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A lack of consistent policy direction, revealed by a review of nursing and midwifery documentation, presented researchers with an opportunity to engage clinicians in the process of evidence based policy development. By utilising the framework informed by both practice development and the principles of evidence based practice, clinicians were taken through an education program and a series of activities to develop their skills in discerning how research evidence and other literature can inform policy development. The clinicians' involvement maximised their investment in the final policy. Clinicians synthesised all the evidence associated with nursing and midwifery documentation and produced a set of seven guiding principles that formed the basis of an area wide policy for nursing and midwifery documentation. The strength of this approach to policy development was that the clinician's experience ensured that the concerns of the clinicians were included in the policy. Difficulties in completing tasks outside meeting times were highlighted.

Background While advances in healthcare mean people are living longer, increasing frailty is a potential consequence of this. The relationship between frailty among older surgical patients and hospital acquired adverse events has not been extensively explored. We sought to describe the relationship between increasing frailty among older surgical patients and the risk of hospital acquired adverse events. Methods We included consecutive surgical admissions among patients aged 70 years or more across the SWSLHD between January 2010 and December 2020. This study used routinely collected ICD‐10‐AM data, obtained from the government maintained Admitted Patient Data Collection. The relationships between cumulative frailty deficit items and risk of hospital acquired adverse events were assessed using Poisson regression modelling. This study followed the RECORD/STROBE guidelines. Results During the study period, 44,721 (57% women) older adults were admitted, and 41% (25,306) were planned surgical admissions. The risk of all adverse events increased with increasing number of frailty deficit items, the highest deficit items group (4–12 deficit items) compared with the lowest deficit items group (0 or 1 deficit item): falls adjusted rate ratio (adj RR) = 15.3, (95% confidence interval (CI) 12.1, 19.42); pressure injury adj RR = 21.3 (95% CI 12.53, 36.16); delirium adj RR = 40.9 (95% CI 31.21, 53.55); pneumonia adj RR = 16.5 (95% CI 12.74, 21.27); thromboembolism adj RR = 17.3 (95% CI 4.4, 11.92); and hospital mortality adj RR = 6.2 (95% CI 5.18, 7.37). Conclusion The increase in number of cumulative frailty deficit items among older surgical patients was associated with a higher risk of adverse hospital events. The link offers an opportunity to clinical nursing professionals in the surgical setting, to develop and implement targeted models of care and ensure the best outcomes for frail older adults and their families.

The baseline audit revealed gaps between current practice and best practice. Through the implementation of a targeted education program and resource package, outcomes improved in the follow up audit. The findings indicated that engagement from multidisciplinary team members and consumers was effective in developing tailored education that improved knowledge of best practice. This was demonstrated by an increase in the percentage of compliance across the 10 criteria, although leaving room for more improvement. A policy has been developed for implementation and future audits are planned to measure whether improved practices have been sustained.