Call Light Analysis - Nursing Portfolio



Call Light AnalysisAudra BrooksShannon GrabeMelissa BiselTessa GreweFerris State UniversityAbstractThe purpose of this strategic analysis paper is to identify a clinical need and focus on how to improve the quality of the process. For this paper we recognized the need of improving call light response times at Spectrum Health Butterworth, specifically the 2 South Unit. The goal of this analysis is to determine if changing the call light response policy will decrease response times and improve patient satisfaction. Spectrum Health Butterworth collected data through an electronic database that measures the amount of time that occurs between the patients initiating the call light until the time the staff member turns it off. Another source of data is a survey that the hospital uses to measure patient satisfaction of their overall hospital stay. The results showed that the implementation of the new call light policy showed decreased call light response times and a significant increase in patient satisfaction. Call Light AnalysisHaving been in the hospital setting for five semesters, hearing different alarms and bells is normal. When a bed or chair alarm rings, everyone makes a mad dash to answer it. However, when a patient’s call light rings, many will just wait for the patient’s nurse or nursing assistant to answer the call. The purpose of this call light analysis is to look at ways to improve patient’s safety and quality of care by decreasing the time it takes for their needs to be met. Developing a plan where everyone works together as a team to answer call lights is one way to improve patient quality of care and safety. This could also improve patient perception of satisfaction in the care that they received during their stay at the hospital and the increase the likelihood to recommend their family and friends. The strategic planning process will be used to alter the call light policy at Spectrum Health. “Strategic planning is a process by which the guiding members of an organization envision their future and develop necessary and appropriate procedures and operations to actualize that future” (Yoder-Wise, 2014, p. 312). The first step in this process is to identify the clinical need for this change, and develop an interdisciplinary team to help develop goals and strategies. Looking at data collection and developing outcomes will make it possible to implement the strategies that were developed to improve the issues with the call light. Lastly, this analysis will include evidenced based theory and research to evaluate and analyze improvement of this change. Identify Clinical NeedAccording to Tzeng (2010), “little research has been done on patient call light use and staff response time, which were found to be associated with inpatient falls and satisfaction” (p.52). Hospitalized patients spend most of their time in their room, therefore, use of call lights is imperative to have their needs met. There are various reasons for patients to use their call lights which include toileting assistance, intravenous problems, pain medication, repositioning and transfer assistance, personal assistance like food and water, obtaining information, getting the nurses' attention, and accidentally pushing the call light. The need for this intervention was due to the fact that patients were reporting on their hospital stay surveys that it was taking too long for staff to attend to their needs. According to Tzeng (2010) “the most frequent comments of patients include: delays in getting call lights answered, variation in the call light response time from a low of less than a minute to a high of 20 minutes, the amount of time it took to handle the patient's request once the light was answered, and the patient's request not being fulfilled once the call light was answered” (p. 53). Delayed call light responses put patients at risk for injury and also decrease quality of care and patient dignity. Designs an Interdisciplinary TeamThe purpose of developing an interdisciplinary care team is to improve quality of care for patients by answering call lights in a timely fashion. Team members include any staff member that collaborates in the care for patients. This would include physicians, residents, physician’s assistants; staff nurses the nurse manager, environmental service personnel, members of the dietary team, and physical therapy. This tailored interdisciplinary team will collaborate about the issues that affect the timely answering of call light. Each team member has a different view point and background that can be used to develop the specific outcomes that are necessary to achieve the goal of quality of care. However, this focus of this team must be on the patient so that ideas are developed and problem solving can occur (Yoder-Wise, 2014).Data CollectionSpectrum Health Butterworth implemented a method to collect data on call light response times and patient satisfaction. To determine the time it takes for call lights to be answered they use a system that electronically measures the length of time it took from the moment the patient pressed the call button to the time it was answered. When going into a patient room with a call light on, there is a button that needs to be pressed to turn it off. This data was collected on 2 