Innovation in specialised anaesthetic nursing practice

The Six Sigma business model (Welch, 1986) is utilised creatively in this article. It was chosen by lecturers to steer graduate nurses to think in a business mind-set framework. The objective being students would create a business case for innovation in a specialist area of anaesthesia. Lecturers supported students to identify aspects of practice and recommend their business projects. Proposals were both creative and original; two were put forward for development in the student's healthcare trusts. Firstly, a pilot business plan for anaesthetic outreach in an acute rural hospital. Where the anaesthetic nurse specialist (ANS) is required to provide skilled assistance in the provision of out of theatre intubations where risk and mortality rates are high for patients for example accident and emergency. Improving patient outcomes and optimum survival with the best care possible when they are at their most vulnerable. Secondly, a project proposing purchase of specially designed Oxford HELP pillows to assist in...