Developing a quality indicator logbook for the postanesthesia care unit setting.

In the interest of quality care, it is important for health care practitioners to examine practice and identify methods for improvement. Gathering data is one way to impact changes in practice. Recognizing that a simple, efficient method for gathering data was needed, a logbook was developed to replace the more time-consuming quality assurance form currently used at our northwest institution. Four incidents particular to the PACU were identified and included in the logbook. The goal of gathering risk indicator data about frequently occuring incidents was to make information available to nurses and adjunct health teams interested in quality assurance and improvement.