Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 29, 2026
10:38
Observational Study Protocol for Repeated Clinical Examination and Critical Care Ultrasonography Within the Simple Intensive Care Studies
Published on: January 16, 2019
22.0K
Reducing waste in the critical care setting
Jean Morrow1, Shelia Hunt2, Virginia Rogan3
1Jean Morrow, RN, BScN, Clinical Educator, Critical and Neurosurgical Care.
Nursing Leadership (Toronto, Ont.)
|May 28, 2014
Summary
Reducing bedside supply waste in ICUs is achievable through optimized stocking. New practices decreased discarded items, saving costs and improving efficiency while ensuring patient care quality.
Area of Science:
- Quality Improvement in Healthcare
- Critical Care Medicine
- Supply Chain Management
Background:
- Intensive care units (ICUs) face significant waste from bedside supply cabinets (nurse servers).
- Unused items are discarded for infection control, particularly for patients with antibiotic-resistant organisms (AROs).
- This practice leads to substantial financial losses and inefficient resource allocation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To reduce waste by minimizing bedside-stocked supplies.
- To explore alternative supply stocking strategies.
- To enhance practitioner awareness of supply waste issues.
Main Methods:
- An interprofessional team analyzed costs of discarded supplies.
- New guidelines for nurse server and linen use were developed.
- Stocking processes were revised, removing surplus and centralizing it.
Main Results:
- A two-week pilot study revealed $2,327.25 in discarded supplies from five bedsides.
- Implementation of new stocking practices significantly reduced waste.
- Long-term cost savings are projected, allowing resource redirection.
Conclusions:
- Raising awareness of wasteful stocking practices was key to project success.
- Revised stocking procedures effectively reduced waste and boosted efficiency.
- Optimal patient care was maintained throughout the quality improvement initiative.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Standard Precaution
3.2K
Standard precautions are the minimum infection control safeguards used while caring for all patients, irrespective of their disease condition. They help prevent the spread of common infectious microorganisms to healthcare workers, patients, and visitors in all healthcare settings.
Hand hygiene is the most crucial means to prevent the transmission of disease. Employers are legally required to provide their workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure or contact with...
Hand hygiene is the most crucial means to prevent the transmission of disease. Employers are legally required to provide their workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize exposure or contact with...
3.2K
01:22Healthcare Associated Infections II: Preventive Measures
4.7K
Essential infection prevention measures are based on the knowledge of the infection chain, the modes of transmission in healthcare settings, and the use of the best practices in all healthcare settings. Compulsory public reporting of healthcare-associated infection rates is needed to allow individuals and the community to make informed choices regarding selecting a healthcare facility.
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
The best practices for preventing healthcare-associated infections include hand hygiene, patient risk...
4.7K
01:30Cleaning, Sterilization, and Disinfection
11.6K
Cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization are the methods that help to break the infection chain and prevent disease.
Cleaning
The cleaning process usually involves using water with detergents or enzymatic cleaner and removing foreign material from objects and surfaces, including organic material such as body fluids or inorganic material like soil. Cleaning is performed before high-level disinfection and sterilization because foreign materials on the cover of the devices interfere with process...
Cleaning
The cleaning process usually involves using water with detergents or enzymatic cleaner and removing foreign material from objects and surfaces, including organic material such as body fluids or inorganic material like soil. Cleaning is performed before high-level disinfection and sterilization because foreign materials on the cover of the devices interfere with process...
11.6K
01:15Methods of Documentation VI: Case Management Model
922
The case management model is a multidisciplinary approach that involves healthcare professionals from diverse disciplines, such as physicians, nurses, therapists, social workers, and pharmacists, working collaboratively to address the various needs of patients. Each healthcare professional brings unique expertise and perspectives, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the patient's condition and tailoring treatment plans accordingly.
For example, a patient with a chronic...
For example, a patient with a chronic...
922
01:30Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy
2.3K
Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy, also known as CRRT, is a procedural treatment for acute kidney injury (AKI) that gradually removes uremic toxins and fluids while maintaining acid-base balance and stabilizing electrolytes. It is particularly useful for hemodynamically unstable patients. Unlike intermittent hemodialysis, which is faster, CRRT provides a gentler approach over 24 hours, closely mimicking the function of natural kidneys. However, CRRT is not ideal for patients with...
2.3K
01:26Extracorporeal Removal of Drugs: Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy
414
Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT) is an essential intervention for patients experiencing severe kidney dysfunction. This therapy offers a continuous mechanism for removing fluids and toxins from the bloodstream, leveraging the patient’s blood pressure to facilitate filtration through a specialized filter. This method contrasts with intermittent dialysis, providing a gentler and more consistent removal of waste products and excess fluid, which is particularly beneficial in...
414