Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Fraud Detection And Explanation In Medical Claims Using Gnn Architectures, Reem Muhammad, Dina Tbaishat, Amril Nazir, Seif Yacoub, Mustafa Abdulrazek, Mohamed Ahmed Abo El-Enen, Ahmed T. Sahlol

All Works

This paper addresses the critical challenge of fraud detection in medical insurance claims-a pervasive issue causing significant financial losses in healthcare-using Graph Neural Networks (GNNs). Given the intricate nature of healthcare data, traditional fraud detection methods do not inherently capture the complex relationships and patterns among different entities. We explore the potential of GNNs to effectively identify fraudulent claims by modeling the interactions among various entities-such as patients, healthcare providers, diagnoses, and services-as a heterogeneous graph. We employ two state-of-the-art heterogeneous GNN architectures, HINormer (Heterogeneous Information Network Transformer) and HybridGNN, along with a modified homogeneous GNN, RE-GraphSAGE (GraphSAGE Graph Sample …

An Analysis Of Diagnostic Metabolomic Profiles Associated With Hepatotoxicity During Childhood All Induction Therapy, Emily J Mason, Anna M Crain, Michael E Scheurer, Philip J Lupo, Karen R Rabin, Olga A Taylor, Marley Roberts, John P Woodhouse, Ashley Chavana, Kathleen Ludwig, Laura Klesse, Kenneth Heym, Timothy Griffin, Rodrigo Erana, Juan Carlos Bernini, M Monica Gramatges, Joanna S Yi, Sandi L Pruitt, M Brooke Bernhardt, Hong Zhu, Steven D Mittelman, Van Huynh, Etan Orgel, Jeremy M Schraw, Austin L Brown

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Hepatotoxicity is a well-documented complication of induction chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), but our understanding of its biological mechanisms is limited. We identified 314 patients with ALL (aged 1-19 years) treated at Texas Children’s Hospital (2008-2019) with diagnostic bone marrow plasma available for metabolomic profiling: 234 for discovery and 80 for replication. Hepatotoxicity during induction was defined as follows: (1) transaminitis: grade ≥3 aspartate aminotransferase or alanine aminotransferase or (2) conjugated hyperbilirubinemia: conjugated bilirubin (c.bili) >3 mg/dL. Untargeted profiling detected 519 metabolites. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for each metabolite were calculated with logistic regression, accounting for sex, age, body …

Turning Patients' Open-Ended Narratives Of Chronic Pain Into Quantitative Measures: Natural Language Processing Study, Raquel Norel, Jennifer Gewandter, Zhengwu Zhang, Anika Tahsin, Chadi G Abdallah, John Markman, Zhiyao Duan, Guillermo Cecchi, Paul Geha

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Subjective report of pain remains the gold standard for assessing symptoms in patients with chronic pain and their response to analgesics. This subjectivity underscores the importance of understanding patients' personal narratives, as they offer an accurate representation of the illness experience.

Objective: In this pilot study involving 20 patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP), we applied emerging tools from natural language processing (NLP) to derive quantitative measures that captured patients' pain narratives.

Methods: Patients' narratives were collected during recorded semistructured interviews in which they spoke about their lives in general and their experiences with CLBP. Given that NLP …

Hemorrhage-Related Maternal Morbidity Of Secondary Compared To Primary Postpartum Hemorrhage, Matthew R Carroll, Sarah Tounsi, Jessica L Gerard, Susan M Leong-Kee, Laurie S Swaim, Mark A Turrentine

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Objectives: To compare a composite hemorrhage-related maternal morbidity in individuals with secondary to primary postpartum hemorrhage and treatment interventions utilized.

Methods: A retrospective case-control study of deliveries complicated by secondary postpartum hemorrhage was performed at a tertiary care center. To estimate a clinically relevant increase of 50 % in the composite maternal hemorrhage-related maternal morbidity (35-53 % absolute increase) in individuals with secondary postpartum hemorrhage, a correlation coefficient of 0.2, at an 80 % power with a p < 0.05 with a two-sided test would require 95 individuals with secondary postpartum hemorrhage be matched to 95 individuals with a primary postpartum hemorrhage. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the outcome of the composite of hemorrhage-related maternal morbidity.

