Improving visual assessment documentation in patients with periorbital trauma through an eye assessment teaching session and a proforma sticker

Abstract

Up to 30% of patients who have periorbital trauma will have ocular injury with devastating consequences if missed. All staff working with acutely injured Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) patients should be competent in a basic eye examination with documentation of visual acuity, gross visual fields, eye movements, diplopia, and pupillary responses at a minimum. As a standard we adapted guidance published by the Emergency Care Institute New South Wales to assess the documentation of the eye examination in OMFS patients at King's College Hospital with any periorbital injury. After initial assessment we presented the data in the departmental audit meeting, then gave a detailed teaching session to junior doctors and introduced an ‘eye exam’ proforma sticker designed to act as an aide memoir. At baseline, 38 eye assessments across all clinical environments and by all seniority of clinician were assessed at random. Of these, 41% of these had visual acuity documented, 5% visual fields, 47% pupils, and 83% movements. After presentation of data, reaudit showed progress to 81%, 0%, 94%, and 100% respectively. Following the teaching session reaudit showed final progression to 83%, 46%, 83%, and 100%. Teaching sessions and use of an eye sticker proforma has been shown to improve rates of documentation of the eye exam for those OMFS patients presenting with periorbital injuries.