Developing the Clinical Issue and Research Questions Using PICOT
Care quality and safety are essential nursing practice components that influence the nurse’s role and the interventions these professionals select to resolve potentially catastrophic outcomes in healthcare settings. Nurses utilize critical thinking skills to analyze health problems and develop and implement interventions that promise positive outcomes. These professionals demonstrate commitment to nursing care with a focus on improving patient care outcomes. Unfortunately, even with maximum caution, devastating events still happen in healthcare settings. Unplanned scenarios hinder care delivery and subject patients to unwarranted suffering. In other cases, nurses might select interventions that do not satisfy patients' needs. For instance, patients with conditions that limit mobility might be bedridden for prolonged periods, thus developing pressure injuries (Ness et al., 2018). This paper uses a picot format to scrutinize and propose a solution to the issue of pressure injuries in hospitals. Buy this excellently written paper or order a fresh one from ace-myhomework.com
Background
Pressure injuries, also referred to as bedsores, are wounds on the skin attributable to friction, intense pressure, and moisture. These injuries increase health care costs and the burden of care by prolonging hospital stays. They occur when a person is bedridden for a prolonged period and fail to change position frequently. Pressure ulcers mostly occur in older patients with conditions that affect mobility. Jaul et al. (2018) noted that these individuals might also present with incontinence, decreased sensory perception, dehydration, and cardiovascular disorders that increase the risk of pressure injuries.
Statistics reveal that hospital-acquired pressure injuries are a huge problem than people believe. Jaul et al. (2018), for instance, noted that over 6.2% of hospitalized older patients develop pressure injuries. The percentage of older adults who experience pressure injuries is higher in nursing institutions than in other health settings (Citty et al., 2019). Ness et al. (2018) estimated that more than 10% of residents in nursing institutions suffer from immobilizing conditions that elevate their risk of pressure injuries. Health professionals categorize pressure ulcers among critical health problems since they increase suffering, cause morbidity and might lead to the death of many older persons.
Significance to nursing practice
Preventing pressure ulcers in older patients is an invaluable nursing practice since it reduces unnecessary suffering, improves care quality and safety, and prevents prolonged hospital stays (Citty et al., 2019). Implementing pressure injuries prevention measures improves functional recovery and reduces the burden of care. These interventions also improve nurses' and patient satisfaction with care besides lowering the financial burden of patient care. Importantly, preventing injuries improves the hospital’s reputation among community members.
Picot question 1
P (population) = Hospitalized patients above 65 years old
I (intervention) = Using fluidized mattresses
C (comparison) = Using normal mattress
O (outcome) = Preventing pressure injury
T (time) = hospital stay
In hospitalized patients above 65 years old, can they use fluidized mattresses compared to normal mattresses to prevent pressure injuries during the hospital stay?
Picot question 2
P = Hospitalized older adults above 65 years old
I = three hourly repositioning
C = 6 hourly repositioning
O = reducing pressure injury incidences
T = hospitalization period
In hospitalized older adults above 65 years old, is three hourly patients turning and repositioning as compared to 6 hourly turnings and repositioning more effective in reducing pressure injury incidences during hospitalization?
Picot 3
P = Hospitalized older adults above 60 years old
I = Using moisturizing products
C = No moisturizing products
O = Preventing pressure injury
T = hospital stay
In hospitalized older adults above 60 years old, do moisturizing skin products compared to no moisturizing products help reduce pressure ulcers during the hospitalization period?
Conclusion
Pressure injuries are catastrophic events that complicate nursing and patient care outcomes. The injuries mostly affect hospitalized individuals with conditions that affect mobility and self-care abilities. Pressure injuries increase patient suffering, prolong hospital stay, and increase patient care costs. Preventing pressure injuries positively impacts patient care and improves satisfaction and quality of life. These interventions also reduce the care burden on nurses and families.
References
Jaul, E., Barron, J., Rosenzweig, J. P., & Menczel, J. (2018). An overview of co-morbidities and the development of pressure ulcers among older adults. BMC geriatrics, 18(1), 1-11. https://dx.doi.org/10.1186%2Fs12877-018-0997-7
Citty, S. W., Cowan, L. J., Wingfield, Z., & Stechmiller, J. (2019). Optimizing nutrition care for pressure injuries in hospitalized patients. Advances in Wound Care, 8(7), 309-322. https://doi.org/10.1089/wound.2018.0925
Ness, S. J., Hickling, D. F., Bell, J. J., & Collins, P. F. (2018). The pressures of obesity: the relationship between obesity, malnutrition and pressure injuries in hospital inpatients. Clinical Nutrition, 37(5), 1569-1574. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2017.08.014