The rationale for Selecting the Article
I selected the article glycemic control in cardiac surgery: implementing evidence-based insulin infusion protocol. The article was authored by Joelle Hargraves. My passion for the care of critically ill patients prompted the selection of the article. Nurses that work in the critical care units experience many challenges when taking care of critically ill patients. Therefore, the reason for selecting the article was to determine knowledge of the blood sugar control among the nurses attached to critical care wards for cardiac surgery patients. In addition, the article provided critical information on the safety and effectiveness of glycemic control, which is very important for nurses aspiring to work in critical care.
Locating the Article
I found the article in the PubMed database. I logged into the PubMed home page using the link pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. In the search site, I entered my search words ‘evidence-based care’ and searched. I customized the search for text availability to free full text. In the species category, I customized it into humans. Further, in the journal category, I refined the database to nursing journals. The refinement of the search allowed me to access nursing articles only. I skimmed over the articles and I settled on the article on glycemic control for cardiac surgery patients.
Sections of the Research article
The sections contained in the article included background, methods, results, and discussion. The background covered the significance of the problem, glycemic control in cardiac surgery, and surgical care improvements. The methods section had the following sub-sections: setting of the study, the data collection methods, analysis, and general guidelines for conducting the research. The other sections which I read included limitations and conclusions.
The section that Contained Unfamiliar Information
The sections provided explicit information on the study topic. However, the data analysis section contained information that was not very familiar.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study was two-fold. First, the study aimed at setting evidence-based IIP that is characterized by moderate glycemic control. Therefore, the research revised the outdated IIP. Secondly, the study examined the nurses’ knowledge of glycemic control in cardiac surgery patients. The examination was carried out before and after the education about the management of blood sugar in the patients.
Nature of the Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study was to describe and control. According to Hargraves (2014), earlier studies pointed to a deficit in glycemic management. The deficit was found to be common among advanced practice nurses, physicians, and registered nurses. To address the deficit, the study aimed at educating nurses about glycemic control in patients that have undergone cardiac surgery. Therefore, the study described the various parameters for glycemic control. The study also had a control purpose. The control aspect targeted moderate glycemic management. This involved the assessment of the effectiveness of the insulin infusion procedure. The process entailed the integration of the Yale Protocol with the revised IIP. Therefore, the nurses were trained on how to maintain blood glucose at levels of 120 to 160 mg/dL as per Yale Protocol and requirements for the care of cardiac surgery patients. The study aimed at increasing the knowledge of glycemic control among the nurses. Therefore, it improved the nurses’ ability to control blood sugar in order to avoid acute hyperglycemia and reduce the incidences of hypoglycemia in cardiac surgery patients.
Reference
Hargraves, J. D. (2014). Glycemic control in cardiac surgery: implementing an evidence-based insulin infusion protocol. American Journal of Critical Care, 23 (3), 250-259.