Use of a Novel Standardized Administration Protocol Reduces Agitation Pro Re Nata (PRN) Medication Requirements: The Birmingham Agitation Management (BAM) Initiative.

BACKGROUND: Agitation management is a principal challenge on inpatient psychiatric units. Overreliance on common prescribing strategies of pro re nata (PRN) medication administration is problematic, given the tendencies to have overlapping or unclear indications. OBJECTIVE: Piloted project to determine whether a standardized protocol for agitation intervention may reduce PRN medication administration. METHODS: The Birmingham Agitation Management (BAM) interdisciplinary team uniquely connected the Brøset Violence Checklist (BVC) for assessment of agitation severity to a standardized PRN medication order set. Nurses on the piloted unit were trained on how to score the BVC and administer medications. Patients were assessed by the BVC every 4 hours and, based on their score, would receive no medication, low-dose benzodiazepine, high-dose benzodiazepine, or high-dose benzodiazepine plus antipsychotic. The primary end point compared the number of PRNs administered after novel protocol implementation with a retrospective cohort. Secondary measures included analysis of medication-related effects, seclusion, and physical restraint rates. RESULTS: 377 patients were included in the final analyses (184 pre-BAM, 193 BAM intervention group). No significant differences were seen in patient characteristics between groups. The total number of PRNs administered decreased by 42.5%, with both the mean and median number of administrations decreasing significantly (95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.68-5.75]; P < 0.001). A trend was noted between the number of PRNs administered and seclusion rates, but did not reach statistical significance (95% CI = [-7.28 to 60.31]; P = 0.124). CONCLUSIONS: In seemingly the first initiative of its kind, we found that a standardized agitation management protocol can help decrease the total number of PRN administrations for agitation without worsening of restraint rates and may possibly reduce the risk of adverse effects. These results require validation in specific, larger populations.

Nursing Leader Collaboration to Drive Quality Improvement and Implementation Science.

Nursing leadership opportunities to improve quality and align resources in health care exist. An estimated 18% of United States gross domestic product is spent on health care delivery systems that produce poor outcomes. The purpose of this article was to describe how quality improvement and implementation science initiatives enhance outcomes using nursing leadership strategies that play an integral role in aligning key colleagues to drive the collaborative process. A critical appraisal of the literature was conducted, which supports the importance of evidenced-based practice improvement, collaborative change process, and professional role of nursing leadership. Limited evidence exists related to practice strategies for nursing leaders to implement sustainable change at the unit level for successful alignment of resources. Strategies based on Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation Theory are recommended to address the gap in the literature. The strategies aim to increase meaningful knowledge or the "why," create a tipping point, and implement sustainable change starting with the end in mind. Nurse leaders are a central component for driving alignment and implementing change at the unit level. Uses of the described evidenced-based strategies have implications for nursing practice, education, and scholarship.