Continuous quality improvement project: decreasing the potential for the development in the inpatient setting of drug...

HIV/AIDS patients' dissatisfaction with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) medication administration in the inpatient setting was the impetus for a continuous quality improvement (CQI) project. The purpose of the CQI project was to initiate a change in nursing practice for HAART medication administration. The goal of the project was to decrease the potential for development of drug resistance in the inpatient setting related to nonadherence with food requirements for drug administration and to incomplete or "missed" doses of prescribed HAART. A secondary goal was to increase the provision of patient education on HAART medications by nurses. The interdisciplinary CQI team found that medication administration in the inpatient setting involved more than nurses simply "passing meds." Inpatient medication administration was a complex process involving a variety of hospital systems, departments, and traditions, all of which had an impact on patient care. The article describes the CQI methodology that was used for the project and how each step of the project was planned and implemented. Specific problems related to administering HAART in the hospital setting are listed as areas for needed nursing research.