THE EVOLUTION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY GOVERNANCE AT THE NIH CLINICAL CENTER.

An information technology governance (ITG) program has helped the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center (CC) in the implementation of many systems and has guided the organization through the maturity of its project management methodology. The NIHCC Department of Clinical Research Informatics (DCRI) maintains an electronic health record (EHR) called the clinical research information system (CRIS) along with many clinical information systems (CIS) and research information systems, supporting approximately 3,200 users. ITG involves establishing processes to guide the review, selection, implementation, management, and setting of the IT strategy representing the business owners, stakeholders, and IT.1 Research conducted by Levstek, Hovelja, and Pucihar2 identified that different organizations may need different ITG structures, frameworks, and strategies. The path to achieving strong ITG is a continuous journey. This paper reviews the evolution of the NIHCC IT governance strategy.

Efficacy of acute care health care providers in cardiopulmonary resuscitation compressions in normal and obese adult simulation manikins.

Annually, over 350,000 persons require cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), either in or outside of the hospital. With obesity a rising health issue in the United States, concerns exist regarding the efficacy of quality compressions for CPR in obese patients. The aims of this study were to determine if the compressions for three adult simulation manikins (normal, obese, and morbidly obese) met quality guidelines; to examine any differences in quality of chest compressions performed by health care providers between the three manikins; and to examine the effect of participant characteristics on the quality of chest compressions in obese and morbidly obese manikins. A randomized controlled design was used. Sixty-one health care providers performed chest compressions on the three simulation manikins. Results showed that performance on the normal-sized manikin was significantly better than that on both obese and morbidly obese manikins. Participant characteristics were significantly associated with quality of chest compressions. The effectiveness of compressions in obese and morbidly obese CPR recipients has yet to be determined.

The Utilization of Robotic Pets in Dementia Care.

BACKGROUND: Behavioral problems may affect individuals with dementia, increasing the cost and burden of care. Pet therapy has been known to be emotionally beneficial for many years. Robotic pets have been shown to have similar positive effects without the negative aspects of traditional pets. Robotic pet therapy offers an alternative to traditional pet therapy. OBJECTIVE: The study rigorously assesses the effectiveness of the PARO robotic pet, an FDA approved biofeedback device, in treating dementia-related symptoms. METHODS: A randomized block design with repeated measurements guided the study. Before and after measures included reliable, valid tools such as: RAID, CSDD, GDS, pulse rate, pulse oximetry, and GSR. Participants interacted with the PARO robotic pet, and the control group received standard activity programs. Five urban secure dementia units comprised the setting. RESULTS: 61 patients, with 77% females, average 83.4 years in age, were randomized into control and treatment groups. Compared to the control group, RAID, CSDD, GSR, and pulse oximetry were increased in the treatment group, while pulse rate, pain medication, and psychoactive medication use were decreased. The changes in GSR, pulse oximetry, and pulse rate over time were plotted for both groups. The difference between groups was consistent throughout the 12-week study for pulse oximetry and pulse rate, while GSR had several weeks when changes were similar between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with the PARO robot decreased stress and anxiety in the treatment group and resulted in reductions in the use of psychoactive medications and pain medications in elderly clients with dementia.

Colonoscopy Comfort: An Evidence-Based Practice Project.

Decreased discomfort after colonoscopy is a high priority for patients. Typically, air is used to insufflate the bowel during colonoscopy, but emerging literature shows that carbon dioxide insufflation decreases postoperative discomfort and flatus. An evidence-based practice project was developed and implemented by a surgical department at a community hospital. The Director of Surgical Services brought the evidence to the staff, secured agreement from a physician champion, and the new process was quickly adopted. Patients experienced less discomfort and flatus postprocedure with carbon dioxide insufflation, and were able to be discharged expediently. These patient outcomes validated the literature and confirmed the success of the practice change.

Using a team-centered approach to evaluate effectiveness of nurse-physician communications.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize communication strategies of labor and delivery nurses and their physician colleagues during perinatal decisions. DESIGN: A quantitative descriptive design was used. SETTING: A perinatal setting in an urban acute care facility. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-nine perinatal nurses and 11 attending physicians. METHODS: A model of team communication derived from research on cockpit crew communication served as a framework for this analysis. Data were taken from transcriptions of audio-taped conversations and discourse analysis. RESULTS: Findings indicated that nurses and physicians tended to use status-based communication styles and rarely employed team-centered communication strategies. CONCLUSION: Nurse and physician status-based communication styles may hinder optimal patient outcomes.

The intensity and frequency of moral distress among different healthcare disciplines.

INTRODUCTION: The objectives of this study are to assess and compare differences in the intensity, frequency, and overall severity of moral distress among a diverse group of healthcare professionals. METHODS: Participants from within Baylor Health Care System completed an online seven-point Likert scale (range, 0 to 6) moral distress survey containing nine core clinical scenarios and additional scenarios specific to each participant's discipline. Higher scores reflected greater intensity and/or frequency of moral distress. RESULTS: More than 2,700 healthcare professionals responded to the survey (response rate 18.14 percent); survey respondents represented multiple healthcare disciplines across a variety of settings in a single healthcare system. Intensity of moral distress was high in all disciplines, although the causes of highest intensity varied by discipline. Mean moral distress intensity for the nine core scenarios was higher among physicians than nurses, but the mean moral distress frequency was higher among nurses. Taking into account both intensity and frequency, the difference in mean moral distress score was statistically significant among the various disciplines. Using post hoc analysis, differences were greatest between nurses and therapists. CONCLUSIONS: Moral distress has previously been described as a phenomenon predominantly among nursing professionals.This first-of-its-kind multidisciplinary study of moral distress suggests the phenomenon is significant across multiple professional healthcare disciplines. Healthcare professionals should be sensitive to situations that create moral distress for colleagues from other disciplines. Policy makers and administrators should explore options to lessen moral distress and professional burnout that frequently accompanies it.

