Reference no: EM133845135

Question

Review the Sherpath Case Study: Outcomes Research (below). Discuss your takeaways from this case study. How will this case study guide your implementation of EBP?

The risk management committee at your facility has reported that despite the implementation of a new fall-prevention protocol, the rate of patient falls has not decreased over the last 6 months. The committee recommends convening an interdisciplinary team to evaluate the existing protocol, review the situations surrounding each event, and submit a recommendation back to the committee in 45 days.

Question 1

Which of Donabedian's quality indicators is a measurement of patient falls? Patient falls are an outcome indicator as outcome indicators are the end result of care.

Question 2

Who, according to Donabedian, are the subjects of interest? Persons admitted as patients in the facility.

Question 3

Who are potential members of the interdisciplinary team? Potential members of an interdisciplinary team should include disciplines across the facility, such as representatives of management, nursing staff, physical therapy, occupational therapy, radiology, pharmacy, social services, and medical staff.

Question 4

Look at the Fourteen Forces of Magnetism on the American Nurses Credentialing Center's website. How do Forces 6 (Quality of Care) and 13 (Interdisciplinary Relationships) relate to the outcome of reducing patient falls? The description of Force 6 states quality care is the driving force for nursing and the organization. Nurses in leadership positions are responsible for providing an environment that positively influences patient outcomes. In this instance, nurses are accountable for providing an environment that maintains patient safety, leading to a decrease in fall incidence and fewer fall-related injuries. The description of Force 13 states that collaborative working relationships within and among the disciplines is valued and based on the premise that all disciplines make essential and meaningful contributions to patient outcomes. In an outcome study of a fall risk reduction protocol, the end result of patients' care, a reduction in falls and fall-related injuries, would only be successful if all disciplines contribute. Positive patient outcomes result when an interdisciplinary team works together to identify patient risks and implement appropriate action plans.

Question 5

Identify professional organizations that have outcome measures and practice guidelines the interdisciplinary team can use as a resource. How might they use those resources? The NQF portfolio includes consensus standards referencing fall prevention, with performance measures and preferred practices. Several organizations have practice guidelines, including the Cochrane Collaboration, the National Guideline Clearinghouse, and the American Geriatric Association. The interdisciplinary team would use information from each resource as they evaluate their performance, examine their existing protocol, analyze and interpret outcomes data from incidents, and make decisions about any potential protocol revisions.