Embracing a Nurse-Driven Alcohol Withdrawal Protocol Through Quality Improvement

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Quality Improvement
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Alcohol withdrawal presents significant risks, including seizures and delirium tremens.
• Nurses play a vital role in managing alcohol withdrawal and ensuring patient safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of nursing education on adherence to an alcohol withdrawal protocol.
• To assess improvements in nursing compliance following a targeted educational intervention.

Main Methods:

• A quality improvement project utilizing a two-part retrospective review.
• Initial needs assessment (65 patients) followed by nursing education.
• Post-education review of 50 patients to measure compliance changes.

Main Results:

• Increased nursing compliance with 1-hour patient assessments post-education.
• No statistically significant improvement in 6-hour assessment compliance.
• No significant change in medication administration protocol compliance.

Conclusions:

• Nursing education is a foundational step for improving alcohol withdrawal protocol adherence.
• Involving physicians is crucial for standardizing care and enhancing compliance.
• Further research should explore optimal assessment frequencies and their effect on patient outcomes.