Results: From January 2018 through December 2022, 33,026 deliveries occurred, and 94 individuals were identified that were admitted with secondary postpartum hemorrhage, …

Hemolysis Detection Using The Gem 7000 At The Point Of Care In A Pediatric Hospital Setting: Does It Affect Outcomes?, Ridwan B Ibrahim, Nazmin Bithi, Charlene Hernandez, Hanna Uhrova, Brandy D Recio, Sridevi Devaraj

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.

Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab Induce Hyper-Progression In Renal Medullary Carcinoma: Results Of A Phase Ii Trial And Preclinical Evidence, Melinda Soeung, Xinmiao Yan, Ciro Zanca, Jing Qian, Menuka Karki, Fei Duan, Hania Khan, Li Zhang, David H Peng, Mariah Williams, Rong He, Ziheng Chen, Luigi Perelli, Jianfeng Chen, Rebecca S Tidwell, Pankaj K Chauhan, Courtney N Le, Truong N A Lam, Nirjar Bhattacharya, Rutvi Shah, I-Lin Ho, Jason P Gay, Caroline C Carrillo, Ningping Feng, Kang Le, Guang Gao, Teresa L Perry, Faika Mseeh, Yongying Jiang, Quanyun A Xu, Niki Marie Zacharias, Rahul A Sheth, Tharakeswara K Bathala, Priya Rao, Najat C Daw, Durga N Tripathi, Cheryl L Walker, Mohammad M Mohammad, Jianhua Zhang, Guangchun Han, Yanshuo Chu, Ruiping Wang, Minghao Dang, Enyu Dai, Fuduan Peng, Yunhe Liu, Akshaya Jadhav, Wenhua Lang, Claudio A Arrechedera, Leticia Campos Clemente, Edwin R Parra, Hsinyi Lu, Cara L Haymaker, Ignacio I Wistuba, Andrew Futreal, Andrea Viale, Michael J Soth, Philip Jones, Joseph R Marszalek, Timothy Heffernan, Giulio F Draetta, Nizar M Tannir, Jianjun Gao, Linghua Wang, Giannicola Genovese, Pavlos Msaouel

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Therapeutic options for patients with renal medullary carcinoma (RMC) are limited. Here we report the results of a phase II clinical trial (NCT03274258) of anti-PD1 nivolumab plus anti-CTLA4 ipilimumab in patients with RMC, with objective response rate as primary outcome. Enrollment was halted for futility at a prespecified interim analysis as all 10 treated patients experienced rapid disease progression. 5/10 met radiological criteria for hyperprogression and median progression-free survival (secondary outcome) was 1.38 months (95% confidence interval: 1.28, 1.60). In a post-hoc single-cell RNA sequencing analysis, data from patients with RMC before and after nivolumab plus ipilimumab treatment indicated that …

Leaping Between Branches: Hybridisation And The Tangled Evolutionary History Of True Lemurs, Giacomo Mercuri, Giovanni Merici, Kyle Kai-How Farh, Lukas F K Kuderna, Jeffrey Rogers, Tomàs Marques-Bonet, Giuseppe Donati, Riccardo Percudani, Cristian Capelli

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The true lemurs (genus Eulemur) are a genetically diverse and spatially widespread group of species inhabiting most of Madagascar's forests. Including 12 recognized species, the genus can be divided into four major evolutionary groups: E. rubriventer, E. mongoz, the Brown Lemur Species Complex (BLSC), and the coronatus-macaco-flavifrons complex (CMFC), although monophyly for the CMFC is not always supported. Recent genome-based studies highlighted topological and chronological differences between nuclear and mitochondrial phylogenies of true lemurs, which could be explained by events of hybridisation. In order to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the genus, we test for gene-flow between Eulemur clades using …

Prospective Sars-Cov-2 Additional Vaccination In Immunosuppressant-Treated Individuals With Autoimmune Diseases In A Randomized Controlled Trial, Meggan Mackay, Alfred Hj Kim, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Individuals with autoimmune diseases (AD) on immunosuppressants often have suboptimal responses to COVID-19 vaccine. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of additional COVID-19 vaccines in those treated with mycophenolate mofetil/mycophenolic acid (MMF/MPA), methotrexate (MTX), and B cell-depleting therapy (BCDT), including the impact of withholding MMF/MPA and MTX.

