Critical Care Nursing Commons^™

Improving New Graduate Nurse Clinical Readiness Through Interprofessional Collaboration And High-Fidelity Simulation, Alyssa M. Starkey

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose

The goal of this quality improvement (QI) project was to enhance new graduate nurse (NGN) clinical readiness through an interprofessional high-fidelity simulation focused on recognizing and responding to patient deterioration during nurse residency onboarding.

Background

New graduate nurses often feel uncertain about recognizing clinical deterioration and communicating. Research shows that simulation-based and interprofessional training improve judgment, teamwork, and communication. This project aims to achieve at least a 10% increase in NGN clinical readiness following the implementation of a high-fidelity simulation program.

Methodology

A pre–post QI study based on Kolb’s Theory and PDSA principles was conducted in a nurse residency …

Implementing The Abcdef Bundle In A Rural Critical Care, Kayla Hubbard

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Patients admitted to the critical care unit are at risk of debilitating adverse outcomes including Delirium, Post intensive care syndrome (PICS), debility, wounds, depression, and both mental and physical impairments. Complications related to ICU care can easily be combatted by using a multidisciplinary approach. The ABCDEF bundle serves to incorporate all aspects of a critically ill patients care in a simple, easy to follow bundle focusing on assessment of pain (A), both spontaneous awakening ang breathing trials (B), choice of sedation/analgesic (C), delirium (D), early mobility (E), and family involvement (F). A quality improvement project was designed and piloted in …

Health Is Where The Huddle Is, Lyndsey Anthony, Anna E. Komistek, Philip C. Pritchett, Emma K. Swanson

SPARK Symposium Presentations

“Health is Where the Huddle Is”

Huddles are an evidence-based strategy to facilitate a culture of safety within nursing teams. A review of 158 huddle studies found that 44.3% reported improved clinical outcomes and 24.3% showed fewer medical errors when huddles were implemented (Pimentel et al., 2021). Currently, a local hospital’s 13-bed ICU lacks an effective system for nursing staff to huddle due to staffing constraints and the absence of monitor technicians, creating safety concerns when nurses leave monitors unattended. This project aims to implement an effective, nurse-led shift huddle that maintains continuous patient monitoring while also strengthening patient safety …

Optimizing Central Line Discontinuation In The Surgical Intensive Care Unit: A Quality Improvement Initiative Using A Visual Aid To Reduce The Risk Of Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections, John Quyen D. Van

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

PURPOSE 

The aim of this quality improvement (QI) project was to reduce unnecessary central line dwell time by 20% in a surgical intensive care unit (SICU) in Central Texas.

BACKGROUND 

Central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) contribute to patient harm and increased healthcare costs. The literature strongly supports the timely removal of central venous catheters (CVCs) to reduce this risk; however, delays often occur due to workflow demands, communication gaps, and inconsistent daily necessity assessments.

METHODOLOGY 

Guided by the Health Belief Model (HBM) and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Model for Improvement, the QI project consisted of an 8-week baseline …

The Impact Of Customized Alarm Sounds On Reducing Alarm Fatigue In Icu Nurses, Abigail L. Kendrick, Elizabeth G. Dunkum, Carly F. Harris

Student Scholar Showcase

Within hospital care, particularly in intensive care units, alarm fatigue poses a major threat to patient safety. As a result of the constant sound of alarms, nurses become desensitized and overstimulated in the health care setting. Patient safety is threatened by an increased risk of errors in care, which may lead to complications and poor health outcomes. By systematically reviewing various research studies within the time span of 2020-2025 regarding interventions to decrease the relevance of alarm fatigue, research suggests that there are methods that can be applied via numerous approaches. By customizing alarm sounds by severity, it is believed …

When The Caregiver Becomes The Wounded, Gracelin L. Young

ATU Scholars Symposium

Burnout among critical care nurses (CCNs) is a substantial threat to nurse well-being, patient safety, and workforce stability. The aim of this paper is to identify risk factors contributing to burnout in CCNs using evidence-based articles. An organized literature search was conducted using CINAHL with key terms including critical care nurses, burnout, risk factors, compassion fatigue, and work environment. Five recent peer-reviewed studies meeting inclusion criteria were chosen. The results validate that risk for burnout is vastly influenced by emotional exhaustion, chronic workplace stress, high patient acuity, sleep disturbances, compassion fatigue, insufficient support, and organizational strain. Findings suggest that burnout …

Improving Patient Satisfaction In The Emergency Department Waiting Room Through Enhanced Communication Strategies: A Quality Improvement Initiative, Wael P. Karaki

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose: This QI project aimed to improve ED waiting room experience by standardizing communication to increase transparency and expectation management, targeting an increase in Net Promoter Score (NPS) from 33.5 to ≥35.4 within three months.

Background: ED waiting room dissatisfaction is driven by uncertainty (unclear wait times, inconsistent updates, and limited understanding of triage and ED flow), supporting structured communication over individual clinician delivery.

