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Bayada
Technology Award: Education Innovation Award Recipient
Ruth McCaffrey, DNP, ARNP-BC , Ann Baiada, RN, CRRN, Director Bayada Nurses Home Care Specialist, Jaclyn A. Kirchhoff, MSN, RN, Clinical Support Specialist Bayada Nurses, Dean Donnelly
Ruth McCaffrey, DNP, ARNP-BC has developed an innovative, computerized risk assessment tool to determine the risk of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary emboli in patients upon admission and during hospitalization. Ongoing patient assessment data is entered by the nurse; the VRAT identifies and quantifies significant risk factors, assigns weights based upon evidence from the literature and compiles a final risk level score which guides nursing care and medical intervention. Another benefit of the VRAT is that it provides nurses with the opportunity to use their expertise in a way that promotes positive physician/nurse communication and collaboration in patient assessment and VTE prevention. This tool is being widely used in the US, UK and Europe. Preliminary data indicates that the use of the tool significantly reduces hospital acquired veno-thrombotic events (VTEs) and subsequent readmission for VTEs. These results indicate that this novel tool will have far reaching impact upon patient care by significantly improving outcomes.
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