Introduction
Individuals with poor mobility are at high risk of having pressure ulcers (PUs) that are defined as “localized injury to the skin and/or underlying tissue, usually over a bony prominence, as a result of pressure alone or in combination with shear” (Lyder, & Ayello, 2008). My proposal focuses on the evidence-based practice (EBP) research project that examines different approaches to measure pressure ulcer risk and comparison of their effectiveness. A qualitative study will be conducted to gather some authoritative information related to the topic, obtain background information and support the findings. A quantitative quasi-experimental study will focus on risk measurement and comparison of the effectiveness of the Braden scale, the Waterlow scale, and clinical judgment in the prediction of PU. The EBP project will take place in 3 intensive care units and will last for 7 weeks. The data will be obtained twice: during weeks 2-3 and 4-5. Nurses will refer to the provided risk assessment tools and share received data with the researcher who will analyze this information and generate findings. As a result, the best way to measure the risk of PU will be identified so that the quality of healthcare will improve and patients’ condition will become better, as they will not experience mental issues, suffer from malnutrition, hospital-acquired injuries, and pain related to them.
Main body
Due to this course and the work I maintained while developing a proposal for my EBP project, I received an opportunity to learn a lot of information about the very procedure of nursing research. I realized that it is critical to focus on the clinical significance of the study because while paying attention to the way both nurses and patients can benefit from my findings I also got some insights on the kind of information that should be obtained during the research. In addition to that, I enhanced my knowledge of data analysis tools, such as the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and Conover test. Previously, I was aware only of their general purpose. Finally, this course improved my organizing and time management skills. Working on each part of the proposal for the EBP project, I noticed that now I can predetermine the time needed to cope with a particular task and develop a plan of what should be done step by step, which streamlines my work.
Initially, it was rather challenging for me to generate specific EBP questions that would not be based on an extended subject or focused on the topic that has been already discussed by various professionals in the sphere. What is more, it was not easy to choose the most appropriate literature sources among those that describe issues related to the topic of interest. A lot of problems were faced when dealing with data analysis. A wide range of different tools for data analysis is available, and it is not easy to find out which of them will give an opportunity to fulfill the objectives of the research.
Conclusion
Still, I believe that those things I learned from this course can be rather advantageous for my future. For example, as a student, I will be able to maintain a fast search for information. As a professional, I will know how to identify existing problems in nursing services and what should be done to cope with them. As a scientist, I will know how to conduct a research study and obtain IRB approval.
Reference
Lyder, C., H., & Ayello, E. (2008). Pressure Ulcers: A Patient Safety Issue. In Hughes, R., G. (Ed.), Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Web.