Task 1: Nursing Sensitive Indicators

904 Words2 Pages

Organizational Systems and Quality Leadership Task 1
A. Nursing Sensitive Indicators
The Scenario for this paper looks at a patient who is currently in the hospital due to a broken hip. He is a retired Rabbi with mild dementia. There are several issues within the scenario that could be addressed but there are three that are acutely noticeable that can be concentrated on and resolved if there is an awareness of nursing sensitive indicators (NSI). These NSI are pressure ulcer and restraint knowledge and staff education.
Starting with the pressure ulcer concern; it is the knowledge of how to assess the risks and create a plan of care to reduce the risk that is being missed and in fact is exacerbated by the restraints that are in place. It is …show more content…

We are considering the safety of the patient and restraints don’t necessarily indicate safety. In truth restraints, have been shown to be less safe in many circumstances and the knowledge of NSI in this case would lead to a change in patient care. The need for this change is clearly communicated in an article written by Cotter, V. and Evans, L (n.d.) and they state why restrains in patients with dementia need to be avoided by saying “Use of physical restraints in older adults is associated with poor outcomes: functional decline, decreased peripheral circulation, cardiovascular stress, incontinence, muscle atrophy, pressure ulcers, infections, agitation, social isolation, psychiatric morbidity, serious injuries, and death”. This awareness will lead to an outcome change for this …show more content…

Quality Patient Care
Much of the data used in hospitals today is gathered by patient survey, staff survey or research projects that have been undertaken because of specific incidents that have occurred like, an increase in patient falls etc. Patient surveys can reflect the patients’ needs and show what they feel is lacking in the care giving process and staff surveys can illicit knowledge surrounding clinical issues
Hospital data on specific NSI impacts the outcomes of care within the whole institution. Being aware of the data regarding the prevalence of a problem can lead to resolution or at the very least minimizing the risk factors. For example, if the data shows that infection levels with Foley catheter insertion have increased, then that knowledge should lead to new guidelines to decrease this incidence. The data demonstrating this change, if showing a decrease in incidence, is a reflection of the effect that competent nursing care can have on the outcome
Having data leads to an increase in education for staff because the data will show the training needs. Data will also “reflect the quality of care, Sauls, K (2013); showing quality both in nursing but also within the entire health service allowing for direction in determinations for guidelines, procedures and policy

More about Task 1: Nursing Sensitive Indicators

Open Document