Analysis of Learning Needs Assessment of Cath Nurses - Essay Example

? Analysis of learning needs assessment of VAMC cath nurses Introduction Richmond VAMC is a hospital, based in America that specializes in medical care for American veterans. Since its establishment in 1946, the medical institution has been available to over 200, 000 veterans coming from wide parts of southern Virginia and northern North Carolina. The medical center has been enhancing the health of the men and women who have proudly defended the nation. The institute's personnel consider it a privilege to serve your health care needs in all the ways they can. In addition to the main facility in Richmond, the institution also offers its services in Fredericksburg, Charlottesville and Emporia community based outpatient clinics. The hospital has a cardiovascular section including the Cardiac Cath Lab, the Electrophysiology lab, Echo lab and Angio Lab. The Cardiac Cath Lab employs registered nurses; however the VA facility employs registered nurses, advanced practice nurses, licensed practical nurses, nursing assistants and nurse anesthetists. This report targets the nurses working in the Richmond VAMC Cardiac cath lab section. As the managing director of the cardiac cath lab of Richmond VAMC, I have observed some additional learning requirements for nurses in this sector. To verify this fact, I assessed a sample of the nurses in the form of questionnaires. This document is an analysis of the results of an assessment conducted to determine the educational needs of the nurses in the cardiac cath lab. The assessment was in the form of a questionnaire conducted on 10 staff members and containing 9 questions (Dept of Veteran Affairs, 2011). Description of a sample of assessed employees Mary A. Allan The above stated person has been working in this cardiac cath lab for five years. She previously worked at Utah Valley Regional Centre in its cardiac cath lab as a nurse for 4 years. She trained as a nurse at the Utah Valley University after where she got employed at the Blossoms Children Care. She currently holds a BSN and possesses adequate training in advanced cardiac life support and reading of EKGs. She is efficient, punctual, exceedingly skillful and addresses the patients adequately. Joan O, Kenney The above stated person has been working at the cardiac cath lab for 1 year. Prior to working here, she was a student at the Richmond Medical Training center for 3 years. She has no prior working experience as a cardiac cath lab nurse. She currently holds a BSN and possesses adequate training in advanced cardiac life support and reading of EKGs. Prior to working here, she was a student at the Richmond Medical Training center for 3 years. Catherine G. Williams The above stated person has worked in the cardiac cath lab for three years. Prior to working here, she was a student at the Richmond Medical Training center for 3 years. She possesses no prior experience as a cardiac cath lab nurse. However, she worked as an intern at the Richmond Clinic. She currently holds a BSN and possesses adequate training in advanced cardiac life support and reading of EKGs (Dept of Veteran Affairs, 2011). Analysis of assessment results Working experience In the questionnaire, questions 1 and 2 dealt with the external and internal work experience the nurses possessed in relation to a cardiac cath lab. About 40% of the workers responded to have working experience in this lab for three years and above. Also, 70% of the nurses responded to having worked in other cath labs for more than three years. We consider a nurse who has worked for three years and more in a cardiac cath lab to be adequately experienced in this field thus, more than 70% of them possess the reputation in this one. This data indicates that about three quarters of the nurses have adequate cath lab experience. Orientation satisfaction This is an analysis of the response by the nurses towards the orientation. Questions 3, 4 and 6 covered issues concerning the orientation. A considerable number (40%) are under-oriented since they received less than four weeks of orientation. An average of 46% of the nurses agrees that the length of their orientation is appropriate for their needs. Also, 40% of the nurses assessed claim that they were able to circulate independently after their orientation. On average, 45% of the nurses are satisfied by their orientation. Preceptor satisfaction Issues concerning the preceptors got covered in questions 5, 7 and 8. 47% of the nurses’ preceptors remained with them during the whole orientation to the circulating role, and provided sufficient guidance to enhance their learning. 50% of the nurses totally agree that their preceptors organized the orientation well and were knowledgeable about the circulating nurse role in the cardiac cath lab. Also, 43% percent recorded that their preceptors completed their skills lists necessary for the circulation. Averagely, 45% of the nurses assessed claim total satisfaction with their preceptors. . Also, the nurses identified the assessment of the patient prior to, during, and after an operation procedure as the second most essential skill to obtain. 30% listed it as a number one priority while the rest categorized it into second place. The highest priority educational need Question number 9 required the nurses to indicate five skills, which they felt are most important to the circulating nurse’s role in the cardiac cath lab. 70% of the nurses identified the skill listed as number 1 in the list as the top priority skill requirement in the lab. This skill is the knowledge of medications common to the lab and ability to administer them appropriately including the conscious sedation protocol. The preceptors, who direct the nurses in the cardiac cath orientation, are also poor in the job. Overall Analysis Overall, more than 50% of the nurses claim disapproval of the orientation program and the preceptors. They also claim inadequacy in the previously stated skills. A considerable number of the nurses (25%) do not possess adequate working experience as cardiac cath lab operators. This is an alarming number in a sector where error is unacceptable. The general orientation needs of the nurses are not sufficiently met and this gives a leeway to the danger of working with an under qualified personnel. This proves my theory that the nurses in the cardiac cath lab require some additional leaning experience to enhance their work in the sector. Lastly, the nurses are illiterate of some essential skills. The highest priority of them all is the knowledge of medications common to the lab and ability to administer them appropriately including the conscious sedation protocol Institutional forces affecting the nurses’ educational needs The VA Hospital wants to educate its nursing staff and does so through experts within the facility such as advanced practice nurses and physicians. In addition, vendors from different companies are brought in for specialized training on the equipment. There are budgetary constraints for travel therefore, teleconferences are available for training. The staff members often feel they are too busy to attend any educational opportunities available during the day. They do not feel units and departments have enough staff to allow any off unit training. Steps to take to ensure delivery of the educational needs In order to abide by the institution’s mission, which is the provision of advanced health care to all, there is need to enhance the efficiency of the working staff. The best way to do so is by enhancing their skills. This report serves as evidence of the cardiac cath lab nurses’ deficit in skills. The following are some suggestions on how to rectify the situation to ensure smooth operation of the sector. The VA Hospital policy makers ought to address the requirement of the educational needs of the cardiac cath nurses now that the issue is out in the light. The personnel involved in the cardiac cath nurse orientation, especially the preceptors, should take their work seriously and stop deserting the new nurses when they need them most. To enhance this, there ought to be an evaluation at the end of every orientation to evaluate the success of the process. The institution should also allocate more capital and time to the training of the nurses in knowledge of medications common to the lab and ability to administer them appropriately, including the conscious sedation protocol (Penner, 2013). References Department of Veteran Affairs. Richmond VA medical Center. U. S. govt. www.richmond.va.gov. 28 Nov, 2011. Penner, S. J. (2013). Economics and financial management for nurses and nurse leaders. Read More