Date of Graduation
Summer 8-9-2024
Document Access
Project/Capstone - Global access
Degree Name
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
College/School
School of Nursing and Health Professions
Program
Kaiser cohort MSN capstone
First Advisor
Dave Ainsworth
Abstract
Abstract
Background: This project was centered around the wound nurses and their workload. It also highlighted the opportunity for education for frontline staff. The wound nurses at this northern California hospital are a group of five nurses that support the whole hospital. Usually there are two staffed per day to support a facility that continues to have three to four overflow areas open to accommodate its high census.
Problem: My project focused on decreasing inappropriate wound consults. There are many consults places that do not need the intervention of a skilled wound nurse. These consults lead to time that is wasted to review and document on the consults that the frontline nurses can address themselves. On Average, 1 to 3 consults placed out of 15 are inappropriate.
Intervention: To decrease inappropriate wound consults, baseline information was gathered on day shift, float pool nurses’ knowledge regarding wound care and consulting. A wound algorithm was created by the wound nurses that was socialized to the frontline nurse. A wound champion was educated on the algorithm to help facilitate its knowledge and use.
Measures: The outcome measure for this project is to reduce inappropriate consults by 15% or to a target of 0-1 per day by August 2024. A process measures was to obtain a baseline survey for knowledge of wound care and when to consult the WOC team. Goal for participation of 60 % was not met.
Results: There was a decreased noted in the number of inappropriate consults placed from 25 % of consults placed being inappropriate to 19.6 %.
Conclusions: There’s a small decrease noted. If the project were applied to all units, as the wound nurses support the whole hospital, there could be a greater benefit to the wound nurses in decreasing their time being wasted. It is sustainable if education is continued, maybe on a yearly basis with skill fair or annual modules.
Keywords: wound nurses, wound care wound education, time management
Recommended Citation
Hinton, Arpita, "Decreasing Inappropriate Wound Consults" (2024). Master's Projects and Capstones. 1764.
https://repository.usfca.edu/capstone/1764
