Graduation Semester and Year
Spring 2026
Language
English
Document Type
DNP Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Department
Nursing
First Advisor
Michelle Hampton
Abstract
Postoperative pulmonary complications and inconsistent implementation of preventive nursing interventions remain significant challenges on acute care surgical units. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to reduce postoperative respiratory failure, hospital readmissions, and length of stay while improving nursing compliance with evidence-based interventions. A nursing care bundle, RISE—Respiratory therapy (structured, nurse-guided incentive spirometry), Incentivize movement (early ambulation), Sit up (head-of-bed elevation ≥30 degrees), and Eliminate germs (twice-daily oral care)—was implemented on an acute care surgical ward in South Texas. Nursing compliance with the preventative measures and patient outcomes were compared between pre- and post-implementation cohorts. Following implementation, nursing compliance with bundle elements increased, and a reduction in length of stay was observed. These findings support the use of bundled, nurse-driven interventions to promote consistent postoperative care and suggest potential applicability in other acute care settings.
Keywords
Postoperative respiratory failure; incentive spirometry, ambulation; head of bed elevation; oral care; length of stay.
Disciplines
Perioperative, Operating Room and Surgical Nursing
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Coronado, Kristine G., "Nursing Bundle to Improve Quality Metrics for Postoperative Patients" (2026). Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects-Archive. 122.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/nursing_dnpprojects/122