Shane Hammock

Date of Award

2001

Degree Name

Nursing

College

College of Health Professions

Type of Degree

M.S.N.

Document Type

Thesis

First Advisor

Linda Scott

Second Advisor

Lou Ann Hartley

Third Advisor

Lynne Welch

Fourth Advisor

Leonard J. Deutsch

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between IV antibiotic administration and the length of stay for patients with community-acquired pneumonia. Research demonstrates that pneumonia is a large economic burden to acute care facilities across the United States. An ex post facto design was used to examine the difference in lengths of stay (LOS) for two groups of patients diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia in the Appalachian region. The first group received IV antibiotic therapy at or within 8 hours of arrival to the hospital. The second group received IV antibiotic therapy after 8 hours of arrival to the hospital. All subjects in this study were at least 18 years old and admitted to the hospital for one or more days during the fiscal year 2000. Patients who were discharged within 14 days prior to admission were excluded from the study. Data were collected from 60 medical records randomly selected from 349 patients admitted for one or more days with pneumonia during the same year. An adapted version of the Medicare Quality Indicator System: Pneumonia Module was used to audit the medical records. All subjects in this study received appropriate IV antibiotics according to the Infectious Disease Society of America’s guidelines. The mean LOS for each group was examined using an independent t-test. The retrospective ex post facto analysis revealed that the administration of IV antibiotics within 8 hours of arrival to the hospital does not significantly reduce LOS for this CAP sample (p = .25). Further investigation revealed that the nurses at this facility understand the importance of administering timely IV antibiotic therapy. This evidence is supported in that 77% of the study sample received appropriate IV antibiotic therapy within 8 hours of arrival to the hospital.

Subject(s)

Hospital utilization – Length of stay – Research.

Pneumonia – Patients – Treatment.

Intravenous therapy – Research.

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