Paediatric inter-hospital transportation: a clinical governance project

Maria Breathnach1, Paula Lane2

  • 1MSc Candidate, Department of Nursing and Health, School of Health Sciences, Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland.

British Journal of Nursing (Mark Allen Publishing)
|July 14, 2017
PubMed

Insights

A quality improvement project implemented a universal Paediatric Advanced Life Support Programme (PALS) to enhance neonatal nurse competencies for inter-hospital paediatric transportation, improving safety and clinical outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Healthcare Quality Improvement
  • Paediatric Transport Medicine
  • Nursing Education

Background:

  • A quality improvement project identified gaps in adhering to national and international standards for paediatric inter-hospital transportation.
  • A clinical service deficit in paediatric transport was noted at a large Irish university teaching hospital.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To address deficits in paediatric inter-hospital transportation practices.
  • To enhance clinical standards and competencies of neonatal nurses involved in paediatric transport.

Main Methods:

  • A risk assessment was conducted on the clinical site.
  • A universal Paediatric Advanced Life Support Programme (PALS) was proposed and implemented.
  • Change management principles and organizational culture were considered.

Main Results:

  • The project aimed to upskill neonatal nurses through the PALS program.
  • Benchmarking against best practices was utilized as a quality advancement strategy.

Conclusions:

  • Educational initiatives are recommended to monitor and review clinical standards in paediatric transportation.
  • Implementing standardized training like PALS can improve clinical outcomes and advance the quality and safety agenda in paediatric practice.

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