The ACCELERATE Plus (assessment and communication excellence for safe patient outcomes) Trial Protocol: a stepped-wedge cluster randomised trial, cost-benefit analysis, and process evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Nurses play an essential role in patient safety. Inadequate nursing physical assessment and communication in handover practices are associated with increased patient deterioration, falls and pressure injuries. Despite internationally implemented rapid response systems, falls and pressure injury reduction strategies, and recommendations to conduct clinical handovers at patients' bedside, adverse events persist. This trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness, implementation, and cost-benefit of an externally facilitated, nurse-led intervention delivered at the ward level for core physical assessment, structured patient-centred bedside handover and improved multidisciplinary communication. We hypothesise the trial will reduce medical emergency team calls, unplanned intensive care unit admissions, falls and pressure injuries. METHODS: A stepped-wedge cluster randomised trial will be conducted over 52 weeks. The intervention consists of a nursing core physical assessment, structured patient-centred bedside handover and improved multidisciplinary communication and will be implemented in 24 wards across eight hospitals. The intervention will use theoretically informed implementation strategies for changing clinician behaviour, consisting of: nursing executive site engagement; a train-the-trainer model for cascading facilitation; embedded site leads; nursing unit manager leadership training; nursing and medical ward-level clinical champions; ward nurses' education workshops; intervention tailoring; and reminders. The primary outcome will be a composite measure of medical emergency team calls (rapid response calls and 'Code Blue' calls), unplanned intensive care unit admissions, in-hospital falls and hospital-acquired pressure injuries; these measures individually will also form secondary outcomes. Other secondary outcomes are: i) patient-reported experience measures of receiving safe and patient-centred care, ii) nurses' perceptions of barriers to physical assessment, readiness to change, and staff engagement, and iii) nurses' and medical officers' perceptions of safety culture and interprofessional collaboration. Primary outcome data will be collected for the trial duration, and secondary outcome surveys will be collected prior to each step and at trial conclusion. A cost-benefit analysis and post-trial process evaluation will also be undertaken. DISCUSSION: If effective, this intervention has the potential to improve nursing care, reduce patient harm and improve patient outcomes. The evidence-based implementation strategy has been designed to be embedded within existing hospital workforces; if cost-effective, it will be readily translatable to other hospitals nationally. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ID: ACTRN12622000155796. Date registered: 31/01/2022.

A narrative inquiry approach to understanding senior intensive care nurses' experiences of working with new graduate nurses.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To report a qualitative inquiry exploring senior registered nurses' stories of experience working with new graduate nurses in the intensive care unit. BACKGROUND: While new graduate nurses' perceptions of transitioning into professional practice in the intensive care unit have been examined, few studies have explored the experiences of the senior registered nurses working alongside them. DESIGN: A narrative inquiry methodology informed by Dewey's (1938) theory of experience. METHODS: Individual in-depth, unstructured, interactive interviews were conducted with five senior registered nurses. The inquirer co-composed individual narrative accounts with each participant. Narrative inquiry's three commonplaces of temporality, sociality and place formed the lens of analysis. Thematic analysis identified two overarching threads that resonated across the narrative accounts. This inquiry adheres to COREQ checklist reporting. RESULTS: The overarching threads 'Reverberations' and 'Caring' depict the experiences of senior registered nurses. 'It's Dangerous', 'Patrolling Like Surf Lifesavers', 'We Carry Them', 'Survival Mode' and 'Enjoyable Moments' are minor threads describing the challenges, while 'I've Been There', 'They Must Ask Questions' and 'Not In My Backyard' reveal their insights. CONCLUSIONS: Working with new graduate nurses increased senior registered nurses' patient surveillance and workload, contributing to stress, pressure and feeling overwhelmed. However, senior registered nurses felt an obligation to care for new graduate nurses, who they perceived as still acquiring the skills to autonomously care for critically ill patients. Therefore, senior registered nurses require support themselves. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Senior registered nurses perceive workplace constraints as impeding their capacity to provide sufficient support and surveillance to new graduate nurses. The gap between new graduate nurses' clinical capacity and patients' needs underpins senior registered nurses' recommendation that new graduate nurses should not be placed in intensive care units unless additional workforce support is provided, safeguarding their development as well as patient safety.

Prospective observational study of hemostatic alterations during adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) using point-of-care thromboelastometry and platelet aggregometry.

