Care planning: the best tool for the job?

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Practice
• Quality Improvement

Background:

• Care plan practice in district general hospital intensive care units (ICUs) requires improvement.
• Existing care plan tools may present design limitations impacting practice.
• Action research offers a framework for iterative quality improvement in healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance care plan practice within an ICU.
• To develop and implement an improved care plan tool.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a revised care plan approach.

Main Methods:

• Action research utilizing an 'insider' model.
• Initial evaluation of care plan practice via questionnaire.
• Focus group discussions to inform revisions.
• Implementation of a revised, non-pre-printed care plan tool.
• Provision of educational support for staff.

Main Results:

• Identified weaknesses in current care plan practices and tool design.
• Transitioned from a pre-printed care plan to a patient-specific, freehand format.
• Implemented educational initiatives to support the new tool.
• Ongoing evaluation of care planning practice is established.

Conclusions:

• Redesigning the care plan tool, supported by education, can improve care planning practice in ICUs.
• Action research provides a viable methodology for iterative healthcare quality improvement.
• Patient-centered care planning benefits from adaptable and individualized documentation tools.