Decisional involvement in Magnet®, magnet-aspiring, and non-magnet hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Empowered decision making can help establish innovative work cultures. OJECTIVE: This study used the Decisional Involvement Scale to determine differences in actual and preferred decisional involvement among staff RNs and administrators in Magnet®, Magnet-aspiring, and non-Magnet hospitals. METHODS: : Two facilities were Magnet designated, 3 were Magnet aspiring, and 9 were non-Magnet. A total of 5000 staff RNs and administrators were asked to participate in the nonexperimental descriptive survey. RESUTS: The difference observed in actual global scale score by Magnet status was statistically significant (P = .01). Respondents in Magnet hospitals had the highest actual global scale score on average, followed by Magnet-aspiring, then non-Magnet. CONCLUSIONS: Decisional involvement is higher among Magnet-designated than non-Magnet facilities.

Development and evaluation of a nursing portal.

Access to information has tripled in the last 5 years, and the average person's ability to use new knowledge is limited. Methods that support the organization and use of information are needed to facilitate access to this knowledge. To address this challenge within the authors' institution, a nursing portal was designed, implemented, and evaluated. The Technology Acceptance Model was used to guide this process. Staff nurses received education on the functions and use of the nursing portal. The nurses also completed an online survey about the ease of use and usefulness of the nursing portal. Nurses reported that the nursing portal facilitated timely retrieval of information and decision-making. Staff education has been a key component of the success of the nursing portal.

Transforming care at the bedside: designing new care systems in an age of complexity.

The purpose of this article is to share authors' experiences associated with the Transforming Care at the Bedside initiative, a national program funded by the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation with direction and technical assistance provided by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. The article discusses the innovation process and the change cycles, impact of various innovations, and lessons learned.

Theoretical approaches for investigating patient safety.

Patient safety and freedom from accidental injury is an issue that is promoting the search for excellence among healthcare providers, payers, and consumers. The issue is complex and multifaceted, providing many avenues for analysis, quality enhancement, and research. Several models exist that may assist in exploring patient safety issues and the relationships between error and safety. Three models are discussed and research questions are generated that with further investigation will help us to understand the complexity of error management and the promotion of patient safety. Because of their leadership role and guardianship in managing patient care, clinical nurse specialists understand and promote models that improve safety for their patients.

Reducing the incidence of nosocomial pneumonia in cardiovascular surgery patients.

Outcomes management provides a mechanism to foster development of patient-driven services through revision of practice and measurement of outcomes. Because nosocomial pneumonia is the most common hospital-acquired infection in intensive care units, reducing the rate of nosocomial pneumonia became on area of intense scrutiny at our institution. This article shares an outcome initiative that focused on reducing the incidence of nosocomial pneumonia in a hospital setting. Strategies used such as multidisciplinary team formation, case/control study, quality improvement activities, risk tool development, and protocol implementation, are discussed. Process and outcome data are provided to demonstrate the initiative's positive impact. The benefits of this outcome effort are easily identified and well-illustrated. The backbone of the initiative--proactive identification of problems and the methodical, reasoned search for answers--is universally applicable.

Effectiveness of 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate oral rinse in reducing prevalence of nosocomial pneumonia in patients undergoing heart surgery.

BACKGROUND: Decreasing the levels of bacteria in the oropharynx should reduce the prevalence of nosocomial pneumonia. OBJECTIVES: To test the effectiveness of 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate oral rinse in decreasing microbial colonization of the respiratory tract and nosocomial pneumonia in patients undergoing open heart surgery. METHODS: A prospective, randomized, case-controlled clinical trial design was used. Peridex (0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate) was the experimental drug, and Listerine (phenolic mixture) was the control drug. A total of 561 patients undergoing aortocoronary bypass or valve surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass were randomized to an experimental (n = 270) or a control (n = 291) group. Nosocomial pneumonia was diagnosed by using the criteria established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. RESULTS: The overall rate of nosocomial pneumonia was reduced by 52% (4/270 vs 9/291; P = .21) in the Peridex-treated patients. Among patients intubated for more than 24 hours who had cultures that showed microbial growth (all pneumonias occurred in this group), the pneumonia rate was reduced by 58% (4/19 vs 9/18; P = .06) in patients treated with Peridex. In patients at highest risk for pneumonia (intubated > 24 hours, with cultures showing the most growth), the rate was 71% lower in the Peridex group than in the Listerine group (2/10 vs 7/10; P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: Although rates of nosocomial pneumonia were lower in patients treated with Peridex than in patients treated with Listerine, the difference was significant only in those patients intubated more than 24 hours who had the highest degree of bacterial colonization.