Change for the better: an innovative model of care delivering positive patient and workforce outcomes

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate patient and workforce outcomes following the implementation of the Practice Partnership Model of Care.

Design: Pre-test–post-test design.

Setting: A 29-bed surgical ward at a tertiary-level regional hospital.

Subjects: Summary de-identified data from all patients and ward nursing staff in the study period.

Interventions: The Practice Partnership Model of Care has four main components: working in partnership; clinical handover at the bedside; comfort rounds; and environmental modifications. These reflect patient-centered and quality focused initiatives and use a total quality improvement framework that aims to transform care at the bedside.

Main outcome measures: Patient outcomes: changes in patient safety (measured by numbers of medication errors and patient falls); satisfaction with care (use of the call bell system, number of complaints and compliments). Workforce outcomes: changes in staff satisfaction (measured through staff sick leave).

Results: A statistically significant reduction in use of nurse call bells (p=<0.001) post-implementation. Medication errors and patient falls reduced, with an overall reduction of 4% in staff sick leave.

Conclusions: The Practice Partnership Model of Care positively affected patient and workforce outcomes, suggesting further exploration of this model in other hospital contexts is warranted.