Quality Improvement Zone

PICU is a high-risk clinical area where a large number of staff from multiple disciplines are constantly delivering high intensity care to critically ill patients who have ever-changing clinical needs. This project aimed to incorporate a Safety...

This project aimed to improve the quality of postoperative care by improving communication. The goal was to increase the percentage of receiving ward-nurses reading discharge reports and finding them relevant.

The base number of older people falling annually in Ireland is 130,000. The 'Falling Stars' initiative was implemented to reduce the number of falls in the hospital by 30% and reduce the harm sustained from falls.

This is one of several projects at St Olavs Hospital in Trondheim to improve the treatment of major trauma patients. Its aim is to reduce the time spent by patients in emergency departments to an average of 20 minutes, as timely and appropriate...

This project focused on documenting a plan for each prescribed medicine in all admissions to the Acute Medical Receiving Unit at Hairmyres Hospital, with an aim of this occurring in 85% of admissions by June 2014.

Haemodialysis patients frequently develop hospital acquired infections. The target of this work was to reduce the Staph Aureus Bacteraemias (SAB) incidence in renal dialysis patients with fistula access so that there would be more than 100 days...

Cerebral palsy is the commonest cause of physical disability in childhood and contributes to many risk factors for pressure ulcer development. Through this project a SKIN bundle was introduced and the project's aim was to ensure that all at risk...

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is the most common, immediately life-threatening, medical emergency faced by ambulance crews. This project aimed to improve ROSC in Edinburgh from 25% to 35% in 6 months by training paramedics to use the OHCA...

The purpose of this project was to improve the quality of the safety briefing by ensuring that all necessary information for the list is obtained through a comprehensive booking process. The aim was that this would reduce the number of preventable...

Interruption in patient flow in Emergency Departments leads to ED overcrowding, increased wait times for patients, and increased risk of adverse outcomes to include increased morbidity and mortality. This improvement project focused on internal ED...

Orthopaedic trauma patients, in particular those over 65 years old with hip fracture, comprise a patient group at significant risk of delirium. The aim of this project was to improve recognition and management of delirium in orthopaedic trauma...

Studies in thoracic and intensive care patients have shown that a tight (but not too tight) regulation of blood sugar results in fewer complications. The aim of this improvement project was to reduce the number of surgical site infections by 20%...

Sepsis is recognised as a medical emergency and time critical intervention bundles such as the Sepsis Six save lives. This project seeks to increase awareness amongst Primary Care staff in how to competently and safely recognise and respond...

This project's aim was to institute a daily afternoon huddle in the Combined Assessment Unit. This was to improve patient flow and also to alter the clinical environment to create another line of defence to reduce the contribution that latent...

The purpose of MDI is to ensure that adequate and correct medication is given to patients. Through this project it is aimed that all patients in a ward at Engen nursing home will go through MDI twice a year.

This project's hypothesis for improvement was that a combination of process mapping and in situ simulation training coupled with immediate reflective video feedback could improve our ability to provide timeous delivery of antibiotics. The aim was...

As part of this improvement project a HDU specific Treatment Escalation Plan (TEP) was developed, this provides a more reliable and beneficial process for staff to document and communicate escalation plans and resuscitation decisions in a more...

Having an effective system to recognise and respond to the needs of deteriorating patients means that appropriate and timely person-centred care can be instituted. This project's aim was that by August 2014, 95% of patients in the Acute Medical...

Through this improvement project Initiation and Review Bundles for Management of Stress and Distress in Dementia were developed. The aim was that there would be 100% use of these bundles in a Nursing Home by June 2014.

Sepsis is estimated to kill 37,000 people annually in the UK but timely and appropriate intervention reduces the likelihood for prolonged hospitalization and saves lives. This project aimed to introduce measures so that by June 2014 75% of...

Hypothermia is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in newborn infants. Through the introduction of a "Warm Bundle" this project aims to reduce the incidence of hypothermia in newborn infants of >34 weeks gestation by 50% by November 2014.

This project used the Single Question in Delirium (SQiD) tool to identify patients at risk of delirium, enabling timely intervention and specialist review. The aim was that all patients over 75 years of age presenting with hip fracture would have...

The aim of this project was to ensure that every at risk patient within the Acute Medical Unit was screened for possible delirium daily using the 4AT tool. This was to reduce bed moves for patients scoring 4 or more and to act as a prompt for...

This project aimed to improve the board of directors' engagement with quality and safety. This included improving their understanding of quality of clinical care indicators and demonstrating that they can make assessments and request actions in...

The aim of this project was to implement a standardised process that will ensure a meaningful and effective approach to sharing information in the intensive psychiatric care unit. This will assist with timely and person centred interventions for...

Bronchoscopy performed under conscious sedation can be complicated by several events. This improvement project focuses on lowering the rate of respiratory depression, and ultimately preventing death from bronchoscopy.

This project has flipped the pre-operative checklist into a patient theatre ticket with the key priorities for individual patients addressed and safety issues resolved before patients enter the reception area. The aim is that by September 2014 95%...

Through this project a structured ward round checklist has been introduced to improve patient safety, patient experience, shared learning and efficient use of resources. Its aim was that by July 2014 this would be used in 100% of consultant-led...