Quality and Cost Analysis of Nurse Staffing, Discharge Preparation, and Postdischarge Utilization

Objectives. To determine the impact of unit-level nurse staffing on quality of discharge teaching, patient perception of discharge readiness, and postdischarge readmission and emergency department (ED) visits, and cost-benefit of adjustments to unit nurse staffing. Data Sources. Patient questionnaires, electronic medical records, and administrative data for 1,892 medical–surgical patients from 16 nursing units within four acute care hospitals between January and July 2008. Design. Nested panel data with hospital and unit-level fixed effects and patient and unit-level control variables. Data Collection/Extraction. Registered nurse (RN) staffing was recorded monthly in hours-per-patient-day. Patient questionnaires were completed before discharge. Thirty-day readmission and ED use with reimbursement data were obtained by cross-hospital electronic searches. Principal Findings. Higher RN nonovertime staffing decreased odds of readmission (OR=0.56); higher RN overtime staffing increased odds of ED visit (OR=1.70). RN nonovertime staffing reduced ED visits indirectly, via a sequential path through discharge teaching quality and discharge readiness. Cost analysis projected total savings from 1 SD increase in RN nonovertime staffing and decrease in RN overtime of U.S.$11.64 million and U.S.$544,000 annually for the 16 study units. Conclusions. Postdischarge utilization costs could potentially be reduced by investment in nursing care hours to better prepare patients before hospital discharge

Stage Center Theatre Newsletter- May 2011

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Stage Center Theatre Newsletter- Feb. 2011

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Stage Center Theatre Newsletter- Apr. 2011

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Peer tutoring in a fourth grade inclusion classroom

The purpose of this study was to discover what happens in a fourth grade inclusion classroom when peer tutoring is implemented. Peer tutoring was implemented as a test review strategy for five tests. Observations were recorded based on off task behavior, on task behavior, questions asked during the reviews, and students that finished in the allotted time. These results were compared to previous observations that were taken during typical test reviews. During the peer tutoring reviews, an average of 36.4 instances of on task behavior were observed, compared to an average of 23 instances during the typical test reviews. There was an average of 8.2 instances of off task behavior observed during the peer tutoring reviews, compared to an average of 19 instances during the typical reviews. During the peer tutoring reviews, an average of 9.8 questions were asked. During the typical reviews, an average of 13.5 questions were asked. In the typical test reviews, an average of 15.5 out of 18 students finished on time. During the peer tutoring reviews, 14.6 out of 18 students finished on time. Based on this data, it was concluded that peer tutoring is an effective reading strategy. Implications of these results and the use of peer tutoring are discussed

Stage Center Theatre Newsletter- Jan. 2011

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Stage Center Theatre Newsletter- Mar. 2011

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Stage Center Theatre Newsletter- Oct. 2011

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Stage Center Theatre Newsletter - Nov. 2011

https://neiudc.neiu.edu/stagecenter/1038/thumbnail.jp