Effects of Implementing an Acuity Tool on a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit

Area of Science:

• Psychiatric Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Psychiatric intensive care units (PICUs) face challenges including staff shortages, budget cuts, and high patient acuity.
• Traditional staffing models relied on patient census, not evidence-based practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of implementing a psychiatric-specific acuity tool in a Veterans Administration hospital PICU.
• To assess changes in nursing satisfaction and patient outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A pre-/postintervention design was employed.
• The National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI) survey was used to measure outcomes.
• A psychiatric-specific acuity tool was introduced.

Main Results:

• Despite initial pandemic-related decreases, total acuity and nursing staff remained stable as patient census declined.
• NDNQI survey results showed improvement, with a 52-percentile increase in the quality-of-care summary measure.
• Nursing satisfaction and patient outcomes were positively impacted.

Conclusions:

• Acuity tools can standardize practices and ensure equitable patient assignments.
• Implementation of an acuity tool can enhance nurse satisfaction and patient safety.
• This approach supports evidence-based practices in psychiatric care.