Organizing the Anteroom Trolley Drawer for Patients in the Isolation Ward
Care Process & Redesign
National University Health System Quality Improvement
National University Health System
31 December 2024
The isolation ward aims to reduce the total time nurses spend retrieving consumable items inside patient rooms by 50% by. The project successfully reduced the time nurses spend retrieving consumables, improving efficiency and patient focus.
Year Submitted: 2024
Published Date: 31 December 2024
Tags: Care Process ＆ Redesign, Workflow Redesign, Time Saving, Productivity
About this Content
Aims
The isolation ward aims to reduce the total time nurses spend retrieving consumable items inside patient rooms by 50% by December 2023.
Background
Isolation ward comprises 15 single-bed isolation rooms equipped with negative pressure. Nurses find it time-consuming to retrieve consumable items while attending to patients. A staff assistance call bell can be used, but it requires additional walking.
Methods
The project involved defining the problem, setting aims, selecting changes, analyzing the problem, testing, and implementing changes. Changes were spread by explaining the new workflow to all nurses, sharing pilot findings, and conducting monthly audits.
Results
With the implementation of cycle 1 & 2, nurses now only require taking less than 5 steps from a patient's room to drawer to collect consumables.
Conclusion
The project successfully reduced the time nurses spend retrieving consumables, improving efficiency and patient focus.
Lessons Learnt
1. The standardization of consumables in the drawers across the ward allow nurses to retrieve them effectively, as everyone is aligned to it.
2. Nurses can be more patient-focused, as the time spent retrieving consumables shortened significantly.
3. By providing clear and color-coded visual cues, the top-up process can be streamlined and made more efficient.
Additional Information
Implementation was piloted at bed 9 and bed 10. Regular audits and feedback from ground staff were integral to the process.
Keywords
Anteroom Trolley, Isolation Ward, Consumables
Innovators' Details
Innovators' Details
Healthcare Cluster(s) | National University Health System |
Organization(s) Involved | Ng Teng Fong General Hospital |
Platform(s) | National University Health System Quality Improvement |
Healthcare Professional Group(s) | Nursing |
Applicable Specialty or Discipline | Patient Service Associate |
Project Lead(s) | Chen Shee Hui |
Project Member(s) | Vikneshvaran Sadasivam |
Connect with this contributor!
Chen Shee Hui - chen_shee_hui@nuhs.edu.sg
Project Attachment
453_NTFGH _QM 2024_Organising the Anteroom Trolley Drawer for Patients in the Isolation Ward.pdf