METHODS: In this open-label, multicenter, randomized trial, 22 participants taking MMF/MPA, 26 taking MTX, and 93 treated with BCDT who had suboptimal antibody responses to initial COVID-19 vaccines (2 doses of BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 or 1 dose of AD26.COV2.S) received an additional homologous vaccine. Participants taking MMF/MPA and MTX were randomized (1:1) …

Cpx-351 Vs. Conventional Chemotherapy Cardiotoxicity In High-Risk Aml: A Post Hoc Phase Iii Trial Analysis, Joshua D Mitchell, Michael Pfeiffer, John Boehmer, John Gorcsan, Shunsuke Eguchi, Yoshiyuki Orihara, Nalina Dronamraju, Sonja Dhani, Stefan Faderl, Tara L Lin, Geoffrey L Uy, Jeffrey E Lancet, Jorge E Cortes

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: CPX-351, a dual-drug liposomal encapsulation of daunorubicin and cytarabine in a synergistic 1:5 molar ratio, has demonstrated significantly improved overall survival in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) compared with 7 + 3, but its impact on cardiac function remains unclear. In a post hoc analysis of the pivotal clinical trial, we sought to determine the relative cardiotoxicity of CPX-351 vs. 7 + 3 in high-risk AML.

METHODS: We evaluated cardiotoxicity in 102 patients with AML (CPX-351, n = 57; 7 + 3, n = 45) who had normal baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≥ 53% and at least one …

Analyzing The Global Happiness Index, Victoria Hernandez, Christy W. Wachira

SMU Data Science Review

This study explores the Global Happiness Index using data compiled from the OECD and Our World in Data to identify key factors contributing to societal well-being. Six primary predictors were analyzed: GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and perceptions of corruption. Regression and clustering techniques were employed to uncover patterns among countries. By expanding the analytical scope beyond conventional economic and social indicators, this study helps identify new pathways for improving well-being across diverse cultural and economic landscapes. Additional variables such as perceived safety, political engagement, and values related to family and …

Intouch Week Of November 24, 2025, New York Medical College

InTouch

• NYMC Marks 150 Year Academic Affiliation with NYC Health+Hospitals/Metropolitan with Celebration Symposium
• BioInc@NYMC Welcomes Dair Capture
• SOM Class of 2029 Comes Together for Friendsgiving Celebration
• NYMC and TU Hosted Webinar Series: “Ninety Minutes: The Medical Magazine of the Web”
• Third Volume of Medical Halachah Annual Links Halachah and Modern Medical Ethics
• Feature Your Artwork on the Chironian Back Cover
• TCDM Students Volunteer at Pop-Up Dental Clinic
• Free Ground Shipping on Merch
• In The Community: Students Lead Community Health Fair Offering Wide-Ranging Health Resources
• Student Spotlight: From Medical Student to Ironman

Advancing Cardiorespiratory Care In The Heart Center: Development Of A Specialized Cardiac Curriculum For Respiratory Therapists, Alexandra Birely, Andrea Torzone, Jill Kleiber, Elysia Harshman, Melinda Cory

2025

INNOVATION & LEADERSHIP

Background: As innovations advance the outcomes and survival of pediatric patients with heart disease, an evolving patient population is increasing the complexity of inpatient heart care. The Heart Center at Children’s Health Dallas has seen a twofold increase in ventilator dependent tracheostomy patients since 2022, illustrating just one example of the shifting acuity profile of patients being cared for on the Acute Care Cardiology Unit (ACCU). Providing safe and high-quality care within a pediatric Heart Center requires enhanced resources and expertise across the entire multidisciplinary team. The need for increased respiratory therapy support was identified on …

Advancing Health Equity Through Comprehensive Haircare Training To Reduce Pediatric Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries, Afra Evans, Adrienne Johnson, Adrienne Davis

2025

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

Background: Increased awareness of health equity and a rise in hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) to the scalp and head—particularly among pediatric patients with textured hair—prompted a comprehensive initiative at a pediatric healthcare organization. Environmental scanning revealed that while new haircare products had been introduced into clinical areas, staff lacked the training and resources to use them effectively. A current-state analysis survey of 133 staff members (86% clinical) revealed significant gaps: 69% had never received training in diverse haircare, 51% did not feel equipped to provide appropriate care, and 36% felt nervous or intimidated when caring for hair …

