Improving antibiotic prescribing practice in a respiratory ward

"This project aims to improve compliance with documentation of indication and duration of antibiotic use in line with our local antibiotic prescribing guidelines. Post-intervention results were encouraging with compliance rates increasing from 24% to 94% for indication, and from 39% to 71% for duration."

Antimicrobial stewardship: Improving antibiotic prescribing practice in a respiratory ward
JM Yeo
BMJ Quality Improvement Reports 2016;5: doi:10.1136/bmjquality.u206491.w3570

Read more here.

Improving the acute care of COPD patients across Gloucestershire

"The aim of the scheme was to improve compliance with the BTS [British Thoracic Society] guidelines and CQUIN [Commissioning for Quality and Innovation] scheme for patients admitted with an exacerbation of COPD."

Improving the acute care of COPD patients across Gloucestershire: a quality improvement project
C Miller, C Cushley, K Redler, C Mitchell, EA Day, H Mansfield, A Nye
BMJ Quality Improvement Reports 2015;4: doi:10.1136/bmjquality.u208427.w3338

Read more here.

Medication Reconciliation Improvement Through the Use of Video

"During implementation of this project, it became immediately clear that despite the known safety benefits to proper medication reconciliation, these benefits were under appreciated by our front line providers."

Medication Reconciliation Improvement Through the Use of Video
M Dewan, B Kraus, D Davis, J McCloskey
BMJ Quality Improvement Reports 2015;4: doi:10.1136/bmjquality.u207581.w3035

Read more here.

The endoscopy safety checklist

"We conclude that use of the endoscopy safety checklist is an opportunity for cost-effective quality improvement in endoscopy services. On-going attention needs to be given to encourage routine uptake of the checklist for its true potential on safety and outcomes to be realised."

The endoscopy safety checklist: A longitudinal study of factors affecting compliance in a tertiary referral centre within the United Kingdom
M Matharoo et al.
BMJ Quality Improvement Reports 2015;4: doi:10.1136/bmjquality.u206344.w2567

Read more here.

Quantification of the Hawthorne effect in hand hygiene compliance monitoring

"Hand hygiene event rates were approximately threefold higher in hallways within eyesight of an auditor compared with when no auditor was visible and the increase occurred after the auditors’ arrival. This is consistent with the existence of a Hawthorne effect localised to areas where the auditor is visible and calls into question the accuracy of publicly reported hospital hand hygiene compliance rates."

Quantification of the Hawthorne effect in hand hygiene compliance monitoring using an electronic monitoring system: a retrospective cohort study
JA Srigley, CD Furness, GR Baker, M Gardam
BMJ Quality and Safety 2014;23:974-980 doi:10.1136/bmjqs-2014-003080

Read more here.