DOI: 10.1177/17511437241228587 ISSN: 1751-1437
Improving eye care in an intensive care unit
Mertcan Sevgi, Emma Monachello, Mark Yates, David Lockington, Richard Cowan- Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine
- Critical Care Nursing
In Intensive Care Units (ICUs), patients are at risk of developing ocular complications, especially exposure keratopathy. Plan, Do, Study, Act for PDSA cycle. Despite national guidelines, implementation remains challenging. Using the PDSA cycle, we devised an eye care protocol integrated into the electronic patient record system, complemented by a poster summary of guidelines. An initial audit showed 2% adherence to eye exposure guidelines; post-intervention, adherence rose to 76%. A 9-month analysis revealed 16% of patients experienced eye exposure in ICU. This initiative emphasises the new protocol’s efficacy and the role of education in its adoption, advocating a more standardised approach to eye care in ICUs.