Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Implementation Of Frequent Skin Assessments, Tiffany Gagnon

Nurse Residency

Background:

The current skin assessment policy at the Behavioral Health Unit at Southern Maine Health Care requires more frequent skin checks for patients who are immobile in a mental health department.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) reports “hospital-acquired pressure injury rates continue to rise across the United States” (Pittman et al., 2022).

Initiating Chlorhexidine Wipes For Infection Prevention In The Icu, Samantha Carey

Nurse Residency

Background

• Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) result in approximately 28,000 deaths and approximately $2.3 billion in added costs to the U.S. healthcare system each year, and yet, many of these infections are preventable (Reynolds, 2021).

• Chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) is an antiseptic that can be used for skin cleaning and has been shown to be effective against a wide range of organisms, including some antimicrobial-resistant organisms.

• The primary objective of this study was to assess the incidents of CLABSI’s when CHG wipes were implemented compared to traditional bathing soap and water for patients with a central line in …

How Important Are Regular Breaks For Bedside Nursing Staff?, Gabriel Wohl

Nurse Residency

Background: A career in nursing can be a challenging one and a rewarding one. Nurses work directly with patients in need, in a way that their efforts have an immediate and tangible impact. Due to the nature of the work itself, nursing is also a physically, mentally, and emotionally demanding career that often leads to exhaustion, burnout, and in many cases, a departure from the profession altogether. It is well known that nurses work long hours and often receive little to no breaks. Is this lack of proper breaks a chief accessory to the overall dissatisfaction and burnout that nurses …

The Registered Nurse, Fall Prevention, And Mobilization Alarms, Anna Williams

Nurse Residency

Background:

Current Maine Health policy requires response to a mobilization alarm within 5 minutes by a RN, CNA or other clinician. Fall risk assessments are required upon arrival and admission, at the beginning of each shift, transfer between units, changes in patient condition and after a fall.

Current practice involves the TIPS tool.

Is Sepsis Hiding In Plain Sight? Implementation Of An Interprofessional (Ip) Sepsis Simulation To Detect Early Sepsis, Sarah Chang, Amanda Bennett, Anne Dean, Meaghan Anderson, Micheline Chipman

Costas T. Lambrew Research Retreat 2023

Early detection of hospital-acquired sepsis can be challenging. With highly effective IP teams and efficient healthcare systems, sepsis treated quickly can influence morbidity and mortality. This project is aimed at training IP teams in early recognition of sepsis using simulation. Nurses and providers rarely have opportunities to learn together. Simulation followed by an IP debrief is an excellent tool to collaborate for safe patient care.