Date of Conferral
2016
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
Mary Verklan
Abstract
Care of the elderly, long-term care resident in the emergency department is an issue of importance because of the overall impact on healthcare costs, potential for negative outcomes for the resident, and the loss of revenue. The purpose of this project was to decrease avoidable transfer of residents to the Emergency Department. Using the Antecedent, Target, Measurement logic model, poor quality assessment data was deemed the antecedent of the avoidable transfer. The goal of the project was the implementation of a standardized process of assessment that would have decreased avoidable transfer of the resident. The project would have involved training of the nursing staff in the use of the Situation Background Assessment and Recommendation tool for collecting and communicating pertinent data. The tool would have been completed at each acute complaint and would have indicated disposition. Data would have been collected by the Education Coordinator and organized for review and comparison with preintervention data. Social change implications would have included enhanced communication, potential for increased nurse and physician satisfaction which could have potentially increased job satisfaction, and improved recruitment and retention. Autonomy and self-pertinence empowers the nurse to be a stronger advocate. Positive outcomes increase when care is provided by those familiar with the patient norms and the setting. Financial savings can have an impact on the cost of healthcare. This project would also have allowed for and encouraged internal review of process and practices. This project was not implemented and so remains inconclusive.
Recommended Citation
Bowers Garrett, Phyllis Marie, "Using SBAR to Decrease Transfers from the Long-term Care to the Emergency Room" (2016). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 2395.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/2395
