To provide a high level of quality, analyses performed at the patient’s bedside, called Point-of-Care Testing (PCT), are carried out by laboratories and must meet strict standards.
Problems that led to this project:
• PCT analysis results which turned up in the patient’s file in the “note in file” section, with the vital signs, without a standardized specification indicating that it was a PCT;
• other results not clearly or not at all identified as PCT and which may not even be recorded in the file;
• medical prescription specifying that the doctor wants a PCT analysis not always present in the file;
• lack of traceability of the devices used during an analysis.
Goals:
• find a single tool that will make it possible to avoid the problems described above, while reducing office work for the nursing staff as much as possible and comply with the standards in place.
Standards to be complied with: 1. medical prescription specifying that the analysis must be done as PCT; 2. laboratory request complying with the dual identification of the patient; 3. results recorded in the patient file in the laboratory section and clearly indicated as being a PCT.
Objectives of this tool:
• have a document of one page maximum, which can contain all the required information;
• meet Accreditation Canada standards for Point-of-Care testing analyses;
• improve safety for our patients;
• differentiate analyses carried out as PCT from those carried out in the laboratory;
• ensure the traceability of the medical prescription of the patient, the user and the results;
• determine which PCT device was used;
• produce a standardized report containing all the results and their reference values;
• clearly indicate that an amendment has been made to the report;
• record communication of critical results;
• use a form that can be adapted to the clients (care units, clinics);
• reduce the number of forms;
• improve efficiency;
• respect the standards of the CHU Sainte-Justine.
This is an innovative tool because, to our knowledge, no other prescription/request/result form in this simple and user-friendly format exists. Having a single document that enables compliance with so many standards is quite an achievement. This simple tool relieves the staff of several administrative tasks, since almost every entry or checkmark made on this form fully complies with standards.
Contact:
Title: Quality Assurance and Biosecurity Consultant
Email:marc.simard.hsj@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
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