OBJECTIVES: To characterize the longitudinal hemostatic profile during adult ECMO using point-of-care tests (POCT) for coagulation and to compare these parameters to standard laboratory tests. In addition, the clinicians' responses during bleeding episodes using available information were compared to a POCT-based response. DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study. SETTING: ECMO-referral center in a university teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Ten critically ill adult ECMO patients. INTERVENTIONS: Daily laboratory coagulation profile, transfusion history and near-daily thromboelastometry (ROTEM®) and platelet aggregometry (Multiplate®). MAIN RESULTS: Six male and four female patients, seven with VA- and three with VV-ECMO were studied over 110 days. Seventy-five thromboelastometry (TEM) and 36 platelet aggregometry (MEA) results were analyzed. A majority of TEM values were within the normal range, except for FIBTEM (majority high), which remained consistent over long (>5 days) ECMO runs. In MEA there were low values, particularly in the adenosine diphosphate- and ristocetin-induced assay, implying possibly a vWF-factor or GpIb-receptor defect. There was correlation between laboratory and POCT as well as good correlation between the clot firmness after 10 minutes (A10) and the maximum clot firmness in ROTEM, suggesting that reliable information can be obtained within 15 minutes. Twenty-two bleeding episodes were observed in five patients. When comparing the clinicians' response to a transfusion algorithm based on POCT, there was a concordance in less than 20% of episodes. CONCLUSIONS: POCT for coagulation can provide specific, reliable, and timely information during bleeding episodes and the use of targeted therapy algorithms could improve outcomes and reduce costs.

A retrospective audit of insulin infusion management involving a locally developed dynamic insulin infusion guideline in a tertiary ICU.

BACKGROUND: The ideal target blood glucose range for intensive care patients on insulin infusions is controversial. Avoidance of hyperglycaemia and hypoglycaemia are well supported goals. METHODS: An audit of insulin infusion management was conducted following the institution of an insulin infusion guideline in a tertiary adult intensive care unit (ICU). The primary aim was to evaluate this guideline for safety and efficacy. Secondary aims were to compare outcomes such as ICU and hospital mortality, rate of severe hypoglycaemia, length of time within target zones, length of stay in ICU and hospital, ventilator hours and use of renal replacement therapy. Data analysis involved descriptive statistical techniques to allow comparison with other reported outcomes. RESULTS: Thirty-eight (38) patients were included, representing 137 days of insulin infusions and 2537 blood glucose readings. The mean insulin infusion treatment time was 86.4h (sd ± 86.4), median 48 h (IQR 14.4-141.6). The mean insulin dose per day was 97.6 units (sd ± 115.7), with a median of 68.7 (IQR 38.9-108.3). Blood glucose level (BGL) readings were within the desired target (6-9 mmols/L) and/or the buffer zones (4-6 and 9-12 mmols/L), 92.3% of the time. There were no episodes of severe hypoglycaemia (BGL ≤ 2.2 mmols/L). The median length of ICU stay was 5.9 days. Eighty-four (84) % of the cohort received mechanical ventilation and 26% received renal replacement therapy. The mean ventilation and renal replacement duration were days 6.9 and 9.4 days, respectively. The ICU and hospital mortality was 13.2% and 18.4%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The use of this locally developed insulin infusion guideline for hyperglycaemia within this ICU appears safe and effective. When compared to related published randomised controlled trials, the outcomes of this small scale single centre retrospective audit appear congruent. It achieved a severe hypoglycaemic rate of zero, with BGLs within target and buffer zones greater than 90%. It may be worthwhile for intensive care units to consider evaluating their own locally developed insulin infusion guidelines to ensure safety and efficacy.

Medication Error Minimization Scheme (MEMS) in an adult tertiary intensive care unit (ICU) 2009-2011.

INTRODUCTION: The Medication Error Minimisation Scheme (MEMS) is a locally based ongoing multidisciplinary, multifaceted quality improvement (QI) project within an Australian adult tertiary level Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The project commenced in 2009. Its primary aim is to enhance medication safety within this ICU by utilising existing resources. The aim of this paper is to provide a descriptive account of the various activities, interventions and results of this project within the first three years. METHODS: The research design for this project was based upon Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles associated with QI projects. Medication error rates and audits of: intravenous infusions, incompatible intravenous medications and incorrect documentation of withheld medications were analyzed according to simple statistical techniques. Initial and follow up medication safety surveys were compared using basic statistical analysis. Focus groups exploring barriers and enablers of medication incident reporting were analyzed according to qualitative techniques associated with focus group discussions. Other interventions included: regular education sessions; discussions within other departmental meetings such as nursing staff meetings and Morbidity and Mortality meetings; and bedside discussions and demonstrations. Promotion of medication safety occurred within a number of forums; activities and findings were advertised and displayed; a recognizable Logo for MEMS was employed; and incentives were provided for staff. RESULTS: Reported Medication Incidents (MIs) increased from 6.2 to 14.9 MIs per 1000 patient days. Audits and chart reviews confirmed that more MIs are uncovered by employing a variety of techniques in addition to incident reporting. Staff surveys provided a rich source of information regarding medication safety. Audits of intravenous infusions revealed a reduced error rate from 38/331 (11.5%) to 15/468 (3.2%). Chart review of incorrect documentation of omitted medications decreased from 105/347 (30.3%) to 104/486 (21.4%). Focus groups provided information that was able to be used in a number of hospital forums in order to explain the impact of existing systems upon ICU staff. CONCLUSION: This ongoing QI project was able to achieve its targeted goals. The MI reporting rate was increased. This project demonstrated that measurable, "non-incident report" errors can be reduced by focusing upon and promoting medication safety in the ICU. These activities demonstrated a workplace that values medication safety, the discovery of shortfalls and the benefits of ongoing improvement.