Improvement in Oxygenation Assessment

Summary: Oxygenation Assessment was added as a 5th vital sign for all admissions. In order to improve compliance new vital sign machines were purchased. The new machines have Oxygenation Assessment capabilities. To offset the cost of the new machines, a request was made to the auxiliary. They graciously purchased at least one machine for each nursing unit. Education was completed on the use and the purpose of the new machines. The education process emphasized the importance of oxygenation assessment. Compliance data is posted on each unit quarterly. Case Management reviews all pneumonia admissions for documentation of the assessment.

Organization: Arkansas Methodist Medical Center

Overview

Education was completed in the Emergency Department with emphasis in the triage area. The ED initiated a unit study/improvment project on compliance.

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Implementation

What - Oxygenation Assessment was added as a 5th vital sign for all admissions. How - This was completed through education and suppling the appropriate tools for the staff to complete their jobs without hassle.

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Evaluation

The evaluation process continues through documentation of core measures for CMS and Joint Commission. 100% of pneumonia charts are reviewed on admission for documentation of the assessment.

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Results

Arkansas Methodist Medical Center had very poor compliance with oxygenation assessment. The lowest compliance was 28.6%. After education and the purchase of the new equipment the compliance rate began to improve. 100% compliance was achieved and has been maintained March 2005.

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Benefit

The hospital auxiliary helped to offset the cost of the new equipment.

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Comments

03 Jun 11 01:54 | KevinFloyd said...:
That is fantastic that the auxillary was able to offsite the cost of the equipment. I think it is wonderful that you were able to acheive 100% compliance. Are you still in 2011 maintaing 100% compliance? I have expereinced that with a new education roll out we can achieve 100% compliance then when a new project start compliance starts to slip. If you have maintain a high compliance how you done re-education, champions, etc. I am intrested in in methods used to increase your compliance

10 Sep 09 10:54 | RebeccaPrice said...:
This is an interesting and beneficial solution for the hospital. It was wonderful of the auxiliary to become involved. My experience had been with separate portable O2 saturation machines that tended to be lost to other floors or respiratory therapists' pockets. It appears these vital sign machines have attached O2 monitors: benefit - not easily lost, drawback - not easily portable for quick O2 checks around the unit. A follow up study could show how many machines are still in use and has compliance continued at 100% as it easily should.

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