Summarize the nursing leadership role you chose, a clinical or practice issue the leadership role needs to address, the evidence-based practice the leader uses to address the issue, how they incorporate informatics/technology in the solution, and how the leader would evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented EBP.
Nursing Leadership Role: Nurse Manager
Clinical or Practice Issue: Inconsistent Physical Monitoring
The Nurse Manager plays a crucial role in ensuring high-quality patient care and safety. A significant practice issue identified is the inconsistency in physical monitoring of patients. This issue can lead to missed early signs of patient deterioration, impacting patient outcomes and overall healthcare quality.
Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) to Address the Issue
To address inconsistent physical monitoring, the Nurse Manager can implement the Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) system. MEWS is an evidence-based tool that helps in the early identification of patients at risk of clinical deterioration by using a scoring system based on vital signs.
Incorporation of Informatics/Technology
The Nurse Manager can incorporate informatics and technology by integrating the MEWS system into the hospital’s electronic health records (EHR). This integration allows for automatic calculation of scores based on vital signs entered into the EHR, generating alerts for nursing staff when scores indicate potential deterioration.
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Implemented EBP
To evaluate the effectiveness of the MEWS system, the Nurse Manager can:
- Monitor Patient Outcomes: Track the rates of adverse events, such as unplanned ICU admissions, cardiac arrests, and mortality, before and after implementing MEWS.
- Staff Compliance and Training: Assess the adherence to the MEWS protocol and the effectiveness of training programs for nursing staff.
- Audit and Feedback: Conduct regular audits of patient records to ensure the accurate and timely documentation of vital signs and MEWS scores, providing feedback to staff.
- Patient Satisfaction: Measure patient satisfaction through surveys to gauge the perceived quality of care and safety.
- Continuous Improvement: Use data analytics to identify areas for further improvement and refine the EBP implementation process based on feedback and outcomes.
This comprehensive approach ensures that the Nurse Manager can effectively address the issue of inconsistent physical monitoring, leveraging evidence-based practice and technology to enhance patient care and safety.