Executive summary free essay sample

Executive Summary: Education for Recovery Room Nurses on the Topic of Diverticular Disease Dina Gibson Grand Canyon University: NRS-415V November 10, 2013 Executive Summary: Education for Recovery Room Nurses on the Topic of Diverticular Disease We as nurses have a common goal of educating the people that we care for and teaching them in detail about disease management and prevention. Diverticular disease is characterized by small pouches in the colon. Most people do not exhibit symptoms, but some will have mild symptoms such as cramps, bloating or constipation. If the pouches become inflamed or infected, they develop into a condition known as diverticulitis. The most common symptom is abdominal pain usually left sided, accompanied by fever, chills, nausea, cramping and constipation. In very serious cases, this may lead to bleeding, tears and intestinal blockages which may require hospitalization. It is believed that the cause of Diverticulosis is many years of a diet that was not adequate in fiber intake. We will write a custom essay sample on Executive summary or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Since patients do not always exhibit signs and symptoms, it is often diagnosed during a routine colonoscopy. The purpose of this paper is to devise a plan of education for the recovery room staff to teach patients how to manage Diverticular Disease, and the basics of a high fiber diet. (www.ucsfhealth.org) Target Population and Audience The target audience that Diverticulosis education is intended for is the patients that have procedures in the Endoscopy suite, and the recovery room nurses that are responsible for their care. Education is a valuable resource. Recovery room nurses have the unique opportunity to be able to provide patient education and answer questions that the patient may have. Many times people are unaware that they have this condition which is diagnosed during their endoscopy procedure. If the nurse is knowledgeable in the subject matter, they will be able to provide this basic information which may help to prevent future complications. The Benefits of the Program Proper education, can help to prevent serious complications. Constipation and straining, can make this condition worse so it is very imperative that the patient be instructed on the importance of a high fiber diet. A high fiber diet keeps the stool soft and adds bulk allowing it to pass easily. Since many people may not know what foods are high in fiber, the recovery room nurse should be aware and be able to educate them on how to make good choices, and foods to add increased fiber to their diet. This also can benefit the physician by nursing staff providing this valuable education. Some fiber rich foods include fruits such as berries, apples and bananas, vegetables such as broccoli, carrots and squash. Beans and legumes are also fiber rich foods. Bread choices should consist of whole grain bread, brown rice, and whole grain cereals. The goal of a high fiber diet is to be eating 25-35 grams of fiber per day. If the diet is not currently high in fiber, it should be increased gradually. Too much fiber too fast can cause uncomfortable symptoms such as gas, abdominal pain and bloating. Fluid is also important to keep things moving, at least 64 ounces of liquids per day, and a regular exercise routine. Diverticulosis can lead to severe complications such as infection, bleeding and intestinal blockage. Another complication that may arise from Diverticular Disease, is Diverticulitis. This condition occurs when the pouches become inflamed and infected. During these flare ups patients treated with antibiotics and will be kept on a clear liquid diet, progress to a low fiber diet, and gradually return to normal diet after symptoms improve. (www.ucsfhealth.org). When complications do not respond to diet or medication, surgery to remove the infected area may be required. (www.nlm.nlh.gov). Cost of Program The cost of this educational program is minimal. Written educational materials and in-service should be provided for the staff. A face to face in-service will allow for questions and detailed clarification of the information presented. Written materials can be provided for the patient, which defines the basics of a high fiber diet and explains in detail ways to manage their Divercular Disease and prevent further complications. The recovery nurse should be available to answer questions and give explanation of the material. This minimal cost of education, can help to prevent complications of the disease and give the patient increased awareness. The educational process starts at the bedside. We as nurses can make a difference. Evaluation Evaluation process should consist of input from the recovery room staff. Their perception of how the information was received. Observation of the discharge education process should be monitored to make sure patients are receiving their education and educational materials, and that they understand them . A study can be done to monitor the rate of complications of Diverticular Disease and treatments rendered. Surveys can be given the patients upon discharge so that they can rate the level of education that they received and their understanding. Conclusion We as nurses can help to make a difference in the lives of those that we care for. Education should be one of the top priorities. Education to our patients can mean the difference of complications that may arise. Since education starts at the bedside, it is important that we have well educated nursing staff. Educational plans that are used to benefit the care that we give can start the ball rolling, and give the best possible outcomes for our patient population. Executive Summary free essay sample A Project for Quality Improvement and Cost Reduction Most of the health care organizations are very much interested in quality improvement activities since they are facing a big competition in the market. Quality improvement activities and the role of nurses in this area are increasing