Although there are many developments and improvements in nursing practice, specific issues and barriers still occur, preventing nurses from providing high-quality services to all patients. To address these problems, nurses need to engage in decision-making and enhance the procedures and processes they are responsible for. Noticeably, all decisions should always be based on evidence and prior experience to reduce the risks of medical errors. The purpose of this paper is to explore an example of nursing decision-making from my own practice.
To begin with, a severe concern identified in our clinical setting was a growing rate of pressure ulcers, also known as bed sores. According to Borojeny et al. (2020), a patient can develop these skin lesions if he or she is limited in movements and abilities to change position for an extended period of time. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (n.d.), “each year, more than 2.5 million people in the United States develop pressure ulcers” (para. 1). Patients can experience severe pain or discomfort, and hospitals face increased costs due to prolonged stays. When such an issue was identified, our nursing staff had to make a crucial decision regarding changes in general procedures related to preventing and managing bed sores (Araujo et al., 2020). A choice was made in favor of the SSKIN bundle initiative. To be more precise, it was decided to modify the approach toward the threat, making it more comprehensive and focused.
Specific steps were used in the process of decision-making, including the identification of the issue, analysis of causes and effects, determination of possible solutions and the best option, research, preparation, and application. When a choice was made, and we received the first results and feedback from applying the SSKIN bundle tool, a proper analysis of the consequences was performed to then finally approve the new procedure. All these steps helped ensure that the results were correct and the most advantageous option was selected. As for the research, since evidence-based practice (EBP) is used in our setting, peer-reviewed articles were studied to learn more about the concern and the application of the SSKIN bundle tool. Further, EBP also insists on the importance of prior experience, which is why we referred to other medical facilities that applied the SSKIN bundle to make sure it was effective and had no adverse consequences.
Fortunately, the change was extremely efficient, allowing our facility to reduce the number of pressure ulcer cases. Thus, the primary indicator of the success was the statistics demonstrating enhanced patient satisfaction. Feedback from nurses and clients indicated that the tool’s elements were quite practical and comfortable. According to Santy-Tomlinson and Limbert (2020), the SSKIN bundle is one of the leading initiatives that, if applied correctly, help improve patient outcomes and avoid the development of bed sores. As a consequence, the absence of negative implications and the growing satisfaction rates of clients and nurses prove the efficacy of the change.
To conclude, decision-making plays a significant role in different levels of healthcare, including nursing practice. When a concern is detected, a proper analysis of its causes, effects, and potential solutions, as well as evidence from prior experience and scholarly sources, helps make a beneficial choice. In relation to the example from my nursing practice, I believe it proves how an adequate approach to decision-making can lead to proficient results.
References
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (n.d.). Pressure ulcers. AHRQ. Web.
Araujo, S. M., Sousa, P., & Dutra, I. (2020). Clinical decision support systems for pressure ulcer management: Systematic review. JMIR Medical Informatics, 8(10). Web.
Borojeny, L. A., Albatineh, A. N., Dehkordi, A. H., & Gheshlagh, R. G. (2020). The incidence of pressure ulcers and its associations in different wards of the hospital: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 11, 1-7. Web.
Santy-Tomlinson, J., & Limbert, E. (2020). Using the SSKIN care bundle to prevent pressure ulcers in the intensive care unit. Nursing Standard, 35(10), 77–82. Web.