2015 TN YB

Nursing Ethics: Commitment, compassion, quality care
a level 3 obstetrical care unit in Memphis, Tennessee with a diagnosis of a short cervix and delivered less than or equal to 37.6
weeks gestation. Twenty-six were originally admitted as outpatient while 40 were admitted as inpatient. A simple T-test was
performed on those 66 charts. Results were inconclusive indicating the need for further research.
Fast Sepsis – Improving and Management of Severe Sepsis
Patricia Poole, DNPc, MSN, ACNP-C, APRN-BC, CCRN
There are more than 750,000 occurrences of sepsis annually in the US with mortality rate 30-40% for severe sepsis and 50-60%
for septic shock. Septic rates are expected to increase potentially reaching over one million by 2020. In the US a half million
septic patient are evaluated annually in the Emergency Department (ED).
Sepsis is a complex disease with numerous recommended guidelines and bundle treatment regimes. Despite evidence
supporting early goal directed therapy (EGDT), identifying sepsis remains problematic. Efforts must focus on early recognition and
identification of sepsis so aggressive intervention of EGDT can be implemented to decrease patient morbidity and mortality.
The purpose of this pilot project is to develop a rapid nurse-driven sepsis identification and treatment protocol originating in the
ED leading to timely transfer to the critical care unit to meet three and six hour EGDT guidelines. Nursing staff will be educated to
assess, identify, and discern potential pathological disease states. A pretest will assess knowledge of sepsis states followed by a
PowerPoint presentation to include updated sepsis guidelines and the fast sepsis protocol with post testing. The ED nursing and
medical staff will collaboratively identify potential sepsis patients >18 years of age using a sepsis checklist. As potential sepsis
patients are identified, the fast sepsis protocol will be used for prompt intervention with appropriate diagnostic data, intravenous
fluid bolus, and notification of the intensivist team for a fast sepsis protocol admission with urgent transfer to critical care for
further review for EGDT interventions.
Informatics: The Missing Link in Nursing Curriculum
Kathy Putman, MSN, RN
Problem Addressed:
Students enter nursing programs with some knowledge of electronic technology. But often, they do not realize their knowledge
is limited. Additionally, they do not understand that there is more to nursing informatics, than being a nurse who operates a
computer. Therefore, nursing students need a comprehensive introduction to informatics in the healthcare setting.
Objective: To demonstrate how one accelerated BSN program integrated nursing informatics into its curriculum.
Methods: Based on a literature review, the instructor preferred a Hybrid course that did not require a text book, but instead took
advantage of the numerous journals that address nursing information technology.
The TIGER initiative, the ANA standards on informatics were reviewed along with the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses
(QSEN) competencies.
Module I: Information literacy: self-assessment and plan of improvement; introduction and background to nursing informatics,
driving forces. Discussion Board.
Module II: Research: evidence-based practice, data, quality improvement, data bases. Discussion Board
Module III: Administration: teamwork and collaboration: clinical information systems, quality improvement. Discussion Board.
Module IV: Clinical: documentation, patient centered care, safety, quality improvement, point of care technology, electronic
health record, bar coding, electronic security. Discussion Board.
Module V: Education patient centered care, safety, simulation connection, quality improvement.
Outcome:
Students wrote in their weekly discussion board how the course introduced them to new ideas in regards to the subject of
informatics. In the evaluation of the course responding students voiced a new view of information technology.
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