simultaneously. Since nurses are the primary care givers in the hospitals their influence in quality improvement is remarkable. Quality improvement is a formal method to bring the service to the next level with the aim of overall health of the organization (Public Health Foundation, 2012). Here, the author is making an executive summary to the hospital board for the approval of specialized bed which prevents bed sore and provide other safety features for the patients. The safety features include bed exit alarm on fall risk patients, automatic weight scale on the bed, nurse communication and able to help the patient turn from side to side. The hospital acquired sores and falls are the number one expenditure for the hospitals. We will write a custom essay sample on Executive Summary or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Since these beds will benefits the patients, hospital as well as the caregivers. This summary will include the purpose of the program, the target population and benefits, cost of the project and the basis upon the program will be evaluated. The Purpose of the Program The purpose of this program is to improve safety and quality in patients, caregivers and the cost reduction for the hospitals. It is the responsibility for the hospitals and every person who care for the patients is to protect the safety of the patients and the staffs. The manager and the leader play a vital role in this program. The main compliant from the care givers are the back pain from turning the patients. These specialized beds will help to turn side to side, high to low. These beds perform automatic weight check for the patient and make the surface according to the weight of the patients. Another highlight of this bed is we can able to make bed alarms according to the patient conditions. These alarms will bring the staff to the room immediately avoid falls. Over all the main aim for this project is to improve the outcome of the patients, staffs and the hospitals from quality improvement and cost reduction. The Target Population and the benefits of the program Target population is very important when planning for a project submission. The target populations consist of patients with bedsores, patients who are bed bound for long time, all high risk patients for skin break down, obese patients and fall risk patients. Caregivers are other target populations. The benefits of this project will be received by the patients, caregivers and the hospital. Patients with respiratory distress will benefit from propped up positions. Special positioning helps for airway clearance for pneumonia and emphysema patients. The high risk for skin break down patients will benefits from pressure reduction surface of the bed. The fall risk patients will benefit’s from bed exit alarms. . One to one sitters are big cost for the most of the hospitals. These bed alarms will reduce the use of one to one sitters and the hospital will benefits from paying for an extra staff. For the smooth running of the facility care givers need to be taken care off. These beds give an extra hand to the caregivers. The risk of injury rise when they lift and move the obese and contracted patients. According to the hospital employ health reports most of the work related injuries are back and shoulder hurts from patient lift. These products will help the caregivers from work related injuries and protect their health as well (Hill-Rom, 2012). The Cost or Budget Justification According to Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) report 2. 5 million patients per year are affected with pressure sores in the hospitals. The pressure sores cost $ 9. 1 billion to $11. 6 billion per year in the United States. There are greater than 17, 000 lawsuits are reported annually related to pressure ulcer. Approximately 60, 000 people die from the direct outcome of pressure ulcer every year (AHRQ, 2011). This project will take $1 million to $1. 5 million expense approximately for the initiation. However 40% of the yearly cost reduction could be accomplished once this project executed. The Basis of the Program Evaluated According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a current evaluation is a needed for the systematic way of improvement for the project under taken (CDC, 2012). In this case an evidence based research should be used to evaluate the outcome of the project. This should be an evidence based record for the prevention of pressure ulcers, hospital falls, work related injuries for the caregivers and the cost reduction for the organization. The evidenced based research should show the benefits of the program and that will outweigh the expenses of the project. Conclusion This paper had discussed an executive summary of quality improvement project for the implementation of specialized hospital beds in the unit. The summary included the purpose of the program, target population, benefits and cost of the project. Finally, the evaluation based on the basis is also mentioned. To bring this quality improvement project in to action is really be determined by the support of the employers, managers and administrators. Many state and federal agencies, stakeholders and quality improvement agencies could support financially to accomplish this project. Over all patient safety and satisfaction should be the number one priority for the organizations. Executive Summary free essay sample Pressure ulcer prevention (PUP) in surgical patients has become a major interest in acute care hospitals with the increased focus on patient safety and quality of care. A pressure ulcer is any area of skin or underlying tissue that has been damaged by unrelieved pressure or pressure in combination with friction and shear. Pressure ulcers are caused due to diminished blood supply which in turn leads to decreased oxygen and nutrient delivery to the affected tissues (Tschannen, Bates, Talsma, amp;Guo, 2012). Pressure ulcers can cause extreme discomfort and often lead to serious, life threatening infections, which substantially increase the length of stay and total