Nursing Commons^™

A Quality Improvement Initiative To Improve Access And Patient Flow In A Non-Emergency Walk-In Care Clinic, Renee J. Broze

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: A community-based non-emergency walk-in clinic in Southern New Hampshire experienced high volume and inefficient workflows during the pandemic, causing delays in care, long visit times, and low net promoter scores.

Purpose: Institute an evidence-based approach to improve work efficiency through innovative models of care.

Methods: A literature review on best practices for workflow redesign guided the project. The project instituted an on-demand telemedicine service and a clinic fast-track workflow. A mixed methods approach analyzed pre /post cycle times, net promoter scores, and themes from staff interviews. Pre/post cycle times analyzed 12,767 completed appointments.

Results: There was a statistically significant …

Adults On The Autism Spectrum: A Quality Improvement Project To Develop A Patient-Centered Nursing Care Guideline For The Acute Care Setting, Elizabeth Cirelli

DNP Scholarly Projects

Abstract

Background: Incidence of autism spectrum disorder is increasing. Current prevalence rate is 1 in 59 people, which translates to roughly 1% of the U.S. population. These adults have higher rates of epilepsy, gastrointestinal disorders, obesity, cardiac dysfunction, and mental health disorders. Healthcare system utilization is resultantly greater than their neurotypical counterparts, coupled with longer lengths of stay and decreased patient satisfaction reports.

Purpose: Most nurses report little to no formal training about the disorder or how to develop interventions sensitive to the needs of this population yet are crucial care givers to ensure patient-centeredness. A guideline to …