Project report

524 Traveling Pediatric Burn Care on Wheels

· 1 Jan 2023

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Many burn patients initially seek treatment at a community hospital after suffering a burn injury and are then transferred to various hospitals before being evaluated by a burn specialist. Due to the increased volume of patients in the emergency department, pediatric burn patients in the past have waited on average 90 minutes to be assessed by a burn provider. A new process was implemented to decrease wait times and increase overall patient and family satisfaction. A breakdown in the process, noted by burn care staff, was the availability of burn care supplies located in the emergency department. Methods • A process developed for burn unit nurses to respond to the emergency department to evaluate all pediatric burn patients was implemented. • A survey was sent to burn nurses looking for the most used supplies while caring for a pediatric burn patient. • Collaborative efforts with the pharmacy department to obtain space in the medication pyxis for the most used ointments in burn care. • Collaborative efforts with the Child Life Specialist to stock the cart with stickers, small toys, and distraction items for pediatric patients. • Collaborative efforts with the attending burn surgeon to develop and implement a protocol for burn team response. • Collaborative efforts with infection control department to ensure proper regulation standards of the cart. Cart Contents: • Gauze • Securement wraps • Wound cleansers • Silver impregnated foam dressing • Non-stick petroleum gauze • Staplers • IV start supplies • Paper tracking tool • Discharge & dressing change instructions • Stickers, small toys, & distraction items Results The Hydro on Wheels cart was implemented in January 2022. A retrospective study of data including pediatric burn patients seen in 2021 was completed. The average wait time to be seen by a burn provider in the emergency department decreased from 90 minutes in 2021 to 34 minutes in the first 6 months of 2022. A follow up survey was sent to hydrotherapy burn nurses to assess the satisfaction of the new process and equipment available. Conclusions Overall decreased wait time for pediatric burn patients to be evaluated by a burn care provider. Burn care nurses felt prepared when responding to a pediatric burn patient in the emergency department. Applicability of Research to Practice The burn unit plans to continue this approach to improve patient and family satisfaction & patient outcomes Future considerations to further improve the process would be to include a patient and family follow up satisfaction survey.