Date of Award

Spring 1992

Degree Type

Master's Essay - Restricted

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Nursing

Abstract

Case management is a model of patient care delivery which is used to maintain a balance between quality and cost. A critical pathway is a tool used in a nursing case management system that documents a timeline of all key incidents and interventions that need to occur for a specific patient diagnosis. The purpose of this essay is to develop a critical pathway for the infant with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) on ribavirin therapy. RSV is the major cause of· bronchiolitis and pneumonia in infants under 1 year of age. Aerosolized ribavirin is the recommended treatment for infants with severe RSV infections. This essay will provide a review of the literature on case management delivery systems, describing in detail the system currently in use at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin (CHW), which is based on the New England Medical Center Hospital's (NEMCH) model of nursing case management. Additionally, the process used in the development of critical pathways will be delineated. Finally, a critical pathway for the infant with RSV on ribavirin therapy will be designed.

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