Use research to inform best practice in order to improve patient outcomes
The following is a brief introduction to the topic:
The highest standard of care for patients is one of the main tasks of a nurse. It is important to integrate evidence-based practices (EBP) in our clinical models to reach this goal. Iowa Model for Evidence-Based Practice (Iowa Model for EBP) is a systematized approach to EBP that can be utilized as guiding principles. This paper will outline the concept map/schematic necessary to implement a change in clinical practice that I’d like to see. My focus will be on reducing the number of patient falls within the hospital environment.
Step 1: Formulate a Clinical Issue
In hospital settings, the problem I’d like to tackle is the incidence of falls. Falls pose a major problem to both patients and hospitals. Physical injuries, mental trauma, or prolonged hospital stays can be caused by falls. This clinical problem has the following PICO statement:
The hospital population
Intervention: Implementation a protocol for fall prevention
Compare the number of falls that occurred before and following the implementation of a fall prevention protocol
Results: Reduce the number of accidents involving falls
Time: Six months
Step 2: Determining Organizational Commitment
To implement the fall prevention protocol, it is essential to have the commitment of the hospital’s administration and staff. To support the implementation, the hospital management must commit to providing resources such as education, staffing and equipment. Nursing staff should be dedicated to providing patients with the best care possible and implementing fall prevention protocols.
Step 3: Form a team to gather and appraise evidence
To ensure the successful implementation of the protocol, it is essential to create a team that will collect and evaluate evidence. This team must include nurses, doctors, occupational and physical therapists. The team must work in concert to collect evidence regarding fall prevention and then evaluate the information.
Step 4: Decide if the evidence is reasonable to make a clinical change
The team should determine if there is sufficient evidence to justify the implementation of a fall prevention protocol. The team must review literature regarding fall prevention to identify the best practices. The team should also review the hospital’s current fall prevention practices and assess their effectiveness.
Step 5 – Implement a test change to determine the feasibility
A pilot program should be conducted to determine the viability of the protocol before it is implemented hospital wide. It is important to implement the pilot change on a limited scale. The results should then be assessed. According to the results, it is necessary to modify the pilot.
Evaluation of the change/plan
It is important to evaluate the protocol for fall prevention on a regular basis. Nurses should report all falls. The team must review and modify the fall prevention protocols periodically.
Step 7: Distribute the Results
It is important to share the results of this protocol with the staff at the hospital, the patients, and the other providers of healthcare. Results should be shared at conferences and meetings, in medical journals and with other hospitals.
The conclusion of the article is:
Iowa Model for Evidence-Based Practice offers a systematic way to implement clinical changes based on evidence from research. Following the seven steps in the model will help healthcare professionals ensure the changes that they implement are effective, patient-focused and evidence-based. Implementing the fall-prevention protocol in hospitals will decrease the number of hospital falls and improve the patient’s outcomes.
References:
- Oliver, D., Healey, F., & Haines, T. P. (2010). Prevention of falls and injuries related to them in hospital. Clinics in geriatric medicine, 26(4), 645-
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