What change in practice do you intend to implement?
Progress in genetic studies has raised discussions concerning the necessity of introducing prophylactic mastectomy for preventing breast cancer and reducing the death rates among women from 18 to 40. This age category is under specific focus because these women having a strong family history, but no occasions of breast cancer, should worry more about cancer occurrence. To enlarge on this issue, mutation of BRCA1 and BRCA2 can be strongly associated with breast cancer and, therefore, females with this pathology should pass a specific test (Lostumbo, 2010).
Today’s situation, as well as recent researchers on this issue, justifies the necessity of introducing prophylactic mastectomy to females with a strong family history of breast cancer. For particular reference and justification of this introduction, the studies presented by Lostumbo (2010) have been utilized.
How do you propose to implement the change?
It should be admitted that research is the core trigger in the sphere of nursing because it is used to introduce shifts to practice, health care policy, and education (Krugman, 2009). Therefore, the identified changes should be accurate and evidence-based to ensure the reliability and validity of the research process. One of the effective methods for implementing the shifts in the organization of the journal clubs that could assist nurse professionals in linking their practice to findings and evidence they will receive in the course of studies. In other words, the main scope of implementation lies in creating a favorable climate in a clinical setting for all nurses to feel comfortable while reading journal articles, discussing the strong and weak aspects of identified evidence, and analyzing the collected data.
The basic features of the implementation process will be borrowed from the research conducted by Reavy and Tavernier (2008). Specifically, the proposed model will be premised on greater involvement and centrality of the nursing staff while introducing change to clinical practice (Reavy and Tavernier, 2008).
It should be admitted that the proposed approach should have beneficial outcomes in terms of increased ability to offer cost-effective, safe, and patient-oriented interventions and prophylactic procedures, specifically when it comes to the identified problems. In total, choosing a complex method of providing changes – journal club and great involvement and centrality models – can significantly contribute to facilitating the implementation of the proposed changes.
What are the barriers you should keep in mind implementing the change?
First of all, increased interest in evidence-based practice should harmoniously co-exist with the achievements made by related researchers and conceptual frameworks. Otherwise, a misbalance of theoretical and practical information can provoke inadequacy and inaccuracy of the initiated research (Leasure et al., 2010). Therefore, this may become one of the major barriers to implementing the changes to clinical practice.
Second, the successful introduction of identified shifts is possible with appropriate training programs on enhancing nurses’ skills while comprehending the scope of the research. Lack of information and the absence of necessary instructions and systematic approaches can also create challenging situating and hamper implementation of evidence-based practice (Leasure et al., 2010). Finally, the main scope of all researchers in clinical practice is directed at improving the quality and safety of health care delivery. Failure to achieve the primary goal does not justify the goals of the empirically derived practice.
While taking into consideration the changes that will be implemented in my unit, the introduction of prophylactic mastectomy for females under the age category of 18-40 is fully justified in these terms because it directly relates to the above-identified values of medical services.
References
Krugman, M. (2009). Evidence-based practice. Barriers to successful journal club outcomes. Journal for Nurses in Staff Development, 25(2), 100–101.
Leasure, A., Stirlen, J., & Thompson, C. (2008). Barriers and facilitators to the use of evidence-based best practices. Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing, 27(2), 74–84.
Lostumbo, L. (2010). Prophylactic mastectomy for the prevention of breast cancer. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (11), 1-92.
Reavy, K., & Tavernier, S. (2008). Nurses reclaiming ownership of their practice: Implementation of an evidence-based practice model and process. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 39(4), 166–172.