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Description
QUALITY
Purpose: To develop a tool that will prevent complications related to transporting patients on ECLS thereby improving positive outcomes.
Background: In 2021, a patient on ECLS was transported from the unit to acquire imaging. The usual practice was to obtain an X-ray to confirm cannula placement after a transport. However, the X-ray was not obtained when the patient got back to the unit and unbeknownst to the team, the patient’s cannula had significantly moved despite visualization of intact sutures. The change in cannula position was not discovered until the morning X-ray that was taken several hours later. When the X-ray plate was taken out from under the patient, the cannula became dislodged.
Methodology: It was determined that a tool was needed to ensure that all safety steps during and after an ECLS transport are completed. A transport checklist was created that consists of three parts: 1. Safety checklist prior to departure for transport; 2. Designated responsibilities/roles of staff; 3. Checklist upon arrival that includes an X-ray confirming cannula and ETT placement. The checklist requires the ECMO attending to sign off on it that the above were completed.
Results: Since the institution of the ECLS Transport Checklist, there have been 52 off unit transports of ECLS patients with no complications or injuries related to ECLS transport.
Conclusion: The ECLS Transport Checklist has improved closed loop communication and has effectively prevented the omission of integral safety measures when transporting an ECLS patient.
Publication Date
9-27-2024
Keywords
Internal Transport, Radiology
Disciplines
Pediatric Nursing
Recommended Citation
Hatton, Laura; Raman, Lakshmi; Taylor, Donna; and Ramos, Margarita, "Development of ECLS Transport Checklist" (2024). 2024. 8.
https://scholarlycollection.childrens.com/nursing-anf2024/8
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
