A year-long study in the Trauma Intensive Care Unit at University Medical Center of El Paso was published in the October/December 2011 issue of Journal of Trauma Nurses. The study is titled “Electronic Trauma Patient Outcomes Assessment Tool: Performance Improvement in the Trauma Intensive Care Unit.” Recently, the Journal’s editorial staff named it the Best Specialty Article for all of 2011. UMC reports that since the study’s publication other U.S. trauma programs have been calling to find out more. The study’s authors are UMC’s Trauma Medical Director Alan H. Tyroch, MD, and nurses Alejandrina Salazar, BSN, RN, and David G. Smead, BSBA, RN, CNOR.
Study abstract
An electronic dashboard can enhance compliance with a specific checklist of indicators with daily management of injured patients in a trauma intensive care unit effectively. A performance management electronic dashboard monitored 24 indicators in the trauma intensive care unit over a 3-year period. Over a 3-year period, utilization of the electronic dashboard improved from 64% to 100% and mean compliance rose from 94.8% to 97.4%. Implementation of an electronic dashboard enhances compliance in managing trauma patients in a sustainable manner, allows immediate correction of deficiencies, monitors trends, and facilitates performance improvement/patient safety initiatives of a trauma program.
Comments (0)