Out of Rhythm - How a Community Hospital Improved Nurse Sensitive Indicators

Purpose:
At this community hospital nursing services had a variety of methods and reports to review nurse sensitive indicators. A wide variety of action plans existed that were all different with a variety of time frames and results.

Significance:
The goal was to develop a nursing dashboard that had uniform goals and a template for action plans. The goal of reporting nurse sensitive indicators in one format would make it easier for staff to understand what the results were, what the goal was, and the action plans needed to meet the goals.

Strategy and Implementation:
Development of the nursing dashboard included the indicators, where the data was originating from, and goal areas broken out into the top 10%, 25%, and 75%. These areas on the Nursing Dashboard were color coded with red (demanding immediate action and action plans), yellow (cautionary and to review the data), green (meeting the goal), and blue (achieving above the goal). The electronic dashboard requires that if an indicator is in the yellow for three quarters, it requires an action plan. If the indicator is in the red for one quarter, it requires an action plan. The accessibility of the action plans which are written on the nursing dashboard gives all staff immediate results.

Evaluation:
With the availability of the nursing dashboard, staff is able to view all of their department's indicators in one report which is consistent in all outpatient and inpatient areas. Success was measured through the Nursing Quality Committee's ability to deploy this information.

Implications for Practice:
Today, with data available through the use of electronic health records and databases, having one place to identify indicators, goals, outcomes and action plans has been beneficial for all staff.