The Challenge of Continuity of Care: Evolution of a Nursing Care Model in NICU

Abstract

The aim of the study is to improve the continuity of nursing care for NICU patients and families by development and implementation of a nursing care delivery model that demonstrates a decrease in the Continuity of Care Index (CCI*) by 25% within 6months. Twenty-four nurse volunteers joined the “Continuity of Care Taskforce” and committed to working in a designated pilot area for 6months or more to test the evolving model of care. Improvement in continuity of care was measured by number of nurses per infant then calculating the Consistency of Care Index (CCI) per infant during defined lengths of stay. The mean for non-pilot pods of randomly selected patients was significantly greater than the mean number of nurses per patient in the pilot pod (P=.015). The percent change in CCI mean of pre-data to post-pilot data revealed a linear decrease in nurses to patients with LOS of 45days or less.