Collaborative patient care protocols: a development process

Computerization of these protocols is in progress. This project is funded for one year with projected completion in January 1994. This study will form a framework in which further research can be completed. Utilizing protocols will allow the measurement of nursing decision making by testing relationships between parameters and interventions and by identifying rules for decision making. For example, questions that may be answered include which physiologic parameters do clinicians treat and in what order or priority, as well as what is the impact on patient outcomes in regard to cost of care and complications. Computerized patient care protocols can be further developed to meet patient-specific needs. A computerized data base will facilitate managing large amounts of patient data and tailoring instructions to these patients. One of the goals of this project was to measure the feasibility of developing computerized patient care protocols and implementing them in a critical care setting. Eventually, this experience will facilitate implementing computerized protocols at other sites. An additional benefit is the ability to implement continuous quality improvement strategies in a prospective manner rather than by retrospective review.