Methodology: A 3-month, single-site QI project in an urban ED used iterative PDSA cycles and included all ED encounters (n=17,444). The bilingual intervention included orientation pamphlets (print/QR-based), standardized triage verbalization of …

Improving Bedside Nurse Central Line Policy Compliance And Combating Clabsis, Keyshawna N. Chambers

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are a problem, both globally and locally at this 20-bed pediatric cardiovascular ICU in Houston, TX. Bedside nursing staff had gaps in knowledge of central line policies and were often unaware of when dressings needed to be changed. This posed a significant concern, as this nosocomial infection is among the most life-threatening and costly complications in healthcare. Leadership attempted to correct this issue with weekly multidisciplinary rounds, but with high turnover, this was not a long-term fix. This quality improvement project aimed to increase central line policy compliance among bedside nursing staff to 93%, from …

The Use Of A Safety Screening Tool To Improve Sedation Holiday Compliance And Nurse Confidence, Shelby Marchisio

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose

This project sought to evaluate the impact of a safety screening tool on sedation holiday compliance and nurse confidence.

Background

This project was conducted within a 42-bed intensive care unit at a large academic hospital in Houston, Texas. Despite having a nurse-led sedation holiday protocol, compliance averages varied from 50-85%. In alignment with evidence-based practice, it was determined that integrating a safety screening tool into the sedation holiday process may improve compliance.

Methodology

The FADE Model for Quality Improvement guided project development. An anonymous survey was conducted using Likert-scale ratings to assess nursing perceptions and confidence related to sedation …

Early Sepsis-Recognition Simulation Training: An Evidence-Based Initiative, Blanca A. Zavala

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that requires rapid recognition and intervention to prevent poor patient outcomes. Delays in identification remain a significant concern for patient safety, particularly among nurses and nursing students who may lack confidence and clinical judgment in early sepsis recognition (Marsack et al., 2022). This evidence-based practice project aimed to examine the existing evidence on sepsis education and evaluate the effectiveness of simulation-based learning in improving clinical judgment and sepsis recognition, with the goal of informing a potential sepsis training initiative for nursing students.

A literature review of six peer-reviewed studies (2022–2026) was conducted using the PubMed …

The Standardization Of Protocols For Lines And Drips In Complex Cases, Allee A. Rudolph

Scholars Week

Medication errors occur far too often, yet many can be prevented through simple measures such as intravenous line labeling. Clear, highly visible labels enable quick identification reducing the response time in critical situations. The incorporation of color-coding and icons can only enhance the ability to distinguish between the lines with confidence.

Efficacy And Safety Of Stem Cell-Based Interventions For Burn Wound Healing: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Pre-Clinical And Early Clinical Evidence, Prayuth Poowaruttanawiwit, Patsanan Kulla, Naveeya Pakpoomkamonlert

The Thai Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Background: Burn injuries remain a major therapeutic challenge, with conventional treatments often failing to achieve complete functional skin regeneration. Stem cell-based interventions, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and exosome derivatives, have demonstrated regenerative and immunomodulatory potential, yet their translation to clinical practice remains limited.
Objectives: To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of stem cell-based therapies for burn wound healing across pre-clinical and clinical studies.
Materials and Methods: Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 guidelines, four databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane) were searched through April 2025. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials and controlled pre-clinical …

1. Utilizing Virtual Rns To Decrease Length Of Stay On An Acute Care Unit, Sarah Culbert, Lillian Embree

Providence Nursing Research Conference 2023 – Present

No abstract provided.

Improving Door To Ekg Time In The Emergency Department, Juleene J Mcgowan

Providence Nursing Research Conference 2023 – Present

References:

Yiadom, M. Y., Gong, W., Patterson, B., et al. 2022.

Fallacy of Median Door-to-ECG Time: Hidden Opportunities for STEMI Screening Involvement.

Journal of American Heart Association. Https://doi.org/10.11161/JAHA.121.024067

Yiadom, M. Y., Gong W., Bloos S., et al. 2024.

Shorter Door-to-ECG Time is Associated with Improved Mortality in STEMI Patients.

Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2024, 13, 2650. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13092650

Resuscitating Rapid Response And Code Blue Education, Danielle Fogel

Providence Nursing Research Conference 2023 – Present

No abstract provided.

Integrating Licensed Vocational Nurses (Lvns) Back Into The Acute Care Setting, Mindy Luebs, Amanda Espinosa

Providence Nursing Research Conference 2023 – Present

No abstract provided.

Evaluating The Impact Of Early Mobilization Education On Nurse Confidence And Length Of Stay In An Intensive Care Unit, Kimberly Melendez, Crystal Solis, Karis Pickett, Lillie Chung

Providence Nursing Research Conference 2023 – Present

No abstract provided.

Establishing Bedside Report In The Emergency Care Center, Alexandra Rowen

Providence Nursing Research Conference 2023 – Present

No abstract provided.

The Lived Experiences Of Registered Nurses In The Icu In Utilizing A Novel Prophylactic Clear Sacral Gel Dressing, Jason Miranda, Rofelina Madlambayan, Paolo Roca

Providence Nursing Research Conference 2023 – Present

No abstract provided.

Implementation Of A Turn Team To Reduce Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries In A Medical Intensive Care Unit, Heather A, Adair

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Implementation of a Turn Team to Reduce Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries in a Medical Intensive Care Unit

PURPOSE

The project aimed to reduce hospital-acquired pressure injury (HAPI) rates in a Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) by improving nurses' knowledge of the Braden Scale and implementing a structured two-nurse turn team workflow to reposition high-risk patients every two hours.

RESULTS

Repositioning compliance improved substantially and consistently exceeded the project goal of 90% after implementing a pod-based workflow. The HAPI prevalence rate decreased from a baseline of 8% to below the project goal of ≤5% during implementation but was not sustained in the …