Improving the cerebrospinal fluid test (LP) in Amirkala Pediatric Hospital, 2000

Abstract

Objective: Neonatal meningitis is more common than the other ages and it’s associated with neural complications and high mortality rate. The cerebrospinal fluid test is the most important test in the diagnosis of meningitis. According to several reports, there were some problems in reporting of this test in Amirkola pediatric hospital. Using the CQI model for quality improvement of cerebrospinal fluid reports to decrease processes time taking, complications and increase the satisfaction. Methods: This is a quasi-experimental (Pre and post) study performed by FOCUS-PDCA in Feb-2000 in Amirkola pediatric hospital. The time taking of 25 CSF samples reports were measured randomly, then the improvement program performed and the time were measured again in 25 other CSF samples reports and the results were evaluated. Findings: Not having a regular program to remit the samples was the most important cause of low quality according to numerous vote. The pre-improvement median time took 3:30 hours and the post one took only 40 minutes. Conclusion: According to our results the process time taking decreased 2 hours and 50 minutes after improving program. It caused low complications and high satisfaction. We believe that this first effort can provide a model for the expansion of CQI not only in Babol university of medical sciences but throughout Iran.

Keywords

• continuous quality improvement
• meningitis
• cerebrospinal fluid
• focus-pdca