Susan K Lilly, Nicole S Ragon, Shelly R Andre, Amanda L Tran
{"title":"A Chlorhexidine Gluconate Protocol to Decrease Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections: A Quality Improvement Project.","authors":"Susan K Lilly, Nicole S Ragon, Shelly R Andre, Amanda L Tran","doi":"10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000966","DOIUrl":"10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000966","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) lead to higher health care costs and adverse patient outcomes.</p><p><strong>Local problem: </strong>A Midwestern acute care hospital saw an increase in CAUTI rates from July to December 2022.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles guided this quality improvement project.</p><p><strong>Interventions: </strong>Staff education and coaching facilitated a change from daily bathing and urinary catheter care using soap and water to using chlorhexidine gluconate wipes for all adult patients with indwelling urinary catheters.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>This change led to a substantial 81.1% reduction in the CAUTI rate, sustained over 24 months, decreasing from an average rate of 2.12 to 0.40.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Implementing a standardized chlorhexidine gluconate bathing and catheter care protocol significantly reduced CAUTI rates, suggesting it is an effective strategy for minimizing CAUTI risk in acute care settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":16931,"journal":{"name":"Journal of nursing care quality","volume":" ","pages":"330-335"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147729356","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Data-Driven Approach to Decrease Nonactionable Alarms in Critical Care.","authors":"Mary Lindsay, Carley Parker","doi":"10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000976","DOIUrl":"10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000976","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16931,"journal":{"name":"Journal of nursing care quality","volume":" ","pages":"302-304"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147774583","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Navigating New Spaces: Implementing a Report Card System to Capture Feedback After a Hospital Move.","authors":"Sean K D'Onofrio","doi":"10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000951","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000951","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16931,"journal":{"name":"Journal of nursing care quality","volume":"41 4","pages":"293-297"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148880931","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Melissa M Babin, Cory M Carlson, Paul R Horvath, Morgan R Weiss, Zong Vang
{"title":"Authors' Response to the Letter to the Editor: Proactive Workplace Violence Prevention in Health Care: A Quality Improvement Project.","authors":"Melissa M Babin, Cory M Carlson, Paul R Horvath, Morgan R Weiss, Zong Vang","doi":"10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000996","DOIUrl":"10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000996","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16931,"journal":{"name":"Journal of nursing care quality","volume":" ","pages":"300-301"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148794821","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Code Wellness Debriefing to Enhance Nurse Wellness and Peer Support: An Evidence-Based Approach.","authors":"Avery Lauren John, Ana-Maria Gallo","doi":"10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000962","DOIUrl":"10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000962","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Repeated exposure to high-stress clinical events negatively impacts nurse wellness in medical-surgical units.</p><p><strong>Problem: </strong>Nurses experience significant emotional strain following Code Blue, Code Green (disruptive behavior), and rapid response events, contributing to burnout and reduced team resilience.</p><p><strong>Approach: </strong>A peer-led, evidence-based Code Wellness Debriefing model was implemented on a 48-bed medical-surgical unit. After a code event, structured debriefs were conducted. To assess impact, post-intervention surveys were completed by staff.</p><p><strong>Outcomes: </strong>Routine wellness debriefing increased perceived peer support and feeling cared for, and reduced emotional stress. Qualitative findings reflected emotional relief, strengthened team cohesion, and continued requests for support.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Structured wellness debriefing supports nurse well-being following high-stress events and demonstrates a feasible, nurse-driven approach to improving unit culture.</p>","PeriodicalId":16931,"journal":{"name":"Journal of nursing care quality","volume":" ","pages":"363-369"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147674384","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wael Ahmed M Alhazmi, Montaha Mohamed Ibrahim, Manal S A Hakami, Ragaa Gasim Ahmed Mohmmed, Eltayeb Mohammed Awadalkareem, Sahar Ahmed Mohamed, Amaal Samir Abdelmaksoud, Amal Abdelgadir Mohamed, Safiyah Hakami, Hanan Ahmed Mesawa, Daniel Mon Mamanao, Hammad Ali Fadlalmola
{"title":"The Impact of Nurse-to-Patient Ratios on Nurses' Burnout, Job Dissatisfaction, and Intention-to-Leave: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.","authors":"Wael Ahmed M Alhazmi, Montaha Mohamed Ibrahim, Manal S A Hakami, Ragaa Gasim Ahmed Mohmmed, Eltayeb Mohammed Awadalkareem, Sahar Ahmed Mohamed, Amaal Samir Abdelmaksoud, Amal Abdelgadir Mohamed, Safiyah Hakami, Hanan Ahmed Mesawa, Daniel Mon Mamanao, Hammad Ali Fadlalmola","doi":"10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000953","DOIUrl":"10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000953","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Adequate nurse staffing is essential for ensuring workforce well-being and patient safety. Imbalanced nurse-to-patient ratios contribute to burnout, job dissatisfaction, and turnover, which compromise care quality.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the impact of nurse-to-patient ratios on nurse burnout, job dissatisfaction, intention-to-leave, and patient outcomes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science identified cross-sectional studies examining nurse-to-patient ratios and related outcomes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Eighteen studies involving 183 876 nurses from 4085 hospitals were included. Higher nurse-to-patient ratios increased the odds of burnout (OR: 1.08), job dissatisfaction (OR: 1.10), and intention-to-leave (OR: 1.09). Each additional patient per nurse increased mortality and readmission risks by 7% to 8%, with decreased perceived care quality.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Higher nurse-to-patient ratios adversely affect nurses and patients. Ensuring adequate staffing is critical to prevent burnout and maintain safe, high-quality care.</p>","PeriodicalId":16931,"journal":{"name":"Journal of nursing care quality","volume":" ","pages":"379-387"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147504318","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tanara Boursiquot, Linda Borenstein, Sara McHugh-Grant, Hilary Barnes
