DISCUSSION
Decreased variance of clinical practice
For the purpose of this project, staff compliance
with the guideline was based on documentation
in the EMR: if the woman was able
to spontaneously void greater than 250 mL on
2 separate occasions and/or the documentation
of the estimated residual volume using
an ultrasound scan or passing a straight urinary
catheter. Variance of compliance and/or
clinical practice at the project site may be attributed
to differing practices among physicians,
inconsistency of nursing documentation,
and utilization of the bladder scanner
or straight catheter to determine estimated
residual volume(s). The project site employs
more than 150 health care providers, including
physicians, certified nurse midwives, and
nursing staff. The frequent clinical rotations of
graduate medical education and allied health
trainees lead to a greater chance that patient
care may not be administered in full accordance
with respective facility/unit policies
and procedures.
Poor documentation of urinary output leads
to an assumption that nursing care was not in
compliance with clinical recommendations.
Seventy-nine of 182 records reflected 0 to 1
spontaneous void. The guideline specifies that
a woman must spontaneously void 2 times
within 6 hours of vaginal delivery or catheter
removal.
In addition to poor documentation, nursing
staff did not demonstrate consistency regarding
utilization of a bladder scanner versus
straight catheter to estimate residual volume(
s). Budget constraints and equipment
malfunctions limited the availability of ultrasound
equipment. This limitation prompted
a shift to the alternate mode of verifying
estimated residual volume using a straight
catheter. Documentation in several records
acknowledged a woman’s inability to void,
however, did not reflect the estimated residual
volume and mode of assessment.