Hauora Tairawhiti are implementing the FIT approach programme. This is a combined approach of Releasing Time to Care and Care Capacity and Demand Management (CCDM).
Releasing time to care aims to improve care quality by eliminating waste and activities that do not add value. This enables hospital staff to spend more time with patients, thereby improving patient safety and ward efficiency.
CCDM focuses on improving staffing efficiency by ensuring the right staff - (numbers, skills and schedule) are in the right place – (environment supports the work & the workers) delivering the right care.
Hauora Tairawhiti are now into year four of the FIT approach programme with nine patient areas involved including the Satellite Dialysis Unit (SDU).
The Satellite Dialysis Unit has introduced quarterly audits to reduce the risk and actual medication errors. The IV Heparin Infusion audit will check that each infusion is signed by two nurses. In July to September 2015 the audit result is 87 percent up from 85.9 percent in April to June 2015.
An iron infusion audit checks the six steps in correct drug administration and uses a fun and visual approach to record positive results. For an incident free week, a piece of armour is placed on a picture of a ‘man in a suit’ and at the end of each quarter Iron man is fully suited, or he has a hole in his armour and is at risk! From June to September 2015 iron man was 92 percent suited-up with an aim of fully suited by the end of the year.
Measurement and transparency of results is important to implementing and sustaining an improvement.