Elevating Nursing Leadership: How Nurse Managers Empower Unit Practice Councils, Katie Fields

2025

EBP

Literature Review: Utilizing OVID and databases CINAHL and PubMed, a comprehensive review of 22 articles, including integrative reviews and qualitative studies, was conducted to examine leadership behaviors that support NPG and UPCs. Across the literature, empowerment, accountability, and presence are consistently highlighted as essential leadership behaviors for effective shared governance that strengthens engagement and professional growth. Clavelle and Tarasenko (2024) emphasized accountability as critical to advancing NPG, while Rollins et al. (2024) underscored the importance of adaptable leadership styles to meet the evolving needs of frontline nurses and practice councils.

PICO: What are the best practices and leadership behaviors …

From Competence To Confidence: Fostering A Culture Of Certification In Nursing, Derhonda Dossett, Sunni Fleming, Amanda Grantham, Johanna Muller

2025

INNOVATION & LEADERSHIP

Background: Nursing certifications help promote excellence in nursing and support the professional identity of nurses. In an urban academic pediatric hospital system, nursing leaders were tasked with increasing professional nursing certification rates within their departments. One team has excelled in increasing their professional certification rate. The team went from 8 to 35 certified nurses which was a 33.75% increase from July 2022 to July 2025. This has elevated the confidence and knowledge base of the nurses and leaders in the Variable Staffing department. Objectives included increasing knowledge and awareness of professional certification, providing resources available to …

Planting Seeds Of Success: Cultivating Cpen Certification In Pediatric Emergency Nursing, Shelby Flusche, Johanna Muller

2025

INNOVATION & LEADERSHIP

Background: Children’s Health Plano campus has faced challenges in supporting nurses preparing for the Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse (CPEN) exam, with limited resources available for study and preparation. To encourage certification, a certification champion was identified to provide leadership and guidance. However, it soon became evident that additional support was needed, as many nurses were unsure how to obtain a test voucher and reported low confidence levels regarding exam success. In fact, 75% of nurses initially rated themselves as neutral to not confident in their ability to pass the CPEN exam, highlighting a significant gap in …

We Float So You Don’T Sink: Implementation Of Float Nurse Support Role, Amanda Anderson, Caroline Kelley, Mary Moore, Carlie Phillips, Krista Westbrook

2025

INNOVATION & LEADERSHIP

Background: Critical care float pool nurses possess broad clinical expertise and flexibility to support a wide range of patient care areas across the organization. Their familiarity with multiple units, patient populations, and

established relationships with provider teams helps them to facilitate timely and effective clinical support. Acute care staff regard critical care nurses’ judgment with high respect, enhancing interdisciplinary collaboration and trust. Because of a rising patient acuity and census, there is risk for failures in escalation of care, with 16% of serious pediatric adverse events linked to delays is escalation (Sosa et al., 2022). Critical …

A Quality Attack On Hacs, Chasity Tyree-Lee, Krystan Smith, William Gaines, Samantha Frederick, Kendel Richards

2025

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

Background: Hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) pose a dual challenge to pediatric organizations, compromising patient safety while creating substantial financial burdens, with a single central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) costing an estimated $48,108 and delaying discharge (Forrester, 2022; Li, 2024). While prior studies have focused on reducing individual HACs through standardized rounding, our pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) adopted a broader, integrated approach.

Methodology: In 2022, we launched a nursing-led initiative to reduce multiple HACs—catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), CLABSI, hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPI), and peripheral intravenous catheter infiltration and extravasations (PIVIE)—simultaneously. The program empowered Quality Champions (QCs), …

Precision In Practice: Subject Matter Expert Integration To Support Excellence In Population-Specific Documentation, Sara Pump, Lauren Spain, Virginia Kasenic, Meagan Talent, Alivia Stewart, Carrin Shaw, Chad Gautreaux, Dori Cousin, Ronesea Allen, Jonathan Rowe

