NR640 Practicum Project Initiation Part 3 Paper

NR640 Practicum Project Initiation Part 3 Paper

Introduction

Informatics is significantly changing the face value of healthcare. As technological advancements continue to evolve, health institutions and providers remain in a better place to engage technology in several ways. Arguably, technology evolution has impacted the healthcare industry immensely, such as in collecting, analyzing, and leveraging health data to influence how care is provided, how efficient resources are managed, and how seamlessly teams can operate (Stanfill & Marc, 2019 NR640 Practicum Project Initiation Part 3 Paper).

NR640 Practicum Project Initiation Part 3 Paper

One of the specified areas in which health informatics significantly impacts healthcare practice delivery lies in the documentation of pressure injuries as founded within my practicum site. Though nursing’s mission and objective are unchangeable, the efforts of nursing professionals in addressing and documenting pressure injuries remain a factor that may be strongly influenced by the aspect of informatics, with a precise focus on the accuracy in communication and the documentation of patient data during care.

Practicum Project Initiation Part 3

Organization’s Name: INSERT

Project’s Name: NR640 Informatics Nurse Specialist Practicum I

Project Manager: INSERT

Sponsor(s), Title: INSERT

Organizational Priority: Medium

Mission Statement:

My practicum site is a regional referral medical center with a specified unit that is currently underway. The unit is intended to provide care to persons at higher risk of encountering pressure injuries as a result of the diagnosis of spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, neurological disorders, and strokes. The fundamental mission of this project revolves around:

  • Establishing quality improvement measures through the use of informatics to improve nursing admission skin assessment and documentation skills within a 30-bed in-patient hospital.
  • Training of the nurses on the use of informatics in collecting, analyzing, and leveraging the data to influence how care is provided, resources are efficiently managed, and teams operate seamlessly (“Educating Nurses in the United States about Pressure Injuries,” 2017 Practicum Project Initiation Part 3 Paper).

Measurable Project Objectives

Who? My practicum unit is intended to provide care to persons at higher risk of encountering pressure injuries due to the diagnosis of spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, neurological disorders, and strokes. NR640 Practicum Project Initiation Part 3 Paper

What? Inaccurate as well as incomplete pressure injuries (PrI) process of assessment, as well as documentation within my practicum site, often results in inaccurate incidences of reporting of the PrI quality measures to the facility and the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMMS) (Cox & Schallom, 2017). Incomplete and inadequate documentation methods of the pressure injuries that result in wounds remain a factor that adversely affects the delivery of quality care, the hospital’s reputation, and financial reimbursements—factors that increase and result in litigations (Stone, 2020). In this regard, the focus will be on the barriers to complete and accurate documentation as done by nurses and to enhance understanding of the information documentation process using the facility’s electronic medical records.

When. This project will be divided into two main phases that will last 6 months. The phases will be divided as provided below:

  1. The reinvention of the facility’s electronic medical records.
  2. Training of the nurses on the use of informatics in the collection, analysis, and the leveraging of the data to influence care provision strategies, resource utilization and team operations for increased overall efficiency. NR640 Practicum Project Initiation Part 3 Paper

Where? As established, my practicum site is a regional referral medical center with a specified unit that is currently underway. The project’s primary interventions will be devised and implemented to ensure that the caregivers are accorded an interactive approach of wound assessment education on wound/PrI documentation approaches and algorithms.

Why? Incomplete and inaccurate assessment of wounds resulting from pressure PrI assessment methods and documentation translate into inaccuracies in the reporting of PrI in my practicum site. Given this, the inaccuracies and inconsistencies in the documentation of PrI remain a factor that needs extensive re-evaluation. This is because it greatly affects patient outcomes and quality of life, in addition to harming the institution’s reputation. NR640 Practicum Project Initiation Part 3 Paper

How? The fundamental approach to quality improvement of the practicum sites accurate identification as well as documentation of the increasing cases of pressure injuries lies in the use of informatics (Seckman, 2019 NR640 Practicum Project Initiation Part 3 Paper). This will ensure that nurses are fully conversant with electronic patient data collection, management and interpretation for improved service delivery.

Justification of Project

Addressing the barriers to competencies in the documentation of PrI denotes the need to ensure that the medical institution reinvents its electronic medical records and trains the nurses on the use of informatics in the collection, analysis, and the leveraging of the data for quality care delivery (Seckman, 2016 NR640 Practicum Project Initiation Part 3 Paper). The project will ensure that there is an increased accuracy in pressure injury documentation and identification within a period of 8 months. Conversely, the documentation and identification of non-pressure related injuries and wounds will rise to a baseline of 80% over 10 months. The use of algorithms and informatics, a significant improvement, is notable in the unit’s competency and accuracy in documentation.

Implementation Strategy

To implement a standardized as well as an accurate integumentary informatics system for the assessment and documentation of PrI, the facility’s electronic medical records will be reinvented. A set of strategies will later ensue that include:

Phase 1: Intervention

  • August 2020: The education of the physicians and nurses with the intent of informing them on the use of CMS QRM in the reporting of PrI within the unit. NR640 Practicum Project Initiation Part 3 Paper

Phase 2: Intervention

  • February 2021: Training care providers on dual skin management and assessment and increased admission of nurses and physicians in a certified wound ostomy department.

Project Resources

A budget of close to $150,000 will be allocated to ensure that the project’s two phases are achieved. An additional $5000 will be required to maintain the organization’s electronic medical systems. For sustainability, the project will ensure that the trained nurses also participate in training fresh recruits.

Completion Date:

  • This project will be divided into two phases that will last 6 months each, cumulatively running for a year. NR640 Practicum Project Initiation Part 3 Paper

Measures of Success

  • The project will ensure that there is an increase in the completion and accuracy of pressure injury documentation and identification within a period of 8 months.
  • The documentation and identification of non-pressure related injuries and wounds will rise to a baseline of 80% over 10 months.
  • A significant improvement in the use of algorithms and informatics, alongside enhanced competency and accuracy in patient documentation.

Assumptions:

  • We assume that the project will significantly reduce the increasing PrI’s by 90% within the first phase.
  • We assume that the nurses will acquire the needed skills and competencies in documenting and identifying PrI’s using informatics. NR640 Practicum Project Initiation Part 3 Paper

Constraints:

  • Financial Constraints
  • Time Factor

Conclusion

Inaccurate as well as incomplete pressure injuries (PrI) process of assessment, as well as documentation within my practicum site, often results in inaccurate incidences of reporting of the PrI quality measures. Given this, the project seeks to leverage health informatics in healthcare practice, particularly with the goal of enhancing primary care for pressure ulcer patients. The project draws inspiration from the current inefficiencies in the documentation of pressure injuries as founded within my practicum site. NR640 Practicum Project Initiation Part 3 Paper

NR640 Practicum Project Initiation Part 3 Paper References