Authors (including presenting author) :
Wong Ka Po
Affiliation :
Geriatric Medical Unit, Grantham Hospital
Keyword 1: :
Visual Management
Keyword 2: :
Ward Display Boards
Introduction :
Nurses have to spend lots of time providing information to patients and their relatives such as ward service, environment. and routines during each admission procedure. The information may not be comprehensive as nurses are usually busily engaged with other procedures. Adoption of 'visual management" approach in new ward display boards could be significant in enhancing communication to different stakeholders. It could convey clear, comprehensive conciseness and transparency, and enhance service effectiveness by reducing nurse time spent on repeating information in each encounter.
Objectives :
(1) Enhance service effectiveness to service satisfaction. (2) Provide standard, comprehensive and structured information to clients. (3) Enhance communication and gain cooperation with clients.
Methodology :
Key improvements include: (1) Scope of service showing structure of the team and patient journey from admission to discharge, (2) Staff on duty lists clearly showing the nurse-in-charge of each patient, (3) Patients activities list orientating the daily ward routines to familiarise visitors with the workflow which ensures effective care delivery and smooth operation, (4) Educational board introducing knowledge of common geriatric illnesses and related caring tips. (5) Other boards showcasing continuous quality improvement (CQI) programs, awards and thank you cards from relatives. These elements provided comprehensive information to visitors making inquiries more engaging and efficient. A 4-question survey was designed to collect data from patients, visitors and staff on the satisfactory level before and after the implementation of this project.
Result & Outcome :
A pre-project survey was conducted from July to September 2024 with 60 surveys being collected and analysed. 63.3(38/60) respondents found it difficult to locate relevant information, highlighting inadequate accessibility. Only 43.3% respondents (26/60) found the information helpful, suggesting content improvements are needed. Satisfaction with the boards' layout is low, with just 20%(12/60) satisfied and 55% respondents (33/60) expressing neutrality. These findings emphasised the necessity for clearer organisation and a layout redesign to enhance user experience and engagement. The post-project survey results showed remarkable improvements. 85% respondents (51/60) found it easy to search for relevant information, 81.7% respondents (49/60) considered the information provided helpful. Satisfaction with the layout also increased significantly, with 70% respondents(42/60) expressing satisfaction. These outcomes demonstrated the success in making the ward display boards more informative, and visually appealing. Visitors showed greater interest in the posted announcements, leading to improved information sharing.
