Implementation of a mandatory checklist of protocols and objectives improves compliance with a wide range of evidence-based intensive care unit practices

Matthew C. Byrnes, Douglas J. E. Schuerer, Marilyn E. Schallom, Carrie S. Sona, John E. Mazuski, Beth E. Taylor, Wendi McKenzie, James M. Thomas, Jeffrey S. Emerson, Jennifer L. Nemeth, Ruth A. Bailey, Walter A. Boyle (+2 others)
2009 Critical Care Medicine  
Objective: To determine a) if a checklist covering a diverse group of intensive care unit protocols and objectives would improve clinician consideration of these domains and b) if improved consideration would change practice patterns. Design: Pre-and postobservational study. Setting: A 24-bed surgical/burn/trauma intensive care unit in a teaching hospital. Patients: A total of 1399 patients admitted between June 2006 and May 2007. Interventions: The first component of the study evaluated
more » ... mandating verbal review of a checklist covering 14 intensive care unit best practices altered verbal consideration of these domains. Evaluation was performed using real-time bedside audits on morning rounds. The second component evaluated whether the checklist altered implementation of these domains by changing practice patterns. Evaluation was performed by analyzing data from the Project IMPACT database after patients left the intensive care unit. Measurements and Main Results: Verbal consideration of evaluable domains improved from 90.9% (530/583) to 99.7%
doi:10.1097/ccm.0b013e3181a96379 pmid:19581803 fatcat:qht2awflrfdv5jnwzgaj27llwm