Assignment: Standardized Procedure Pediatrics

Assignment: Standardized Procedure Pediatrics
Assignment: Standardized Procedure Pediatrics
Standardized Procedure for Nurse Practitioners: General Policy
I Purpose
A. To establish a standardized procedure, in compliance with the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) and the 11 components of the BRN’s guidelines for Nurse Practitioners (NPs) to perform specified functions without the immediate supervision of a Physician.
II Development and Review
A. All standardized procedures are developed through the collaborative efforts of the members of the organization’s established interdisciplinary committee (IDC). The IDC will consist of physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses and administrative representatives of the organization.
B. All standardized procedures will be approved through the IDC made readily available and contain signed and dated approval sheets of all professionals covered by the procedures.
C. All standardized procedures will be reviewed every 3 years or more often as necessary by the IDC.
D. All NPs and their supervising physicians will signify agreement to the standardized procedures upon hire, annually and with changes as needed as evidenced by a signed and dated approval sheet.
E. Signature on the statement of approval and agreement implies the following: Approval of all procedures in the document, intent to abide by the procedures and willingness to maintain a collegial and collaborative relationship with all parties. The signed statement of approval and agreement form will serve as the record of those NPs who have been authorized to perform the procedures. The signature page will be kept on file and readily available together with Standardized Procedures.
III Scope and Setting
A NPs may manage those functions outlined in the standardized procedures, within their trained area of specialty and consistent with their experience and credentialing. Such functions include assessment, management and treatment of acute and chronic illness, contraception, health promotion and overall evaluation of health status. Additional functions include the ordering of diagnostic procedures, physical, occupational, speech therapies, diet and referral to specialty care as needed.
B NPs are authorized to practice standardized procedures in the organization’s Outpatient Clinics.
IV Education and Training/Qualifications
A NPs must have the following
1 Current California registered nurse (RN) license
2 Certification by the State of California, BRN as an NP
3 Board certification from the American Nurses Credentialing Center
4 NP furnishing number
5 DEA registration number
6 Current Health Care Provider Card from the American Heart Association
7 Credentialed by the organization’s medical staff
B In addition to the required education and training all NPs will be required to complete competency validation upon hire and annually. The supervising physician is charged with observing the NP and documenting competency validation. The competency validation checklist is managed, maintained and made available by the Office of Medical Staff as a component of the privilege process. Checklist will be reviewed and updated annually by the IDC.
V Supervision and Evaluation
A NP is authorized to implement the approved standardized procedures without the direct or immediate observation or supervision of a physician unless otherwise specified within a particular procedure.
B Supervising physicians will conduct a weekly case review of a minimum of 10% of each NPs cases for the week. The review will be documented within the electronic medical record and must be completed within 30 days of the visit selected for review. Cases will be selected randomly unless a request for review is received by a medical professional.
C No single physician will supervise more than 4 NPs at any one time.
VI Consultations
A Physician consultation is to be obtained as specified in individual procedures or when deemed appropriate.
VII Patient Records
A NPs will be responsible for the documentation of a complete electronic medical record for each patient contact/encounter in accordance with existing clinic and medical staff policies.
Protocol:
Croup initial visit in the outpatient clinic setting
I Rationale
To assist Nurse Practitioners in the outpatient clinic setting in the differentiation between
croup and other upper airway conditions and to establish guidelines for the management of croup in this setting.
II Definition
Swelling and erythema of the upper airway resulting in narrowing of these airways, usually as a result of viral infection and in some instances bacterial. Most cases are usually mild and self-limiting however, children can be seriously ill or at risk for rapid progression of disease leading to further narrowing of the airways and respiratory compromise.
III Epidemiology
A Typically occurs in children between the ages of 6 months to 6 years, with a peak
incidence between 6 and 36 months.
B Most often occurs in the fall and is usually but not limited to parainfluenza type 1 viral infection.
C Cases occurring in winter are usually but not limited to influenza A and B viruses
D Risk factors include familiar history, parental smoking and male gender.
IV History
A Symptoms of upper respiratory infection for several days.
B Rhinorrhea
C Cough
D Low grade fever
E Symptoms occurring most often at night
F Sore throat
G Stridor
H Intermittent barking, seal like cough
V Physical Exam
A Barking seal like cough, stridor
B Tachypnea
C Use of accessory muscles for respiration
D Tachycardia
E Wheezing
F Low grade fever however, can be elevated to 104F
G Visualization of mouth and epiglottis normal
VI Diagnostic tests
A Diagnosis typically made based on clinical presentation
B Plain imaging of soft tissue of the neck may display classic pattern of subglottic narrowing (steeple sign) on posteroanterior view.
C Pulse oximetry
D Laboratory tests are not necessary for the diagnosis of croup however, may be used to assist with differential diagnosis.