To evaluate the implementation of systematic safety checklists in the Neurointensive Care Unit (NICU) at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center (BSLMC).

When managing critically ill brain-injured patients, a daily systematic and organized approach is essential. Structured and systematized checklists have shown to prevent complications and to improve patient care.

This was a quality improvement project that followed a Plan-Do-Study-Act methodology. A checklist including medication reconciliation, thromboembolic prophylaxis, glycemic control, daily breathing trial, diet, catheter/lines duration monitoring and antibiotics de-escalation; was implemented during daily patient rounds. Main outcomes assessed included rate of new infections, mortality and NICU length-of-stay (LOS). Intervened subjects were compared to historical controls after propensity score and Euclidean distance matching to balance baseline covariates.

Our intervention resulted in a reduced NICU-LOS, rate of new infections and rate of UTIs compared to propensity score and Euclidean distance matched historical controls. The implementation of daily rounding safety checklists in the NICU proved to be feasible, easy to implement and a helpful tool to improve adherence to practice guidelines and quality of care measurements.