Pressure Ulcer Prevention - Essay Example

? Nursing Research Paper Introduction According to a recent study, pressure ulcers have with time became a threat tothe health of the societal population. To be more specific; the pressure ulcers among patients with impaired mobility. Pressure ulcers among patients with impaired mobility is an ongoing challenge in the health care sector. Various conducted studious have indicated that, pressure ulcers is mostly common among the long stay patients in health care facilities. It has also been established that, patients who are unable to reposition themselves independently are at a higher risk of the severe effects of the pressure ulcers. According to Aust (2011, p264), about 34% of the people on wheelchairs suffer from sitting discomfort; while more than half of wheelchair users have sitting interface pressure. Collins (2004, p53) argues that, pressure ulcers impose high risks of death, loss of function and poor quality of patient’s life. Treatment of the ulcers increases the health care cost of the patient. Pressure ulcers mainly occur as a result of damaged soft tissues. Scientifically, the tissues are mainly damaged due to unrelieved pressure built over a long time. Pressure ulcers could also be caused by the localized disruption of the skin integrity which results due to piled pressure on the underlying tissues. According to Borbasi and Jackson (2008, p16) pressure ulcers are preventable. Based on studies conducted by Bours (2002, p16); use of support surfaces, maintaining nutritional status, moisturizing, and timely repositioning is extremely essential in the prevention of this killer disease. In a scenario where one has the pressure ulcers, then the effective and efficient role of the nursing staff is of immense importance. This study paper seeks to determine the significance of the nursing staff knowledge and education in the preventing and taking care of the pressure ulcers among patients with impaired mobility. The study will also try to explore on the existing appropriate treatment and nursing care which boost the health of patients with the pressure ulcers. Within the study, the research will clearly analyses how the nursing staff education can alleviate the disease especially among the skinny immune-compromised, immobile and unconscious patients. Objectives and hypothesis of the study It is clear that pressure ulcers are a serious problem among the immobile patients. In most of the patients, their impaired mobility is as a result of trauma, unconsciousness, spinal cord or brain injuries. Owing to the impaired mobility; the patients develop pressure ulcers since they have limited or almost no activity. Prevention of the disease is a key issue of concern. Therefore, there is the importance of educating the nursing staff on how to care for patients with impaired mobility as a way of preventing the disease. This would consequently, result to a low percentage of the occurrence and development of the pressure ulcers among the immobile patients in the health care facilities (Brienza et al, 2010, p26). Prevention is better than cure; therefore, the nursing staff ought to make prevention of the pressure ulcers their goal especially in the clinical setting where the patients are more prone to the disease. The objective of this research study is finding out the level of education and evidence based knowledge of the staff and how this determines the prevalence and occurrence of the pressure ulcers. The research also looks into possible ways of reducing the occurrence of the disease among patients with impaired mobility. The research study will be guided by the following research questions; 1) Is the nursing staff equipped with skills, knowledge and education to help curb pressure ulcers? 2) What is the probability of a patient with impaired mobility prone to the pressure ulcers? 3) What are some of the possible ways of preventing the pressure ulcers among the immobile patients? 4) How often are the patients repositioned in the health care centres? 5) What is the average age of the most affected patients with impaired mobility by the pressure ulcers? Research Design This research study will utilize quantitative research design. The quantitative research design aims at determining the relationship between an independent variable (nursing staff education) and dependent variable (pressure ulcer prevention) in a population. Quantitative research is a systematic process of gathering and analysing data for various purposes that include investigating cause, testing relationship and providing information to describe, explore and explain (Collins 2004, p75). The quantitative research method will be used in this research study. It will help determine how the staff education exposure determines the extent of prevention and handling pressure ulcer incidence among immobile and impaired mobility individuals. Quantitative research design is the best method research method that can be used in collecting numerical data from the field. This method makes it allows developing and employing mathematical models and theories. It provides a fundamental relationship between the mathematical expressions and the empirical observation (Brienza et al, 2010, p26). This will help in getting the percentage of patients with impaired mobility that suffer from the pressure ulcers will in the health care facilities. Quantitative research method is used as the research design that involves the use of structured interviews, closed questions on questionnaires, and observations without intervening the subjects (Lead 2008, p13). The aim of using this approach is to justify that each interview is offered with same questions in the same order. This will guarantee that answers can be collected reliably, and comparisons can be made with confidence. However, this research method is vulnerable to statistical errors as this research study method conducts short, rigid interviews and is not a flexible method (Bours 2002, p46). Population and sampling plan. This research study mainly targets the stakeholders in the health care sector. The study also involves the patients with impaired mobility in the health centres. This population can easily be accessed through an official request to the administration. With help from management, the nursing staff and the immobile patients can easily be mobilised. In recruiting people to participate in the research study, age experience and open minded aspects will be vital. This can be accessed through the files of both patients and the nurses. Open minded people can easily be figured out through a quick interaction even before subjecting the interviewees to the questionnaires and interviews (Brienza et al, 2010, p26). Alternatively, probability and nonprobability sampling could be used. Probability sampling