Bacterial meningitis: audiological follow‐up – closing the audit cycle

Abstract

Sensorineural hearing loss is a common sequel of bacterial meningitis in childhood and hearing assessment post‐meningitis is therefore essential. An audit performed of practice in a tertiary centre paediatric unit over 24 months in 1994‐1995 showed an 89 per cent referral and 81 per cent attendance rate for audiological assessment following bacterial meningitis. A repeat retrospective audit was performed over 12 months in 1998‐1999 following the introduction of guidelines and measures to improve education of medical staff and communication between professionals. This achieved a 100 per cent referral and attendance rate in a series of 27 children surviving bacterial meningitis in 1998‐1999, demonstrating the success of the process of the complete audit cycle in improving clinical practice.

Citation

McCulloch, R., Martin, K. and Robertson, C. (2003), "Bacterial meningitis: audiological follow‐up – closing the audit cycle", Clinical Governance: An International Journal, Vol. 8 No. 2, pp. 104-107. https://doi.org/10.1108/14777270310471577