Image

Glucose Management Protocol Development: A Successful Collaborative Effort

Objective

This multidisciplinary clinical improvement initiative compares patient outcomes before and after implementation of nurse-driven standardized intravenous insulin protocol in the ICU, supported by a dose calculator software application (EndoTool).

Setting

VA health system with 238 beds across two academic medical centers.

Results
  • Average blood glucose decreased from 137 to 127 mg/dL with EndoTool.
  • Average blood glucose 4 hours after insulin initiation decreased from 182 to 126 mg/dL with EndoTool.
  • Average peak blood glucose decreased from 255 to 219 mg/dL with EndoTool.
Conclusions

A nurse-driven standardized intravenous insulin protocol, supported by a dose calculator software application (EndoTool), improves glucose control and helps achieve tight glucose control in the ICU.

Authors

Melinda Davis, RN, MSN, CCRN, CNL.

Source

Presented at American Association of Critical Care Nurses National Teaching Institute Conference. Published in Critical Care Nurse, Volume 28, Issue 2, pe31.

Year

2008