(Murbank, P. n.d.). Consequences of Falls and Trauma The consequences of falling can be emotional and physical. Falls can lead to complications and might increased the length of hospital stay and increase the hospital bill as well. It can lead to other health problems and might also lead to death. Nursing Strategies and Recommendations to Prevent Falls and Trauma There are a lot of things a nurse can do to prevent falls and trauma, after all it is a nurse’s job to help the patient feel and get better.
Nursing Sensitive Indicators and Patient Care An analysis of the following nursing quality indicators should be deliberated: * Nursing hours per day * Unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) hours per day * Pressure ulcer rates * Restraint use * Nursing and UAP education Pressure ulcer rates for the hospital and the unit – Review policy on pressure ulcer prevention education for UAP. Does the hospital need more education on pressure ulcer development and what to look for? An adequate understanding of the Braden scale along with making early communication between the RN and the UAP a priority, improves patient outcomes (Howe, 2008). Could an increase in RN presence prevent further skin breakdown? RNs can provide greater direct assessment of potential wounds.
Critical incidents are snapshots of something that happens to a patient, their family or midwife. It may be something positive, or it could be a situation where someone has suffered in some way (Carelock, 2001). Reflection and analysis of critical incidents is widely regarded as a valuable learning tool for midwives. The practice requires us to explore our actions and feelings and examine evidence-based literature, thus bridging the gap between theory and practice (Bailey 1995). It also affords us the opportunity of changing our way of thinking or practicing, for when we reflect on an incident we can learn valuable lessons from what did and did not work.
In nursing, this may lead to medication administration errors, incomplete nursing care plans, or inaccurate nursing documentation. According to E. Samaha, Lal, Samaha, N., Wyndham (2007, p. 222), “Fatigue results in distorted perceptual skills, reasoning abilities, judgment and decision-making capabilities.” Nurses need to be able to thoroughly assess their patients and be able to determine when there is a negative change in their patient’s status. They also need to be able to act quickly
A. Advance Quality Patient Care Patient quality of care can be advanced throughout the hospital by active participation of staff with the use of nursing-sensitive indicators. It can be accomplished by educating staff of what nursing sensitive indicators are, how they help improve the quality of care, and how they impact nursing care. For example, pressure ulcer incidence is one of the indicators, and it involves the amount of ulcers that develop during patient hospital stay (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, n.d.). The staff should know that it is an indicator and needs to be reported to the appropriate personnel so that it can be tracked.
This in turn will affect the way in which care is provided, so staff need to be informed and updated on any changes or new methods which come into play. Improving knowledge and practice ensures that study skills are still effective and that nurses are adhering to the NMC Code of Practice (2008), namely “Keep your skills and knowledge up to date”. Adhering to this is part of keeping up registration to practice as a nurse. There can be potential barriers to professional development. These include: • Time: Staff may struggle to find time in their working role to undertake training to improve their knowledge and practice.
An open skin lesion improperly managed can increase the risk of death and decrease the quality of life for nursing home patients (Richardson et al. 2012). Therefore prevention of the development of pressure sores is an essential component of nursing care for elderly patients in nursing homes. Strategies to prevent the development of pressure sores can be practically incorporated into everyday housekeeping, foot care, and nursing care routines in the nursing home. Housekeeping routines for elderly patients in nursing homes should have active protocols that minimize the risk of pressure ulcers (Richardson et al.
Jean Watson is recognized for her theories on human caring and the way nurses give care. Her theories are used to educate nurses on the integration of care and compassion within the discipline and technology of today’s healthcare organizations to better serve patients. Watson believed that human caring is “not just an emotion, concern, attitude, or benevolent desire. Caring is the moral ideal of nursing whereby the end is protection, enhancement, and preservation of human dignity” (George, 2011, p. 29). With this idea in mind, assessment tools are used by the nurse and physician to protect, enhance, and preserve human dignity (George, 2011).
No matter what profession or what role you assume to be safe and effective the work must be intentional. The risk for errors and poor handoff can be greatly reduced when the effectiveness and communication improves within the team. A nurse can take an active and contributing position with an interdisciplinary team by effective two-way communication, valuing the input of the other team members, and the sharing of a common goal. Nurses are responsible for the handoff of patients each shift and are required to notify physicians throughout the shift for new orders and updates on patient conditions. “A critical communication tool that can help during briefing and debriefings is the SBAR tool.
The ANA code of ethics has provisions in place to assist in a decision for this case. Provision 1 protects human dignity, the right to self-determination. Provision 2 protects the patient's interests and facilitates collaboration among health care providers. Provision 3 and 4 provides standards, accountability, responsibility for nursing judgment and action. In the case of malpractice witnessed by a nurse against a fellow nurse and the facility that they worked, the code of ethics also has provisions to protect nurses as well.