costs of care and compromise quality of care. The main purpose of this paper is to provide an executive summary of a project that is introduction of pressure relieving surfaces to reduce the occurrences of pressure sores in surgical patients to the Board for approval of funding of the project. We will write a custom essay sample on Executive Summary or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Indeed prevention and management of pressure ulcers is a priority for all health care settings, the purpose of this project is to emphasize the importance of using gel filled overlays in operating tables and use of high specification foam surfaces for post operative patients and allow funding for the project. The main concept behind the project is to provide the surgical patients with mattresses that are pressure reducing, pressure redistributing or pressure relieving. The high specification foam mattress moulds or contours to the body, helping to relieve pressure and stop ulcers from developing. Our target population includes all surgical patients undergoing prolonged surgeries and the post operative patients. Surgical patients are particularly at high risk. Patients undergoing surgical procedures who are immobile for long periods are unable to change positions are at greater risks than patients who are mobile. Because of sedation and anesthesia, surgical patients cannot sense the numbness or pain that prolonged pressure causes and subsequently are unable to change position to relieve the pressure. The vulnerable bony areas prone to pressure ulcer are back, heels, hip, spine, elbows, shoulders and back of head. Studies have proved that total operating time and overall number of surgical procedures are significant predictors of pressure ulcers. A research conducted by Lindgren et al found that 14. 3 % of surgical patients acquired a pressure ulcer during the time from surgery to twelve weeks after surgery. For every thirty minutes the surgery went beyond four hours, the risk for a pressure ulcer increased by approximately thirty three percent. As we are all aware that there is no reimbursement for a hospital acquired pressure ulcer and the cost for each pressure ulcer has to be absorbed by the facility. A patient’s development of a pressure ulcer while under the care of health care provider or facility is viewed as grounds of a professional liability law suit. The mere existence of pressure ulcer is often viewed as a physical evidence of medical negligence. The cost to treat pressure ulcers are expensive, the United Sates (US) health care system spends more than one billion dollars annually to treat pressure ulcers. It has been estimated that the cost of treating pressure ulcers is 2. 5 times the cost of preventing them (Whitehead amp;Trueman, 2010). In order to reduce the strain on hospital budgets caused by pressure ulcers, we need to implement a planned approach to PUP and management by incorporating a range of pressure relieving surfaces leading to improvements in health care and patient’s quality of life. Studies show that the uses of high specification foam mattress are likely to cost less overall and more effective than standard hospital mattress. For my budget justification I will be using an example from a research conducted in the University of Oxford, United Kingdom (UK) on four different patient groups. A standard hospital mattress range from ? 39 to ? 62 and high specification foam mattresses range from ? 97 to ? 422 and overlay cost for operating tables range from ? 100 to ? 300. The pooled estimate of the four studies yielded a relative risk of 0. 29 (95% CI 0. 19–0. 43), or a relative reduction in pressure ulcer incidence of 71% (95% CI 57–81%). Calculations were based on the total costs and total number of pressure ulcers that would develop using high- specification foam mattress and standard hospital mattress. The cost of providing a standard hospital mattress for a100 patient episodes was only ? 11, whereas the cost of providing a high specification foam mattress was higher at ? 57. However the incidence of pressure ulcers and the treatment cost are lower with high-specification foam mattress. In a group 100 patients where 20 developed a pressure ulcer only six would do so with a high-specification hospital mattress. For example in a group of 100 patients, where 20 developed pressure ulcers the cost of treating them was ? 750 x 20 = ? 5,000, in patients cared for on a standard hospital mattress, whereas for patients cared on high-specification mattresses the cost was ? 750 x 6 =? 4500, as more pressure ulcers were prevented (Legood amp;McInnes, 2005). Therefore even though the high-specification foam pressure relieving mattress cost more to purchase, the treatment savings accruing through the reduced number of pressure ulcer outweigh the increased costs. Pressure ulcers continue to affect the lives of patients and are have a significant impact on patients and health service resources. In light of current financial constraints it is highly acknowledged that high specification surfaces are more expensive than the standard surfaces, however the budget analysis reveals pressure relieving surfaces can reduce the number of pressure ulcers and the associated costs of treatment. Furthermore avoiding an adverse event during a hospital stay, such as pressure ulcer not only produces financial efficiencies but also prevents loss of quality of life and pain and suffering which patients may experience. Executive Summary free essay sample The purpose of the program The nosocomial infection prevention program has been developed to serve as basic practical resource to all health care individuals, as well as for those who work in the infection control department in our health care facility. The program will provide helpful information, rationales and recommendations in our join effort to fight hospitals’ acquired infection. This program will assist our hospital administrators, infection control personnel and, those involved in direct patient’ care to prevent hospital acquired