Abstract
Introduction
Lack of access to sensory aids like glasses or hearing aids, can lead elderly patients to experience disorientation, difficulties engaging with healthcare professionals, negatively impacting recovery and both patients and their next of kin’s hospital experience. These challenges, combined with a lack of staff awareness of sensory needs of patients on a busy geriatrics ward highlight the need for focused interventions.
Methods
This quality improvement project utilised the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) methodology over a 12-week period. Documentation of sensory impairments and aids was assessed through bedside sheets, staff handover sheets, and interviews with staff daily. Each PDSA cycle had intervention followed by data collection and compared to baseline. PDSA cycle 1: Staff verbal reminders. PDSA cycle 2: Reminder posters displayed PDSA cycle 3: Symbols representing sensory impairments introduced on staff handover sheets. Pre and post-intervention surveys assessed staff awareness and usefulness of intervention.
Results
The ward had an average occupancy of 22 patients a day. Approximately 53% of patients had sensory aids. Baseline data revealed significant gaps in documentation: no handover sheets noted sensory impairments or aids, and only 54% of bedside sheets were accurate.
The three PDSA cycles yielded improvement in documentation and staff awareness with each subsequent cycle. By the end of third cycle, bedside sheet documentation rose by 30% compared to baseline and staff awareness improved by 17%.
Post-intervention surveys 100% staff found the addition of symbols to handover sheets useful with improved quality of patient interaction.
Conclusion
After three PDSA cycles, the implementation of posters and symbols significantly improved documentation of sensory impairments, staff awareness and confidence in engaging with patients with sensory impairments.
Future directions include exploring patient perspectives through anonymous surveys and evaluating the accessibility of aids. By prioritising sensory needs, hospitals can reduce deconditioning, enhance patient autonomy. and provide a more inclusive care experience.
Comments
Hello,
Thank you for your…
Hello,
Thank you for your poster. Were there existing policies or systems in place for documenting sensory needs prior to your intervention?
Prior Systems and Policies.
Thank you for your comment. Prior to intervention, each patient had bedside handover sheets which had space to document if they had any visual aids or hearing aids with them. Secondly, on physical handover sheets, there was a section where butterflies symbols were used to represent Dementia / Delirium. Therefore this space was utilised to include sensory aids symbols. However, there were no policies or guidelines in place. Currently working towards creating guidelines which encourages documentation of sensory impairments and sensory aids as part of comprehensive geriatrics assessment.
Staff training
I wonder what the breakdown of staff was and what tools re availiable to adddress the deficits when identified?
Great work!
Really interesting topic, and aligned with new guidance (in final development) by the British Society of Audiology: https://www.thebsa.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Practice-Guidance-Deaf-Awareness-for-BSA-Public-Consultation-April-2025.docx.pdf.
Have you any plans to share the PDSA approach with other settings/trusts?