2025

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

Background: An initial internal pilot audit of patient charts, performed by the Plano psych RN team within the Emergency department in November 2024 revealed significant gaps in documentation compliance for behavioral health patients. Many areas of required charting were found to be incomplete, partially completed, or inconsistently documented across disparate sections of the electronic medical record. This fragmentation not only impedes the ability to efficiently locate critical information but also fails to meet the documentation standards outlined in Children’s Health organizational policies. These deficiencies pose risks to continuity of care, clinical decision-making, regulatory compliance, patient and staff …

Community Health Worker (Chw) Initiative To Address Low Acuity Pediatric Emergency Department Utilization, Jana Neal, Danielle Hayle

2025

INNOVATION & LEADERSHIP

Background: A Medicaid payor-funded collaborative was initiated in partnership with Children’s Health System of Texas to reduce low-acuity emergency department (ED) visits—defined as triage levels 4 or 5—among Medicaid patients, who account for the largest share of ED use, with nearly 50% of visits considered low acuity. To address this, certified Community Health Workers (CHWs) were deployed in the Dallas and Plano EDs to engage eligible caregivers. CHWs provide education on insurance benefits, assist with establishing primary care provider (PCP) relationships, and promote appropriate healthcare utilization. They also work to identify barriers preventing the use of …

Engaging The Night Shift To Sustain A Healthy Work Environment, Kelsey Walsh, Delaney Dewolf, Annie Tolliver

2025

INNOVATION & LEADERSHIP

Background: Night shift nurses often feel overlooked, leading to disengagement and higher turnover. The common question, “What about for the night shift?” highlights gaps in recognition, communication, and collaboration. In 2024, a large pediatric health system launched a Night Shift Forum (NSF) to improve the work environment for this critical group. Results from the AACN Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool (HWEAT) showed true collaboration (3.41) and meaningful recognition (3.73) as the lowest-scoring areas. Recent studies show that night-shift nurses consistently report lower scores on healthy work environment domains, while organizations with dedicated night councils demonstrate stronger …

A Nurse-Led Investigation Into Rising Cardiology Clinic Admission Holds And A Multidisciplinary Strategy To Reduce Them, Jennifer Dickson, Haley Byrne, Katherine Harris, Leah K. Toombs

2025

INNOVATION & LEADERSHIP

Background: The Dallas Cardiology Clinic, the only hospital-based clinic within the Heart Center’s outpatient network, serves specialized, high-acuity cardiac patients who often require direct admission. Due to inpatient bed constraints in the Acute Care Cardiology Unit and Cardiac ICU, rising patient complexity, patients are increasingly held in the ambulatory space, not intended for, or equipped for prolonged care. In 2024, average admission wait times rose to 118 minutes (often taking 200+ minutes) up from 97 minutes in 2022. Long admit wait times can lead to treatment delays, raise nursing concerns about safety, and disrupt outpatient flow. …

Addressing Gaps In Breastfeeding Education Among Pediatric Nurses, Bethany Stokes, Shannon Abbott

2025

INNOVATION & LEADERSHIP

Background: Breastfeeding is a modifiable health-related behavior widely recognized for its short-and long-term health benefits (Standish, 2022). The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends breastfeeding for at least two years or as long as mutually desired (Meek, 2022). Despite this guidance, pediatric nurses outside of neonatal units often receive minimal breastfeeding education, creating a gap in care for breastfeeding families admitted to other areas of the hospital. This project aimed to assess the breastfeeding knowledge needs of pediatric nursing staff across two hospital campuses. A lack of standardized breastfeeding education was identified. To quantify this gap, …

Blinatumomab Without Borders: Taking Life-Saving Treatment Home, Susan Mccollom, Tami Beaudin, Shareta Jackson, Jamie Gebhard

2025

INNOVATION & LEADERSHIP

Background: Blinatumomab administration has become a standard treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), following promising early outcomes from the AALL1731 study. The randomized groups in this trial demonstrated a 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate of 96% in those receiving blinatumomab, compared to 87.9% in the non-blinatumomab arms. Blinatumomab is administered in two non-consecutive 28-day blocks with ideally approximately 24 days of treatment at home.

