CSI Project

Don’t Skip A Beat! Hit a Home Run After Cardiac Surgery

The George Washington University Hospital (Washington, D.C.)

CSI Summary

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Summary

CSI Presentation

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Presentation

CSI Toolkit

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Toolkit

Added to Collection

Project Topic:

Decreasing length-of-stay (LOS) for post-cardiac surgery patients

Hospital Unit:

3South/Cardiovascular Center

CSI Participants:

  • Janice Belen, BSN, RN
  • Danielle Delice, BSN, RN
  • Shirleta Henson-McKann, BS, RN
  • Paige Lumley, BSN, RN

Video Presentation

View this CSI team's project presentation video to earn CERPs.

Project Goals/Objectives:

  1. Reduce cardiothoracic patients’ LOS 10% to meet projected geometric mean LOS targets
  2. Increase collaboration with interdisciplinary team to ensure safe and timely discharges

Project Outcomes:

  1. Achieved increased collaboration with interdisciplinary round (IDR) team daily to ensure safe and timely discharges
  2. Increased patient flow secondary to early and safe discharge planning

Project Overview:

The average LOS of post-cardiac surgery patients on our unit during the months of January through May of 2021 was 12 days. Our CSI team’s goal was to decrease that LOS 10% with early discharge planning that included all members of the interdisciplinary team.

Throughout our project, we encountered various challenges, such as an increased volume of COVID-19 patients. These patients’ discharges were delayed awaiting placement to subacute rehabilitation centers or long-term care. In addition, we encountered increased patient acuity during our unit’s transition to a step-down unit from an acute care unit.

As a result, we were unable to meet our original goal of decreasing LOS. However, we successfully changed the way the interdisciplinary team collaborates to ensure safe and timely discharges for our patients.

Permission to Reuse Materials
The materials associated with this AACN Clinical Scene Investigator (CSI) Academy project are the property of the participating hospital noted above, not AACN. Requests to use content contained in the CSI team’s summary, presentation or toolkit should be directed to the hospital. We suggest reaching out to the hospital’s Communications, Marketing or Nursing Education department for assistance.

Disclaimer
The AACN CSI Academy program supports change projects based on quality improvement methods. Although CSI teams seek to ensure linkage between their project and clinical/fiscal outcomes, data cannot be solely attributed to the project and are estimations of impact.