Often On A Clinical Practice Nursing Committee, We Use Previ

Often On A Clinical Practice Nursing Committee We Use Previously E

Often on a “Clinical Practice Nursing Committee,” we use previously established evidence-based practice guidelines for standards of care. This is a process whereby the generation of data and topics have been well-researched and established. There are also events or practice issues that need to be evaluated/researched in your institution. Answer both questions below: Identify one nursing practice issue in your current or prior health care setting that resulted in research, a collection of data, and resulted in a change in nursing practice. Discuss a current nursing practice issue for which evidence-based practice guidelines need to be developed. Once completed, speculate on the relevance of the evidence-based practice guideline for nursing care and patient outcomes.

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

Evidence-based practice (EBP) plays a crucial role in advancing nursing care, ensuring patient safety, and improving health outcomes. It involves integrating the best available research evidence with clinical expertise and patient preferences. The process of utilizing EBP guidelines helps standardize care, reduce variability, and address emerging challenges in healthcare settings. This paper explores two pertinent issues: one that has led to a change in practice through research and data collection, and another identified as an area where new evidence-based guidelines are needed.

Nursing Practice Issue that Led to Change in Practice

One significant nursing practice issue in my prior healthcare setting was the management of patient fall prevention in a medical-surgical unit. Historically, falls were common incidents, resulting in patient injuries, increased length of stay, and heightened staff concern regarding safety. Recognizing the need to reduce fall rates, a multidisciplinary team initiated a research project that involved data collection on fall incidents, patient characteristics, environmental factors, and staff interventions.

This research revealed that many falls occurred during nighttime hours when patients were less supervised, often due to inadequate environmental adjustments and inconsistent use of fall prevention strategies. Based on these findings, a comprehensive fall prevention program was developed, incorporating evidence-based interventions such as hourly rounding, environmental modifications (e.g., improved lighting, clutter reduction), and patient education on mobility safety. Staff training was intensified to promote adherence to these interventions.

The implementation of these data-driven strategies led to a significant reduction in fall rates, aligning practice with evidence-based guidelines. The initiative exemplifies how data collection and research can profoundly influence nursing practice by identifying gaps and developing targeted interventions, ultimately enhancing patient safety.

Current Nursing Practice Issue Requiring EBP Guidelines

An emerging challenge in contemporary nursing practice is the management of delirium in hospitalized older adults, particularly in intensive care and surgical units. Delirium is associated with increased morbidity, prolonged hospitalization, and higher mortality rates (Inouye et al., 2014). Despite its prevalence, many clinical settings lack standardized, evidence-based guidelines for early identification, prevention, and management of delirium.

Therefore, there is a critical need to develop comprehensive evidence-based practice guidelines for delirium. Such guidelines would include screening protocols for early detection, risk assessment tools, non-pharmacological preventive strategies (e.g., orientation, sleep promotion), and evidence-based treatment options. Implementing these guidelines can facilitate early intervention, reduce complications, and improve patient outcomes.

Developing and adopting these guidelines would also support interdisciplinary collaboration, enhance staff education, and promote consistency in care delivery. They provide a framework that aligns clinical practices with the latest research, thus ensuring that patients receive the most effective and safe care possible.

Relevance of Evidence-Based Practice Guidelines for Nursing Care and Patient Outcomes

The relevance of EBP guidelines in nursing cannot be overstated. When properly developed and implemented, they serve as critical tools that inform clinical decision-making and promote best practices. For instance, in the case of fall prevention—drawing from research and data—nursing practices changed to create safer environments and proactive interventions, which directly decreased injury rates and improved overall patient safety.

Similarly, robust guidelines for delirium management would allow nurses to identify at-risk patients early, implement preventive measures, and initiate appropriate treatments swiftly. This proactive approach can reduce the duration and severity of delirium episodes, decrease hospital stays, and improve recovery trajectories (Sampson et al., 2018).

Furthermore, EBP guidelines contribute to enhanced consistency across care providers, reducing variation and potential errors while boosting confidence in clinical interventions. They also serve as educational tools, keeping nursing staff updated with the latest evidence and fostering a culture of continuous learning and quality improvement (Melnyk et al., 2016).

In the context of patient outcomes, the application of evidence-based guidelines supports higher standards of care, patient satisfaction, and safety. For example, effective fall prevention strategies and delirium management protocols have the potential to decrease adverse events, mitigate complications, and improve overall health status, aligning nursing actions with desired clinical outcomes.

Conclusion

The integration of research, data collection, and evidence-based guidelines significantly influences nursing practice and patient safety. The example of fall prevention illustrates how systematic data evaluation can inform practice changes that reduce harm. Simultaneously, identifying gaps like the management of delirium underscores the importance of developing new EBP guidelines aligned with current evidence. Implementing these guidelines ensures that nursing care remains current, effective, and patient-centered, ultimately improving health outcomes and fostering a culture of continuous improvement in healthcare settings.

References

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• Melnyk, B. M., et al. (2016). Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare: A guide to best practice. Wolters Kluwer.
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