NDNQI Analysis and Action Plan: Adams 5, Inpatient Rehab Unit
Savetria Nicole Palmer
Walden University
NURS 2006 Section 13, Topics in Clinical Nursing
September 21, 2014

Quality is a broad term that encompasses various aspects of nursing care (Montolvo, 2007). The National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators [NDNQI] is the only national nursing database that provides quarterly and annual reporting of structure, process, and outcome indicators to evaluate nursing care at the unit level (Montolvo, 2007). Nursing's foundational principles and guidelines identify that as a profession, nursing has a responsibility to measure, evaluate, and improve practice (Montolvo, 2007). The purpose of this paper is to analyze the …show more content…

According to the World Health Organization [WHO] healthcare providers should encourage the labeling containers used for blood and other specimens in the presence of the patient (World Health Organization, 2007). This would suggest labeling specimens at the patient’s bedside or before leaving the room. Nurses should never label specimens before collection as this could lead to serious errors.
Summary
In summary, NDNQI indicators serve as a schoolmaster that holds nursing accountable to practice. An analysis of ‘mislabeled specimens’, found that an inpatient unit had a total of four incidents for FY09. While this does not seem like a great deal of errors, any one error could have detrimental consequences. The plan of action based on best practices is to properly identify the patient, using electronic technology, and labeling specimens at the bedside.

References
Brown, J.E., Smith, N., Sherfy, B.R., (2011). Decreasing mislabeled laboratory specimens using barcode technology and bedside printers. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, (26)1, 13-21. Retrieved from http://sfxhosted.exlibrisgroup.com/waldenu?genre=article&issn=10573631&title=Journal%20of%20Nursing%20Care%20Quality&volume=26&issue=1&date=201101
Dock, B. (2005). Improving the accuracy of specimen labeling. Clinical Laboratory Science, 18(4), 210-2. Retrieved from