Improving Door-to-EKG Time in the Emergency Department: A Quality Improvement Project
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Authors
Meissen, Kirsten
Issue Date
2024-04
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Type
Manuscript
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Keywords
Electrocardiogram , Door-to-EKG , Emergency Department , Acute Coronary Syndrome , ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction
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Abstract
Abstract
Introduction: The American Heart Association recommends that patients who present to the emergency department with symptoms of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) should receive an electrocardiogram (EKG) within 10-minutes of their arrival. The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to improve compliance of door-to-EKG (DTE) times in 10-minutes or less for patients who present to the emergency department with complaints associated with ACS symptoms.
Design: Educating triage and first look nurses of ACS symptoms, reviewing the early EKG screening criteria, in addition to completing EKGs prior to the triage process, rather than after the triage process, was the change proposed in the effort of reaching this goal. This project followed the quality improvement method, which collected quantitative data from two eight week phases preceding and eight weeks following the implementation of the intervention.
Outcomes: Findings revealed statistically significant improvement in DTE times. DTE times decreased over the course of the three phases of the project (F(2,816) = 41.84, p < .001, partial η2 = .09). DTE times were lower in the QI phase (Fall 2023) compared to both pre-QI phases.
Discussion: The success of this quality improvement project demonstrated the significant impact these projects can have on improving DTE times.
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Publisher
Creighton University
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Copyright is retained by the Author. A non-exclusive distribution right is granted to Creighton University