

Use Of Interdisciplinary Rounds For The Identification Of Hospitalized Adults In Need Of Palliative Care, Brenda A. Blunt

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Palliative care (PC) is specialized care that aims to provide relief from the stress and symptoms of living with a serious illness (Center to Advance Palliative Care, 2022). PC services are often underutilized in the hospital, leaving a significant number of patients with unmet needs (Haranis et al, 2023; Kawashima & Evans, 2023; Smith et al, 2019). The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to improve processes for identifying hospitalized patients for referral to specialty inpatient PC. The intervention involved interdisciplinary rounds (IDR) for adult inpatients on two medical-surgical (MESG) units in an 84-bed community hospital in suburban Milwaukee, …

Improving End-Of-Life Care In The Medical Intensive Care Setting Of A Midwest Hospital Through Nursing Practice Analysis And Education, Hannah Myers

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Project

The acuity of patients within the intensive care setting compounded by comorbidities and illness complications can lead to death in a large percentage of ICU admits annually. Increased mortality rates translate into end-of-life care being a prominent part of the critical care scope. Using a mixed methods approach the project looks to examine barriers, supportive measures, interdisciplinary communication, procedures, and leadership styles that determine quality end-of-life care. A comprehensive literature review revealed a number of barriers reported by nurses including a lack of interdisciplinary communication, disagreements on care plans, and a lack of communication with patients and their families about …

Nursing Now, 2008 Summer, Advocate Health - Midwest

Historical Documents - Combined

Advocate Christ Medical Center and Hope Children's Hospital, Oak Lawn, IL: Internal newsletter publication written by nurses for nurses and published 6 times a year (bi-monthly). The mission of NURSING Now was to communicate, educate and motivate CMC nursing professionals towards continued excellence.

Nursing Now, 2009 May - June, Advocate Health - Midwest

Historical Documents - Combined

Advocate Christ Medical Center and Hope Children's Hospital, Oak Lawn, IL: Internal newsletter publication written by nurses for nurses and published 6 times a year (bi-monthly). The mission of NURSING Now was to communicate, educate and motivate CMC nursing professionals towards continued excellence.

Nursing Now, 2007 March - April, Advocate Health - Midwest

Historical Documents - Combined

Advocate Christ Medical Center and Hope Children's Hospital, Oak Lawn, IL: Internal newsletter publication written by nurses for nurses and published 6 times a year (bi-monthly). The mission of NURSING Now was to communicate, educate and motivate CMC nursing professionals towards continued excellence.

Nurses’ Perceptions And Expectations Of Patient Violence: Language Matters, Darcy Copeland, Mary Potter, Susan Tipton, Debra Culter

Nursing Faculty Publications

Background: Patient violence is a serious occupational risk for nurses. Some professional rhetoric presents this risk as not part of nursing work, discounting widespread exposure. There is a disjunction between nurses’ experiences and the discourse they are exposed to. There is little to no evidence indicating whether nurses think it is possible to eliminate patient violence or whether their expectations of exposure to patient violence align with the significant risk they face. Purpose: The purpose of this analysis was to examine nurses’ perceptions related to the elimination of, expectations of, and desired state regarding exposure to patient violence. Methods: This …

Medical Aid In Dying Education For Hospice Nurses, Ian Woo

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Medical aid in dying (MAID) is an option surrounding end-of-life care for hospice patients. This process gives patients the autonomy to end their life during the time and location of their choosing. MAID is growing in legalization and practice across the US. However, many nurses feel uncomfortable or unprepared when providing care for patients contemplating it. Hospice nurses should have confidence in their ability to care for patients through the process of MAID. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of education in strengthening new hospice nurses’ ability to care for patients through the process of MAID. Method: The research will …