Date of Award

Spring 2018

Project Type

Clinical Doctorate

College or School

CHHS

Department

Nursing

Program or Major

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Degree Name

Other

First Advisor

Joanne Samuels

Abstract

Background: Each year over 300,000 older adults are hospitalized for hip fracture. The impact of the cost of hip fracture on the US health care system is estimated to be as high as $9 billion, with the typical cost of a hip fracture episode around $30,000. Formalized pathways have been developed and successfully utilized for many patient presentations, including hip fracture, in the acute setting. Although this research is important to the comprehensive care of the elderly hip fracture patient, very little research exists that outlines evidence-based best-practice for patients in the post-acute recovery period.

Purpose: The primary aim of this project was to develop an evidence-based, comprehensive, coordinated, and interprofessional care pathway for hip fracture patients in the acute rehabilitation setting to improve the percentage of patients discharging to community settings by 20% from current baseline by the end of the pilot period.

Methods: The design of this project was an observational cohort study. Descriptive statistics will be used to compare intervention groups to controls, including frequencies and distributions.

Results: The hip fracture tool itself had inconclusive results, the impacts of the effects on team work and enhanced coordination of the care team was realized through reducing institutionalized days for hip fracture patients in acute rehabilitation.

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