External-ventricular drainage (EVD) is a common procedure in neurosurgery. The unit as a neurosurgical intensive care unit, post-operative external ventricular drainage caused the problems of the obstructions and shedding, making it unable to monitor intracranial pressure, and thus seriously affecting the patient’s safety. If the drainage care could not be conducted accurately, it might compromise the qualities on nursing care and then negatively affect the patient’s safety.
Objective
The aim of this project is to improve the knowledge and completeness of nursing practice for EVD drainage care.
Methods
Based on clinical observation and questionnaire survey, we found nurses care in terms of related knowledge and drain care methods are inconsistent. They were also lack of comprehensive training, suitable teaching tools, and aids for delivering the nursing practice for patients with EVD. Therefore, the strategies to improve the nursing practice drainage care skill include drawing-up a checklist of EVD care, establishing the standard of care, organizing in-service training for the nurses, developing multi-media teaching aid DVD, and creating a specific model for EVD to provide nurses to practice skill of EVD care.
Results
A project that improved the nursing knowledge examination for external ventricular drainage increases the completeness rate from 64.1% to 83.5%, drainage care methods consistent rate from 12% to 100% after the execution of the above strategies. Otherwise, Most questions related to EVD drainage care aim to make sure drain mark and function. Our department revised guideline on nursing care skills related EVD to meet clinical conditions.
Conclusion
The results of this project could be used to improve the nursing quality of EVD care in neurosurgery intensive care unit. Based on our experience, promotion and implementation of EVD care project is feasible and helpful to update knowledge and practice skill in clinical nursing care and it might increased the qualities on nursing care.
See more of: Evidence-Based Practice Sessions: Oral Paper & Posters