Lois Remington
May 2014
Lois
Remington
,
RN, BSN
Burn Unit
University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics
Salt Lake City
,
UT
United States
The leadership team in Burn Trauma was very concerned regarding the increasing rate of CAUTIs on the unit, where patients from newborn to geriatric are treated. Lois enthusiastically took on the challenge of leading the way to decrease CAUTIs. She studied, attended all education related to the topic, she asked questions, researched and then proposed several steps in caring for a patient with a foley catheter. She taught all of the staff in education rounds, and rounding individually, and setting the example by participating in patient care; she engaged the support of the educator and the rest of the management team to ensure we were all on the same page and teaching the same concepts.
Lois instituted twice a day hand and fingernail scrubs for patients getting bed baths, she developed a checklist for the docs daily rounds to discuss with nursing whether the patient still needs their foley, this must be addressed daily, along with the need for central lines, decreasing settings on the ventilator, etc.; this is a very important tool showing positive results through increased communication. The daily review of patient status and need for the foley catheter helps therapy and nursing to support patient activity and strengthening.
Fiscal year to date, the rate of CAUTIs is at a total of 7, 2 being in February, and NONE in the month of March. This instance of 0 CAUTIs in a month is very rare. We attribute this success to Lois' example by doing excellent precautions when caring for patients, teaching using multiple methods from e-mail, posters, newsletters, presentations, teaching at the bedside for others and of course, exemplifying on her own patients and giving staff immediate feedback regarding results and current CAUTIs IF ANY.
This project truly strengthened Lois as a leader, and established herself to others as an excellent, caring, informed, hardworking, concerned and INVOLVED leader. It is a pleasure working with Lois, always wanting to do the right thing for the patients and helping the staff to know how to best do that. Kudos to Lois, our CAUTI rates will continue to be lower, I am sure, as well as other quality projects Lois is working on, are sure to be successful.
Lois instituted twice a day hand and fingernail scrubs for patients getting bed baths, she developed a checklist for the docs daily rounds to discuss with nursing whether the patient still needs their foley, this must be addressed daily, along with the need for central lines, decreasing settings on the ventilator, etc.; this is a very important tool showing positive results through increased communication. The daily review of patient status and need for the foley catheter helps therapy and nursing to support patient activity and strengthening.
Fiscal year to date, the rate of CAUTIs is at a total of 7, 2 being in February, and NONE in the month of March. This instance of 0 CAUTIs in a month is very rare. We attribute this success to Lois' example by doing excellent precautions when caring for patients, teaching using multiple methods from e-mail, posters, newsletters, presentations, teaching at the bedside for others and of course, exemplifying on her own patients and giving staff immediate feedback regarding results and current CAUTIs IF ANY.
This project truly strengthened Lois as a leader, and established herself to others as an excellent, caring, informed, hardworking, concerned and INVOLVED leader. It is a pleasure working with Lois, always wanting to do the right thing for the patients and helping the staff to know how to best do that. Kudos to Lois, our CAUTI rates will continue to be lower, I am sure, as well as other quality projects Lois is working on, are sure to be successful.