Implementation: The staff at the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders (CCBD) at Children’s Health faced a significant challenge due to the volume and urgency of the therapy to start. We …

Defying Gravity: Fall Prevention Quality Improvement Project, Taylor Ryan, Madeline Bartush

2025

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

Background: In March of 2025, an increase in inpatient falls led to a hospital-wide containment period. In response, a fall prevention nurse role was created to identify gaps, provide targeted education and lead improvement efforts. Initial surveys of 101 nurses revealed that while 91% reported using the teach-back method of education as part of their practice with patients and families, only 36.6% reported they always use this method, and just 19.8% reported feeling very comfortable doing so. Direct observations revealed families unable to teach-back fall prevention strategies despite nurse documentation of education completion. A gap analysis also …

Development Of A Continuous Renal Replacement Therapies (Crrt) Team, Lainey Segovia, Taelor Pena, David Zolezzi, Tami Turrubiarte, Keri Drake

2025

INNOVATION & LEADERSHIP

Background: Our organization identified an opportunity to provide Continuous Renal Replacement therapy (CRRT) to more patients while simultaneously reducing time to initiation by building a dedicated CRRT team. Although CRRT has been provided for years, it lacked formal standardized education and oversight.

Implementation: Recognizing these gaps in care we formed a CRRT team in May 2024, consisting of three RN coordinators, one Advanced Practice Provider (APP), a nursing director, and a nephrology medical director. The aim was to improve CRRT delivery by authoring guidelines, providing formal in-person education for nurses and providers, creating a centralized …

Embedding Health Literacy Practices Through A Champion Program: A Strategic Expansion, Diana Montoya, Cameron Stine, Kelli Williams, Leslie Moore, Carol Howe

2025

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

Background: The importance of becoming a Health-Literate Organization gained momentum in our pediatric organization, driven by the Healthy People 2030 initiative, Social Determinants of Health Screening and organizational strategies focused on enhancing patient outcomes. The Health Literacy Champion Program (HLCP) was expanded in 2024-2025 to embed subject matter experts into inpatient care units, thereby infusing health literacy best practices to enhance patient communication.

Methodology: The initial phase involved aligning the HLCP interventions with organizational strategic priorities and establishing shared goals among stakeholders. The program leads identified key priority indicators and metrics to evaluate the program. The …

Empowering Nurses: A Training Initiative On Essential Oils For Pediatric Neurosurgery Patients, Sheri Sacks

2025

EBP

Literature Review: Pediatric neurosurgery patients often face increased anxiety and agitation. Nurses may lack knowledge of non-pharmacological interventions to reduce agitation and anxiety in their patients. Literature review used MeSH Headings and keywords to find recent English articles. Evidence shows EO reduces anxiety. Lavender inhalation lowers anxiety, pain, and vital signs in pediatric dental patients. In adults, aromatherapy decreases anxiety, pain, blood pressure, and improves sleep, also reducing pain and extubation time.

PICO: In pediatric neurosurgical bedside nurses, does education on lavender essential oil, compared to no education, improve knowledge, confidence and intent to integrate it as a complementary …

Enhancing Sepsis Education And Staff Engagement Through Gamification: A Qi Project Using Escape Rooms In A Pediatric Ed, Angie Rodick, Nicole Bizzack, Virginia Elizondo

2025

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

Background: Sepsis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in hospitals, making early recognition and intervention critical. Traditional education methods often fail to ensure retention of essential knowledge, leaving staff underprepared. To address this gap, a Quality Improvement (QI) project was launched in the Emergency Department (ED) of an urban Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center. Nursing leaders identified the need for engaging, sustainable education and collaborated with educators to design an escape room training activity. The aim was to evaluate whether gamification could increase engagement, improve understanding of a new sepsis screening tool, and enhance overall …

Got Ebm? Increasing Scanning Compliance With Nursing Led Initiatives, Angela Randles, Rose Dela Cruz, Lily Lawrence

2025

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

Background: This General Pediatrics unit had just 78% staff compliance in scanning Expressed Breast Milk (EBM) in January 2025, a crucial gap in safe handling and documentation. The risk to patient safety prompted a targeted quality improvement project to improve compliance and workflow. A thorough process mapping exercise and pre-survey bedside nurses helped understand noncompliance. The aim of this project is to identify ways to increase compliance with EBM scanning by understanding the root cause of non-compliance and identifying nurse led initiatives to improve patient outcomes.

Methodology: In April 2025, improper reporting of breast milk pumping …