{"title":"Home Health Initiative to Minimize Transportation Barriers and Improve Show Rates to Primary Care Provider Follow-Up Appointments.","authors":"Tanara Boursiquot, Linda Borenstein, Sara McHugh-Grant, Hilary Barnes","doi":"10.1097/NCQ.0000000000001010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/NCQ.0000000000001010","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Transportation barriers to medical appointments lead to poor health outcomes.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a transportation resource guide on access to transportation for postdischarge primary care follow-up appointments.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A quasi-experimental research design was employed. Patients in the 4 zip-code target area who screened positive for transportation barriers received the transportation resource guide, which offered patients meaningful information and options in planning transportation to medical appointments.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Attendance at follow-up primary care appointments within 7 days of hospital discharge increased from 10.2% (n = 37) to 10.8% (n = 50), P = .856.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>While not statistically significant, the intervention was clinically impactful in influencing patients' ability to access transportation for follow-up appointments. Results support sustaining ongoing provision of this transportation resource with routine surveillance.</p>","PeriodicalId":16931,"journal":{"name":"Journal of nursing care quality","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149025220","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Adverse Events in Long-Term Care: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review.","authors":"Jaakko Varpula, Karoliina Nikula, Riitta Suhonen","doi":"10.1097/NCQ.0000000000001014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/NCQ.0000000000001014","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Adverse events are a major patient safety concern in long-term care, where older people with complex health needs are particularly vulnerable.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The purpose of this mixed-methods systematic review was to systematically synthesize quantitative and qualitative evidence regarding the occurrence, outcomes, and associated risk factors of adverse events in long-term care settings.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A mixed-methods systematic review using a convergent integrated approach was conducted.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>One hundred studies were included. Falls were the most frequently reported adverse event, followed by medication errors, adverse drug events, and pressure injuries. Outcomes ranged from mild harm to death, with moderate harm most commonly reported. Risk factors were multifactorial, spanning patient, care process, team, and organizational domains, with mostly moderate consistency of evidence.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Adverse events in long-term care are common and complex. Improving safety requires system-level, multicomponent interventions and more consistent reporting practices.</p>","PeriodicalId":16931,"journal":{"name":"Journal of nursing care quality","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149030807","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Erin Kelly Godin, Margaret Bowers, Todd McVeigh, Julie Thompson, Gary Elizabeth Conly
{"title":"Improving Heart Failure Outcomes Through Hemodynamic Monitoring: A Retrospective Program Evaluation.","authors":"Erin Kelly Godin, Margaret Bowers, Todd McVeigh, Julie Thompson, Gary Elizabeth Conly","doi":"10.1097/NCQ.0000000000001016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/NCQ.0000000000001016","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16931,"journal":{"name":"Journal of nursing care quality","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149025200","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Implementation of a Nonpharmacological Pain Management Bundle to Improve Postoperative Recovery Outcomes in the PACU: A Pre/Post Quasi-Experimental Study.","authors":"Nathan A Lowe","doi":"10.1097/NCQ.0000000000001013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/NCQ.0000000000001013","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Postoperative pain following laparoscopic procedures can delay recovery and reduce patient satisfaction. Nonpharmacological methods (NPM) provide a low-risk adjunct to pain management.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study examined the implementation of a standardized NPM bundle on postoperative pain, opioid utilization, and PACU length of stay among adults undergoing same-day laparoscopic procedures and evaluated bundle adherence.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A pre-post quasi-experimental evaluation was conducted. The bundle included aromatherapy, music therapy, relaxation, positioning, heat/cold therapy, and early ambulation. Implementation included staff education and workflow integration.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Pain outcomes improved with reduced severe pain and increased low pain scores. Implementation fidelity was supported through the education of 25 PACU team members and 95% adherence to intervention implementation. Length of stay decreased from 85 to 68 minutes without increased opioid use.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>A nurse-led NPM bundle was associated with improved postoperative recovery outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":16931,"journal":{"name":"Journal of nursing care quality","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148976769","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}