Research Topic for the Proposal
The problem of pressure ulcers in patients with limited mobility is still a current issue in modern nursing practice, despite significant progress in the field of care. The lack of attention to this challenge is fraught with the aggravation of the situation, therefore, the appropriate methods of control and treatment should be offered and implemented. As a potentially effective study in this area, a specific nursing intervention may have some benefit. In particular, emergency departments can use a special pressure ulcer protocol for those who cannot move by themselves. The time of using this practice is day three of hospitalization. The comparative analysis of the data may allow drawing competent conclusions regarding the effectiveness of the technique used for patients with normal care and those who have been treated with the help of the protocol.
Each patient has an individual predisposition to the appearance of pressure ulcers. Ham, Schoonhoven, Schuurmans, and Leenen (2017) use the abbreviation PU as the given term and argue that “the tissue response on mechanical load (pressure) varies for each individual and multiple risk factors appear to play a role in PU development” (p. 13). Consequently, the protocol under consideration is to affect different age groups and take into account the nature of the health problems of those who are in the emergency department. Due to the fact that the involvement of nursing staff in this issue is mandatory and essential, it is necessary to consider the methods of control that can be applied by medical institutions’ senior management. Employees’ education is a significant part of the protocol provisions (Swafford, Culpepper, & Dunn, 2016). Also, the nature of care is to be considered in order to find the optimal mechanism of assistance and to prevent the development of pressure ulcers in patients. If the whole process is described in detail, there will be no questions concerning how exactly the corresponding protocol can be implemented.
The research method can be mixed. It means that the survey of patients and their relatives may be conducted to draw up a comprehensive picture of their views on the protocol, and the statistical analysis of the data based on their responses can be compiled. The information collected may be used as an effective means to implement the intervention with the help of a justified basis. At the same time, work in emergency departments to address the potential risk of developing pressure ulcers should be the responsibility of the nursing staff who are directly responsible for risk patients (Bååth, Engström, Gunningberg, & Athlin, 2016). If the provisions of the protocol governing the order of assistance are to be considered as the primary aid mechanism, it is likely that the intervention will be productive and successful, and the practice can be disseminated.
Research Questions for the Proposal
A comprehensive and valuable study can be conducted if the answers to all the necessary questions are received. A number of key topics should be addressed with a view to maximizing the disclosure of the themes. As the research questions, the following ones can be used:
- What does a pressure ulcer protocol imply, and what provisions should be considered?
- What are control measures to be taken by the management of clinics?
- What improvements are observed in comparison with the usual practice of nursing care in the emergency department?
- What are the results of the survey of the target group as a percentage?
- Can the practice of using the protocol be applied in other medical facilities?
References
Bååth, C., Engström, M., Gunningberg, L., & Athlin, Å. M. (2016). Prevention of heel pressure ulcers among older patients – From ambulance care to hospital discharge: A multi-centre randomized controlled trial. Applied Nursing Research, 30, 170-175. Web.
Ham, H. W., Schoonhoven, L. L., Schuurmans, M. M. J., & Leenen, L. L. P. (2017). Pressure ulcer development in trauma patients with suspected spinal injury; the influence of risk factors present in the Emergency Department. International Emergency Nursing, 30, 13-19. Web.
Swafford, K., Culpepper, R., & Dunn, C. (2016). Use of a comprehensive program to reduce the incidence of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers in an intensive care unit. American Journal of Critical Care, 25(2), 152-155. Web.