title: Implementation of an Electronic Data Collection Tool to Monitor Nursing-Sensitive Indicators in a Large Academic Health Sciences Centre.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Monitoring the quality of nursing care is essential to identify patients at risk, measure adherence to hospital policies and evaluate the effectiveness of best practice interventions. However, monitoring nursing-sensitive indicators (NSI) is a challenge. Prevalence surveys are one method used by some organizations to monitor NSI, which are patient outcomes that are directly affected by the quantity or quality of nursing care that the patient receives.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this paper is to describe the development of an innovative electronic data collection tool to monitor NSI.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the preliminary development work, we designed a mobile computing application with pre-populated patient census information to collect the nursing quality data. In subsequent phases, we refined this process by designing an electronic trigger using The Ottawa Hospital's Patient Safety Learning System, which automatically generated a case report form for each inpatient based on the hospital's daily patient census on the day of the prevalence survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Both of these electronic data collection tools were accessible on tablet computers, which substantially reduced data collection, analysis and reporting time compared to previous paper-based methods. The electronic trigger provided improved completeness of the data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This work leveraged the use of tablet computers combined with a web-based application for patient data collection at point of care. Overall, the electronic methods improved data completeness and timeliness compared to traditional paper-based methods. This initiative has resulted in the ability to collect and report on NSI organization-wide to advance decision-making support and identify quality improvement opportunities within the organization.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa Affiliate Investigator, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON.
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Backman
authors.affiliation: Research Coordinator, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON.
authors.forename: Saskia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vanderloo
authors.affiliation: Nursing Research Lead, The Ottawa Hospital and Associate Investigator, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON.
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Momtahan
authors.affiliation: Corporate Coordinator, Clinical Pathways, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON.
authors.forename: Barb
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: d'Entremont
authors.affiliation: Corporate Coordinator, Nursing Best Practices, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.affiliation: Advanced Practice Nurse Palliative Care, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON.
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kachuik
authors.affiliation: Advanced Practice Nurse, Geriatrics, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON.
authors.forename: Dianne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rossy
authors.affiliation: Manager Wound and Ostomy Team, Advanced Practice Nurse, Wound, Ostomy and Rehabilitation, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON.
authors.forename: Toba
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mille
authors.affiliation: Clinical Reviewer, Patient Safety Learning System, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON.
authors.forename: Naghmeh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mojaverian
authors.affiliation: Senior VP, Professional Practice, and Chief Nursing Executive, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON.
authors.forename: Ginette
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lemire-Rodger
authors.affiliation: Senior Scientist, Clinical Epidemiology Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute; Professor of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Forster
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers / Q000458:organization & administration*; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D020407:Internet; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009864:Ontario; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems / Q000458:organization & administration; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016896:Treatment Outcome