Nurse Anesthesia DNP Project Presentations
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Graduate
Major
Nurse Anesthesia
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Tiffany Eye, CRNA-DNAP
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
The purpose of this project was to create a handoff tool implemented post-operatively by anesthesia providers during every transfer of care with patients undergoing open heart surgery and transitioning to the intensive care unit. Communication errors have been identified as a primary cause of anesthesia-related sentinel events, particularly during patient handoff, which can lead to negative patient outcomes due to incomplete relay of information. This Quality Improvement Project was conducted at a single facility where Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, (CRNAs) incorporated a handoff tool into their anesthesia handoff following coronary artery bypass graft surgery over a six-week period. Both pre- and post-intervention surveys were utilized to assess perceptions regarding handoff with and without a standardized tool, using a Likert scale and open-ended responses. The pre-intervention survey revealed decreased satisfaction with a lack of standardized handoff process. The post-intervention survey revealed that there was high satisfaction with implementation of a standardized handoff tool and a high likelihood for adoption into future practice. Overall, the results reflected that the use of a standardized handoff tool increased CRNA satisfaction regarding anesthesia handoffs, enhanced communication amongst multidisciplinary teams, improved healthcare efficiency, and created a safer environment for patients during transfer of care in critical care settings.
Spring Scholars Week 2024 Event
Nurse Anesthesia DNP Project Presentations (NUR 915)
Included in
Improving Anesthesia Handoff: Implementing Standardized Handoff Tool for Post-Open-Heart Surgery in Critical Care Settings
The purpose of this project was to create a handoff tool implemented post-operatively by anesthesia providers during every transfer of care with patients undergoing open heart surgery and transitioning to the intensive care unit. Communication errors have been identified as a primary cause of anesthesia-related sentinel events, particularly during patient handoff, which can lead to negative patient outcomes due to incomplete relay of information. This Quality Improvement Project was conducted at a single facility where Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, (CRNAs) incorporated a handoff tool into their anesthesia handoff following coronary artery bypass graft surgery over a six-week period. Both pre- and post-intervention surveys were utilized to assess perceptions regarding handoff with and without a standardized tool, using a Likert scale and open-ended responses. The pre-intervention survey revealed decreased satisfaction with a lack of standardized handoff process. The post-intervention survey revealed that there was high satisfaction with implementation of a standardized handoff tool and a high likelihood for adoption into future practice. Overall, the results reflected that the use of a standardized handoff tool increased CRNA satisfaction regarding anesthesia handoffs, enhanced communication amongst multidisciplinary teams, improved healthcare efficiency, and created a safer environment for patients during transfer of care in critical care settings.