Applying nursing research to nursing practice is a multistep process. In this paper I will provide give research findings to support a change I think would improve nursing practice at the facility where I work. I think using antimicrobial iv caps on iv tubing ports will result in a decrease in bloodstream infections.
The steps in applying nursing research into practice are: assessing, analyzing, developing, and planning. The assessment step requires three activities. They are developing the improvement goal, developing a problem-solving team, and collaborating with the group to set improvement goals (LoBiondo-Wood & Haber, 2014). For the change in practice that I would like to research and change is to start using antimicrobial iv caps on …show more content…
This step includes brainstorming possible interventions, prioritize the interventions, and if possible, test the interventions (LoBiondo-Wood & Haber, 2014). For the goal I have, this step requires all the staff to be educated on the new products. They need to be educated on how to use the products and given information on the effectiveness of the product. The caps need be on for three minutes to be effective. It would be important to explain that if the cap needs to come off prior to three minutes, an alcohol swab should be used to clean the port (Ellison, 2016). At the hospital where I work, this would be done by team leaders, and the management team. Making sure all the products are ordered for the particular tubing and ports that my hospital uses is part of this step as …show more content…
In the planning step reviewing that all staff members have in fact been educated and trained on the new product needs to be done. In the doing step, the new product will be put in practice. In the studying step, recording any unforeseen issues need to be reviewed and problem-solved. Data needs to be collected during this time to monitor for any changes in infection rates. Also making sure the staff is complying with the new product needs to be monitored as well.
Lastly, acting is the final step in this planning stage. Acting on the findings is what this stage involves. This means looking at the research findings to see if there was an increase, decrease, or no change in infection rates. Depending on the results, decides the next steps. I would hope the decrease in infection rate would be found. This would result in maintaining this new practice. If no improvement or an increase in infection was noted, a decision will need to be made as to whether find a new product or choose to decide that this was an unnecessary change in