Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33712006›Full record

ArticleBMC health services research2021

Opportunities to enhance ward audit: a multi-site qualitative study.

Michael Sykes, Richard Thomson, Niina Kolehmainen, Louise Allan, Tracy Finch

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC health services research, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.6field-weighted citation impact, top 13% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Michael SykesPopulation Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, The Baddiley-Clark Building, Richardson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. Michael.Sykes@ncl.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2039-7397
Richard ThomsonPopulation Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, The Baddiley-Clark Building, Richardson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Niina KolehmainenPopulation Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, The Baddiley-Clark Building, Richardson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Louise AllanSouth Cloisters, University of Exeter, St Luke's Campus, Heavitree Road, Exeter, UK.
Tracy FinchCoach Lane Campus West, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Newcastle University · GBNorthumbria University · GBUniversity of Exeter · GB

Funding

National Institute for Health Research DRF-2016-09-028
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHospitals in many countries are encouraged to develop audits to assess and improve the quality of care. Ward audit is a specific form of audit and feedback that is commonly used but little studied. The aim of this study is to describe the content and application of hospital ward audit in order to identify potential enhancements to such audits.

methodsMultiple qualitative methods were used to study a diversity sample of four English National Health Service organisations over a 16-month period. We undertook semi-structured interviews (n = 32), documentary analysis (n = 44) and 25 h of observations of healthcare workers involved in the design and implementation of ward audit. Data were analysed using framework analysis. Findings were presented iteratively to stakeholders who used them to develop a description of the content and delivery of ward audit.

resultsWard audit consisted of seven stages: impetus; method; preparation of staff; assessing practice; analysis; feedback; and decide on action to improve. Two key stages were the monthly assessment of practice using case note data extraction, and the resulting feedback to clinical staff, ward managers, matrons and directors of nursing. At three organisations, the case note data were extracted by staff and there was evidence that this resulted in misrepresentation of the clinical performance audited. The misrepresentation appeared to be associated with the anticipation of punitive feedback from directors of nursing and matrons, as well as time pressures and a lack clarity about the method of audit data collection. Punitive feedback was reported to occur if no data were collected, if data demonstrated poor performance or if performance did not improve.

conclusionsOrganisations invest considerable clinical resources in ward audit, but such audits may have unintended, potentially negative, consequences due to the impacts from punitive feedback. We discuss potential enhancements to ward audit (e.g. providing feedback recipients with suggested actions for improvement) and discuss implications for theory. There is a need to reduce the use of punitive feedback.

Indexed as

HospitalsState MedicineClinical AuditFeedbackHumansMedical AuditQualitative ResearchAssuranceAudit and feedbackHospitalQualitativeQuality improvement

Identifiers

PMID33712006
PMCPMC7971099
OpenAlexW3134092378

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.