Answer 3 for NRS 445 Analyze the role nurses play in improving health care quality and safety through the use of evidence-based practice (EBP)
Nurses play a very importantl role in advancing healthcare quality and safety through evidence-based practice. By integrating research findings into clinical practice, advocating for patient-centered care, and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams, nurses contribute to continuous improvement and innovation in healthcare delivery. Successful implementation of EBP projects in the workplace requires thoughtful consideration of internal stakeholder perspectives, effective communication, and proactive engagement to ensure sustainable improvements in patient care outcomes and safety. In a healthcare setting, such as the hospital where I work, implementing EBP involves several key steps and considerations like identifying a relevant EBP project, engaging stakeholders and gaining their support, in hopes of improving patient care and outcomes. One EBP project that can be implemented is reducing nosocomial infection/infection transmission by decreasing exposure between surgical patients and contact precaution patients. By monitoring the outcomes of EBP initiatives, collecting data, and assessing the impact of evidence-based interventions on patient care outcomes and safety metrics, we can provide evidence to out stakeholders and our interdisciplinary team that by taking extra preventative measures, such as avoiding caring for both simultaneously and keeping good hand hygiene when caring for patients with contact precautions and surgical patients. Evidence based practice encourages nurses to continually evaluate their practice as and stay up to date with new evidence that will improve our quality of care.
References
Seidelman, J. L., Mantyh, C. R., & Anderson, D. J. (2023). Surgical site infection prevention: a review. Jama, 329(3), 244-252. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2800424
Lepelletier, D., Maillard, J. Y., Pozzetto, B., & Simon, A. (2020). Povidone iodine: properties, mechanisms of action, and role in infection control and Staphylococcus aureus decolonization. Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy, 64(9), 10-1128. https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/aac.00682-20