is a scenario where in every segment of the population stands a chance of being picked in the sample. These segments include the management officials, nurses and patients with the impaired mobility in the health care facilities. This means that, all the stakeholders in the health care sector will be involved in the collection of data. Nonprobability sampling, which has more limitations, creates a scenario where some of the units in the population stand a zero chance of being included in the collection the data. This sampling method locks out some of the key stakeholders in the health care sector. To avoid biasness; cluster sampling could be more effective. Cluster sampling is effective since it involves random selection of respondents in a group. This means that, in a cluster of the top official, a few can be randomly picked to participate in the research study. Cluster sampling increases the variability of the sample. Data analysis Data analysis helps in examining and drawing valid relationships, treads or pattern from a raw data. Data analysis is carried out for the purpose of discovering the underlying meaning, patterns and relationships of phenomena in a given set of raw data. It helps in drawing informed and better placed conclusion from a set of given data. After data collection, it should be organized for easy analysis. At this stage, data cleaning will be done. This is an indispensable procedure that enables inspecting and correcting erroneous data before leaving the field of research. Only the necessary and meaningful data are entered into the final data sheets for analysis. If there is a need for more information in filling the final data sheets; the interviewers can easily go back to the interviewees. This acts as a check method that all the necessary information is captured. In the analysis of the data, graphical and visual inspecting will be used. Quantitative analysis and qualitative analysis will be used in the data analysis. Quantitative analysis will be used in analysing the numerical data collected from the field (Lead 2008, p13). Measure of central tendency will be used in describing the how data cluster together around the central point. Measure of central tendency includes; simple counting, calculation of the mean, median and the mode will also be used in determining the average of patients with impaired mobility who get the pressure ulcers in the health care centres. Standard deviation, variation ratio and range; will also be used in the quantitative analysis. In scenarios where the data obtained from participation is not expressed in numerical form, qualitative analysis will be used in the analysing the data. Qualitative analyses include interpretation of observations, case studies and interviews (Lead 2008, p64). Interpreting observations call for a partial and unbiased mind. Drawing of mathematical models and graphs will also be used in the interpretation of the information. Study limitations. Carrying out this study research may have limitations. For instance, data collected by interviews are not always honest. Most of the people participating tend to give the socially desirable answers rather than the true answers. Most of the times, it is hard to draw a clear line between the truth and the insincere answers from the respondents. The top official management may also give out only what they think will build their reputation; while concealing that which may destroy the reputation of the health care facility. Lead (2008, p52) argues that a probing interview will help dig out the truth. According to Hughes (2008, p163) this research method is vulnerable to statistical errors as this research study method conducts short, rigid interviews and is not a flexible method. However, this research design is the most suitable method as compared to the other available designs as far as this research is concerned. Ethical consideration Ethics is simply the rules within which a legitimate research study should be conducted. They clearly draw a line between the wrong and the right code of conduct while doing a research study. Ethics helps the one in deciding on the best methods, procedures and perspectives of conducting a research. Hughes argues (2008, p3182) that, study conducted within the purview of the ethical norms in a research ensures that the aims of carrying the study are achieved. This aims include getting the correct information, avoidance of errors, covering all the intended areas within a stipulated time, remaining focused on the timetable, low expenses, just to mention but a few. Ethical conducts that may arise in the research study include time wasting, misuse of the privileged information, plagiarism and use of published work without proper acknowledging the others. Having had in mind the importance of conducting the study within the ethical norms of the research, this study adheres fully to the ethics. To ensure that the study remains in the purview of ethical conduct, Gantt charts can be used to ensure that the study covers all the intended filed extensively and within the stipulated time. Proper incitation will be used in presenting the research study where borrowed work is used. Also, the personal information obtained from the files of nurses in their knowledge will not be treated with full confidentiality. According to Lead (2008, p52), research studies that adhere to the ethical norms encourage the people participating to open up and disclose all the relevant information needed. Respondents feel me free in giving the answer to the question asked in the questionnaires or during the interviews. References Aust, MP 2011, Pressure ulcer prevention. American Journal of Critical Care, 20(5), 376. Bours, GJ, Halfens, JG., ABU-Saad, HH, &Grol, RP 2002, Prevalence, prevention, and treatment of pressure ulcers: descriptive study in 89 institutions in The Netherlands.Journal of Advanced Nursing, 60(1), 21-26. DOI: 10.1002/nur.10025 Borbasi, S., Jackson, D., & Langford, RW 2008, Navigating the maze of nursing research (2ed.). Chatswood, NSW: Elsevier Australia. Brienza, D., Sheryl, K., Patricia, K., Ana, A., Marian, O., Mark, S., Margo, H 2010, A randomized clinical trial on preventing pressure ulcers with wheelchair seat cushions.Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 58(12), 2308-14. Collins, F 2004, Product Focus: Russka Pressure-relieving low air loss mattress system. British Journal of Nursing, 13(6), 52-54. Dealey, C., Posnett, J. & Walker, A 2012, The cost of pressure ulcers in the united kingdom. Journal of Wound Care, 21(6), 261-264. Hughes, RG 2008, Patient safety and quality: An evidence based handbook of nurses. US: AHRQ. Leod, SM 2008,Qualitative Quantitative.Simply Psychology. Retrieved September 9, 2012, from http://www.simplypsychology.org/qualitative-quantitative.html Read More