QI study in the ICU: bedside testing of gastric contents

Quality improvement (QI) studies must use valid and reliable tools to measure patient outcomes. This study identified daily nursing practices related to the prevention of stress ulcer syndrome (SUS) in a medical intensive care unit (ICU). The QI study: (1) compared the "gold" standard bedside test for gastric pH and fecal occult blood with an inclusive measurement tool that was created specifically to measure gastric pH and occult blood at the bedside; (2) assessed nursing knowledge of SUS; and (3) analyzed cost.