Staggered dosing chart improves i.v. antibiotic scheduling.
At St. Marys Hospital Medical Center in Madison, Wis., some 38% of i.v. antibiotics had more than a two-hour delay in initiating therapy or were not being administered within standard dosing schedules. QI team members developed a simple chart that reinforces the need to start the first dose as soon as possible and guides staff on staggering doses to transition dosing to a standard i.v. dosing schedule. The result--one problem virtually eliminated.
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006753:Hospital Records; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous / Q000592:standards*; D008332:Management Quality Circles; D008510:Medication Systems, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D009738:Nursing Service, Hospital; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000379:methods*; D014922:Wisconsin