South, the orthopedics/progressive floor. In order to measure patient satisfaction and likelihood to recommend, Spectrum Health sends out surveys to patients regarding their stay. The survey is implemented through Press Ganey Associates, a widely known company that assists hospitals in improving their performance and patient satisfaction. These surveys include information on the patient’s stay, the faculty, the overall experience. When patient’s mail the surveys back they are placed in a database and each floor receives a monthly report that gives them a grade and informs the staff on patient experiences. These two tools are used in combination to develop the call response plan. This method of collecting data supports the role and responsibilities of a leader when implementing a quality improvement plan. According to Yoder-Wise (2014) “a leader implements and monitors systems for internal and external reporting of information” (p. 393). By using leadership strategies to collect data by monitoring information, patient safety and quality of care can be improved. Established OutcomesThe goal for improvement is to improve and maintain patient safety and satisfaction. The most important outcome is for call lights to be answered in under 3minutes in person. The most reported reasons for call light use by patients and their families is pain medication, personal assistance and bathroom assistance (Tzeng, & Larson, 2011). If patients wait to long for their call light to be answered they are more likely to get up to use the bathroom on their own and increase their risk for injury. Call lights being answered in a timely fashion will help with patient satisfaction because most patients feel as though their call lights are a matter of their safety this is one way a patient can exercise control over their care. Making sure call lights are a priority will help with nurse-patient communication. Implementation StrategiesSpectrum Health Butterworth’s 2 south Ortho floor has implemented many strategies to help improve the timely answering of call lights. They have made the answering of call be the responsibility and priority of not only the nurse and tech assigned to the patient but, every staff member on the floor. Their four interventions applied to improve call light response time include: no pass zone, all patients are everyone’s patients, light on light out and a walking/ watching. This means that no matter what if staff walks by a room and a call light is on that staff member is responsible for answering it (Spectrum Health, 2014). A few other measures that 2 south has taken to help with call light improvement is call lights are no longer programmed to the staff members phone, they inform patients upon admission of the call light response process and the unit secretary notifies staff if a call light has been on for longer than three minutes and if no one is available the secretary is responsible for going and answering the patients call light. By implementing all of these measures call light response time will be quicker and patient safety and satisfaction will increase (Spectrum Health, 2014).EvaluationAt Spectrum Health, they were able to measure call light response time by collecting data from the past to the present. This allowed the orthopedic unit to evaluate how long it took them to answer call lights and look at the changes once this plan was implemented. It showed that it took the unit on average about 5 minutes to answer a call light now after this plan was implemented it is less than two minutes. A simple plan like the one this unit established allowed for better patient satisfaction and safety. Surveys are also another great way to measure if the call light response is effective. Most patients feel as if their call lights are important to their safety and helps them control their care (Spectrum Health, 2014). Using a survey will help ensure the plan is working effectively.ConclusionPatient satisfaction and safety is an essential part of nursing care. When patients have increased satisfaction they have a more therapeutic relationship with their nurse and this relationship is critical to their care. The research has shown that by simply being more proactive and answering patients call lights in a timely manner and in person we can improve their satisfaction with the care they receive. With the implementation of the strategies, that have shown to be effective on 2 south, throughout the entire hospital both patient satisfaction and safety would greatly improve. ReferencesPress Ganey Associates Inpatient satisfaction, Likelihood to RecommendSpectrum Health, 2014. Call Light Policies. Spectrum Health Policies and procedures manual.Tzeng, H., & Larson, J. L. (2011). Exploring the relationship between patient call-light use rate and nursecall-light response time in acute settings. CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 29, TC75-TC80. Retrieved from , Huey-Ming. "Perspectives Of Staff Nurses Of The Reasons For And The Nature Of Patient-initiated Call Lights: An Exploratory Survey Study In Four USA Hospitals." BMC Health Services Research 10.1 (2010): 52. Yoder-Wise, P. S. (2014). Leading and management in nursing (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby. ................
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