Making the Most of Benchmarking by Optimizing Resources during the Prevalence Study to improve Patient Outcomes

The purpose

The purpose of this analysis is twofold: first, to demonstrate improvement in patient outcomes through the use of a multidisciplinary team approach; and secondly, to initiate this improvement through the quarterly prevalence study, which benchmarks our facility against other quality cohorts.

Background Significance

Our hospital is a 665-bed, regional referral center and teaching hospital receiving their first Magnet Designation in 2003. There are currently 391 Magnet Facilities to benchmark against, based on quality patient care, nursing excellence, and innovations in healthcare services. The facility provides quarterly prevalence to benchmark through the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI) database at the unit level. The NDNQI quality tool is statistically significant, at the broadest level nationally. To capitalize on the process of data collection for NDNQI, our facility utilizes data collection for more than providing a benchmark.  

Process

Our hospital provides a selected committed team that works in conjunction with the WOC nurses in data collection as well as observation of nursing practices. These observations go beyond the required data needed for benchmarking.  Every quarterly prevalence provides a new area of observation for the team in which the data is immediately utilized by the WOC nurses to improve patient care. The data is then assessed immediately. Any recommended changes to the program are taken to the multidisciplinary monthly meeting to review. The team’s recommended changes to the program are then implemented. 

Results

The overall prevalence of facility acquired pressure ulcers was reduced and has been consistently maintained below 1%. In addition, our incidence has been significantly reduced by 32% from Fiscal Year (FY) 08/09 to FY 09/10 and 23% from FY 09/10 to FY 10/11. The outcomes have shown by combining people processes and technology initiated by a quarterly prevalence study can statistically improve quality patient outcomes.