Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Access Control

Open Access

Degree Program

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Degree Track

Family Nurse Practioner

Year Degree Awarded

2021

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7275/22663528

Month Degree Awarded

May

Keywords

Post-Intensive Care Syndrome, PICS, primary care, critical care

Advisor

Dr. Terrie Black, DNP, MBA, CRRN, FAHA, FAAN

DNP Project Outside Member Name

Dr. David Afzal, DO

Abstract

Abstract

Background: Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) occurs in approximately 50% of ICU survivors and increases risk of mortality and hospital readmission while decreasing quality of life. There were no national guidelines for diagnosis or treatment of PICS at the time of the completion of this project.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to increase identification of PICS in the primary care setting by providers. This was accomplished by implementing an educational toolkit and algorithm to better identify patients with PICS and to evaluate the incidence of PICS.

Methods: An educational presentation and a survey were presented to the providers at a primary care office in Maryland. An algorithm was applied to each patient seen in the office from October 2020 to February 2021; if the patients were identified by the algorithm to be at risk for PICS, the PICSq was administered in the office by the medical assistants.

Results: The data concerning the effect of the education material imply a positive correlation on provider confidence in the diagnosis of PICS. The mean pre-education was 0 on a self-rated scale of 0-5 (SD=0) and the mean pre-education was 3 on a scale of 0-5 (SD=1.155). In the five months of observation and data collection, thirteen patients were identified to be at risk for PICS requiring screening using the PICSq.

Conclusion: Provider education about PICS in the primary care setting can increase the rate of identification of PICS. Tools such as the algorithm and the PICSq, in conjunction with increased provider awareness within the primary care setting, promoted a more positive transition following an acute care stay.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

Included in

Nursing Commons

Share

COinS