Topic 1 DQ 1

Please respond with a paragraph to the following post, add citations and references.

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Evidence – based practice has left a positive impact on the profession of nursing outcomes, education and the science of nursing. It has made our way of practicing safer, effective and efficient. The use of evidence base practice has kept the healthcare system up-to-date with the newest technology and best practice methods that has helped improve our patient outcomes. The first study article that I read that impacted patient care was titled: Urine specimen collection: How a multidisciplinary team improved patient outcome using best practices. It provided ways to improve procedures for collecting and testing urine specimens. In this study, researchers observed how the collected method was processed/carried out and the time frame of how long it took the specimen to reach the laboratory once it was collected to the testing. It was determined that these collections and the method that was used was improperly handled and processed. The specimens were also sitting too long at room temperature. Both mistakes influenced the test results, giving false positive, false negative and inconclusive results. Having contaminated, mishandled or improper time frame specimens lead to unreliable test results. Many patients received the wrong diagnosis, received the wrong treatments or had to send a recollection that they didn’t need. This study has helped identify major errors and created solutions to those problems. Now we can have mid-stream clean catch, use straight catheters, receive proper education on the proper way to collect specimens from an indwelling catheter and we have an appropriate time frame for the specimen to sit at room temperature. This study has improved patient outcomes because it has improved the rate of accuracy test results, which prevents misdiagnosed patients. Now patients will receive appropriate treatments which will prevent readmits, sepsis rates and other urinary tract infections.

The second study titled: Effective Pain management and improvements in patient outcomes and satisfaction has shown that effective pain management will improve our patient’s overall health. This study shows that pain affects patients physically and mentally, we must view the whole patient. Pain management has been one of the number one complaints on patient surveys and it continues to grow. Our patients are not satisfied with how their pain levels are treated, some have expressed that their providers don’t believe them when they rate their pain. Unfortunately, this is true, its difficulty to yield accurate results when asking about someone’s level of pain. There is no test that can tell us the exact before and after statistics, we must rely on what our patients tell us. The article tells us that pharmacology still needs improvements when it comes to effective pain management for our patients. This topic will take many years to develop. No every patient has the same level of pain tolerance, each patient requires different treatment methods. This article teaches us that we must treat our patient safely and not the monitors to gain patient satisfaction. Each patient has a different perspective and we must trust what our patients are stating, use our nursing process when they describe their pain levels. The article gave great insight on how to improve patient outcomes, satisfaction, and nursing effectiveness.

Reference:

Dolan, V. J. & Cornish, N. J. (2013). Urine Specimen Collection: How a Multidisciplinary Team Improved Patient Outcomes Using Best Practices. Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates, 249-256.

Glowacki, D. (2015). Effective Pain Management and Improvements in Patients Outcomes and Satisfaction. Association of Critical Care Nurse, 33-42.