infections. The target population or audience Disturbing to many is that most infection-related deaths are preventable. Nosocomial infection, also known as hospital-acquired infection (HAI) is defined as infection acquired in health care settings. Patients are hospitalized for reasons unrelated to infection (CDC, 2013). According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nosocomial infections are the forth leading killer in the United States. Two million hospital-acquired infections occurring per year result in about 100,000 deaths. We will write a custom essay sample on Executive Summary or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This is more than the amount of people who die from auto accidents and homicides combined (CDC, 2013). Despite advancements in infection surveillance and healthcare practices, nosocomial infections continue to develop in hospitalized patients. Many studies indicate that hospital acquired infections increase as older and sicker patients enter our hospitals. Although it is true that anyone entering a hospital may acquire an infection, elderly patients or those with chronic conditions that have weakened immune systems are at an increased risk. Trauma patients and victims of auto accidents, patients with severe burns, cancer and newborns are highly susceptible populations (Warye Granato, 2009). The benefits of the program We are dedicated to provide first-rate primary and specialized care with a commitment to zero tolerance for nosocomial infections. This commitment signifies a tremendously positive step towards staying ahead of the curve on this issue, setting standards and successfully implementing proven best practices for others to follow. Our institution can no longer afford to be reactive in dealing with hospital-acquired infections. Our goal is to outline a framework for success that will enhance our strategy as it pertains to the improvement of patient safety through the reduction of nosocomial infections. The cost of budget justification The implementation of the proposed infection prevention program requires funding of $145.000.00 dollars annually, to ensure that our hospital achieve the best possible outcomes for all patients. This fund will enable existing projects to be expanded and modified to long-term care settings. Involvement in this initiative will allows us to step away from viewing this as a one-time infection control project and to see the bigger picture leading toward sustainable changes. Rising costs for treatment of nosocomial infections requires a need for change. The impact of hospital-acquired infections is considerable from both a patient safety and financial perspective. A patient who contracts an infection may require a longer hospital stay, more involved treatment options, readmission, or even further surgery, which inevitably increases use of hospital resources (IHI, 2013). For example, postoperative sepsis, a serious type of bloodstream infection, increases a hospital stay by 10.89 days on average and adds, on average, $ 57,727 in charges. The CDC estimates that hospital-acquired infections contribute over $10 billion of additional costs to the healthcare system annually (CDC, 2013). According to Donald Berwick, MD, MPP, President and CEO, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, â€Å"Improvement is local, rather than system-wide, and is sustained with difficulty, rather than becoming an intrinsic feature of care† (Berwick, 2013). This signature effort introduces six proven healthcare improvement initiatives called â€Å"bundles†. A bundle is defined as a grouping of best practices with respect to a disease process that individually improves care, but when applied together results in substantially greater improvement. We are committed to standardize best practices in two areas, under the following bundled approaches: 1. Prevention of Central Line Infections: -monitoring hand hygiene -maximal usage of barrier precautions -application of chlorhexidine skin antisepsis -site selection for optimal catheterization -daily updates and review of lines necessity with prompt removal of unnecessary lines 2. Prevention of Surgical Infections (SSI): -appropriate use of antibiotics -appropriate hair removal -preoperative glucose control monitoring -preoperative normothermia monitoring The basis upon which the program will be evaluated Multidisciplinary task forces will be created to develop education and communication strategies system-wide. Implementation of each evidence-based â€Å"bundle† will enable us to leverage best practices system-wide to enhance patient safety and improve outcomes. Proper hand washing is the common link across the bundles that will allow for success. We are developing a more comprehensive physician, nursing and employee orientation on hand hygiene. Similar educational efforts will take place to educate current staff through multiple forums throughout the health system. In addition, proper hand washing will be assessed as part of nurses’ and physicians’ competency on a yearly basis. To ensure improved outcomes and better patient care within an environment of zero tolerance for nosocomial infections, we will require the support and commitment of every health system employee. Quality indicators will be aggregated and submitted to IHI to measure overall success and intervention-level data will be reported quarterly for internal performance measurement comparison with national standards. Accountability at each site will reside with: Infection Control Committee, Quality Management, Executive Director and the Board of Trustees. Conclusion As a leading healthcare organization in the nation, we are responsible for preventing nosocomial infections. Employee involvement across all disciplines and levels of expertise coupled with the commitment of senior leadership is critical to the success of this initiative. Behavior change that will ultimately lead to a shift in culture is needed to ensure improved outcomes and better patient care within an environment of zero tolerance for nosocomial infections.