Fluids Management was identified by University Hospital Dorset’s Quality Governance Group as one of 4 Trust priorities to focus on for 2021-22. Analysis included Patient safety and patient outcomes, Learning Event Report Notification (LERNS), Serious incidents, Mortality review, Clinical audit, and Medical examiner reviews. Some of the problems included:
• 8 hourly ‘free fluid’ prescription of 0.9% Sodium Chloride contributing to iatrogenic hypernatremia.
• IV fluid prescription not reviewed in ward rounds, where reviewed lacks clarity
• Two different prescription charts on the two main hospital sites
Our aim was to improve and standardise Intravenous Fluid Therapy for Adult Hospital Inpatients in University Hospitals Dorset. This will benefit the quality of care, and have an unmeasurable but important effect on length of stay and mortality. Our primary objective was to draw up and agree a standard IV fluids chart for UHD.
You can download or read the poster HERE