Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Delirium Reduction Strategies For The Critically Ill, June Chaves, Sam Canonico, Will Cheney, Tammy Corey, Gil Fraser, Alex Kowalewski, Jen Low, Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Haley Pelletier, Cathy Palleschi, Stephen Tyzik, Suneela Nayak, Ruth Hanselman

Maine Medical Center

Delirium, an acute and fluctuating disturbance of consciousness and cognition, is a common manifestation of acute brain dysfunction in critically ill patients. Patients with delirium have longer hospital stays and a lower 6-month survival rate than do patients without delirium. Preliminary research suggests that delirium may be associated with cognitive impairment that persists months to years after discharge.

In a large acute care hospital, the cardiac intensive care staff became interested in mitigating their unit’s high delirium rate of ventilated patients. At baseline, many members of the healthcare team did not believe that delirium could be prevented and the predominant …

Development Of A Traumatic Brain Injury (Tbi) Order Set At Maine Medical Center, Sarah Bockian, Emily Esslinger, Martha Weatherhead

Interprofessional Research and Innovations Council

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when an external force causes brain dysfunction. TBI management in the critical care setting focuses on treating the initial, or primary brain injury, as well as secondary injuries, caused by hypoxia, hypotension, and swelling. Due to the lack of consensus within the literature, in addition to numerous attending and resident physicians at Maine Medical Center (MMC), variability in care often occurs. Nursing staff within the neuro-intensive care unit at MMC noticed this variability, and approached leadership within the surgical-trauma service to create an order set focused on TBI management.

Purpose: In the TBI population, …

Does Medication Safety And Diversion Education Improve Medication Securement Practices In Scu Compared To Current Practice?, Natasha Stankiewicz

Interprofessional Research and Innovations Council

This safety quality improvement project began as newly hired SCU2 team members saw an opportunity to improve our medication safety practices and culture. The convenience of having certain medications directly available at bedside was priority. There was a lack of awareness and interest in securing medications within the department. However, the risk to our patients, families, visitors and colleagues when medications are left out, available and unsecured was apparent to new staff and others. Prior to our education, the accepted practice of unsecured medications was rampant: medications were left drawn up or exposed, setting in various open areas at bedside …