The problem that is being considered in this project is medical errors in care, especially in facilities where the number of patients is excessive compared to the size of the nursing staff that works there. Research shows that the two factors are directly related, as overworked nurses are more prone to making mistakes or ignoring critical matters (Glette et al., 2017). Conversely, restoring the equilibrium, either by hiring more nurses or reducing the patient numbers, it is possible to return the situation to normal and make errors less common (Hughes, 2008).
Hence, the direct solution is highly appealing, as it does not require significant adaptation on the part of the facility (other than spending on the new positions, which should be compensated by the higher patient numbers). The sole challenge is the nursing shortage, which may make it so that filling the positions takes a considerable time.
The PICOT question seeks to confirm and evaluate the relationship between the number of nurses relative to the patients in an intensive care unit and the number of falls and medical errors that take place there. While research is available regarding this link, it is typically limited to specific locations and circumstances and not necessarily applicable to the researcher’s area. Moreover, the appropriate nurse-to-patient ratio may also be different, and it is possible that the local ICU is overstaffed rather than understaffed. If so, reductions in staff numbers would not necessarily lead to increased medical error rates, and the person could be reassigned elsewhere where there are shortages. Overall, the PICOT question applies the scientific findings of the problem to a specific scenario to determine its specific traits and suggest appropriate responses.
References
Glette, M. K., Aase, K., & Wiig, S. (2017). The relationship between understaffing of nurses and patient safety in hospitals – A literature review with thematic analysis. Open Journal of Nursing, 7(12), 1387-1429.
Hughes, R. (Ed.). (2008). Patient safety and quality: An evidence-based handbook for nurses. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.