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Releasing Operating Room Nursing Time to Care through the Reduction of Surgical Case Preparation Time: A Lean Six Sigma Pilot Study

Author

Listed:
  • Patricia Egan

    (Beacon Hospital Beacon Court, Bracken Rd, Sandyford Business Park, Sandyford, Dublin 18, D18 AK68 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Anthony Pierce

    (Beacon Hospital Beacon Court, Bracken Rd, Sandyford Business Park, Sandyford, Dublin 18, D18 AK68 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Audrey Flynn

    (Beacon Hospital Beacon Court, Bracken Rd, Sandyford Business Park, Sandyford, Dublin 18, D18 AK68 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Sean Paul Teeling

    (UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Education & Innovation in Health Systems, School of Nursing, Midwifery & Health Systems UCD Health Sciences Centre, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Marie Ward

    (Centre for Innovative Human Systems, School of Psychology, Trinity College, The University of Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Martin McNamara

    (UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Education & Innovation in Health Systems, School of Nursing, Midwifery & Health Systems UCD Health Sciences Centre, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland)

Abstract

Healthcare systems internationally are working under increasing demand to use finite resources with greater efficiency. The drive for efficiency utilises process improvement methodologies such as Lean Six Sigma. This study outlines a pilot Lean Six Sigma intervention designed to release nursing time to care within a peri-operative environment; this was achieved by collaborating with stakeholders to redesign the process for laparoscopic hernia surgical case preparation (set up) material. Across 128 laparoscopic hernia surgical cases, the pilot resulted in a 55% decrease in overall nursing time spent in gathering and preparing materials for laparoscopic hernia surgical cases, with a corresponding reduction in packaging waste. The major impact of releasing nursing time to care within busy Operating Room environments enabled nurses to focus on continuing to deliver high-quality care to their patients and reduce pressure expressed by the Operating Room nurses. The results have led to an ongoing review of other surgical procedures preparation to further release nursing time and will be of interest to perioperative teams internationally.

Suggested Citation

  • Patricia Egan & Anthony Pierce & Audrey Flynn & Sean Paul Teeling & Marie Ward & Martin McNamara, 2021. "Releasing Operating Room Nursing Time to Care through the Reduction of Surgical Case Preparation Time: A Lean Six Sigma Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-15, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:22:p:12098-:d:681790
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lisa O’Mahony & Kerrie McCarthy & Josephine O’Donoghue & Seán Paul Teeling & Marie Ward & Martin McNamara, 2021. "Using Lean Six Sigma to Redesign the Supply Chain to the Operating Room Department of a Private Hospital to Reduce Associated Costs and Release Nursing Time to Care," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-14, October.
    2. Andrew Castle & Rachel Harvey, 2009. "Lean information management: the use of observational data in health care," International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 58(3), pages 280-299, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ailish Daly & Sean Paul Teeling & Suzanne Garvey & Marie Ward & Martin McNamara, 2022. "Using a Combined Lean and Person-Centred Approach to Support the Resumption of Routine Hospital Activity following the First Wave of COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-20, February.
    2. Sinead Moffatt & Catherine Garry & Hannah McCann & Sean Paul Teeling & Marie Ward & Martin McNamara, 2022. "The Use of Lean Six Sigma Methodology in the Reduction of Patient Length of Stay Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Surgery," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-18, January.
    3. Marie E. Ward & Ailish Daly & Martin McNamara & Suzanne Garvey & Sean Paul Teeling, 2022. "A Case Study of a Whole System Approach to Improvement in an Acute Hospital Setting," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-22, January.
    4. Seán Paul Teeling & Jan Dewing & Deborah Baldie, 2022. "Developing New Methods for Person-Centred Approaches to Adjudicate Context–Mechanism–Outcome Configurations in Realist Evaluation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-17, February.
    5. Martin McNamara & Marie Ward & Seán Paul Teeling, 2023. "Making a Sustainable Difference to People, Processes and Systems: Whole-Systems Approaches to Process Improvement in Health Systems," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-5, March.

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