Breaking Barriers: Improving Documentation in Titratable Medication Administration.

Background: A newly opened Medical Intensive Care Unit identified variation in nursing documentation practices related to titratable medications, with underlying causes initially unclear. Objectives: The primary aim of this quality improvement initiative was to reduce variation in titratable medicat...

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Published in:Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing Vol. 45; no. 3; pp. 155 - 162
Main Author: Kamp, Rochelle
Format: research tables/charts Journal Article
Published: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins May/Jun2026
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: May/Jun2026
      vid: 45
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      pub: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
      place: Baltimore, Maryland
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        atl: Breaking Barriers: Improving Documentation in Titratable Medication Administration.
      aug:
        au: Kamp, Rochelle
        affil: Registered Nurse Anesthetist and Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) Student at Texas Wesleyan University
      sug:
        subj:
          Documentation
          Drug Administration Schedule
          Guideline Adherence
          Nursing Care
          Intensive Care Units
          Human
          Male
          Female
          Quality Improvement
          Implementation Science
          Critical Care
          Audit
          Florida
          Leadership
          Collaboration
          Professional Compliance
          Electronic Health Records
          Male
          Female
      ab: Background: A newly opened Medical Intensive Care Unit identified variation in nursing documentation practices related to titratable medications, with underlying causes initially unclear. Objectives: The primary aim of this quality improvement initiative was to reduce variation in titratable medication documentation practices by identifying and addressing barriers to compliance. Methods: Using an improvement science approach informed by protocol-based care and iterative Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles, the project identified key barriers, including workflow inefficiencies, documentation complexity, and knowledge gaps. A targeted educational intervention was subsequently developed, and auditing tools were used to assess sustainability. Results: Following the intervention, compliance with titratable medication documentation improved from a baseline of 78.5% to 88.7%, as demonstrated by audits conducted 3 months postintervention. Pre- and postclass surveys also showed significant improvements in nurses' confidence and competence in documenting and managing titratable medications. Discussion: This project provides insight into the development of collaborative, data-driven educational interventions that foster accountability, enhance clinical documentation practices, and ultimately improve patient safety and care quality in critical care settings. Future quality improvement efforts may benefit from incorporating simulation-based strategies.
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        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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