Pressure ulcers prevalence is usually associated with the poor management of the skin for hospitalized questions. The poor management and monitoring of the skin can be associated with poor policy frameworks within the healthcare institution such that the nurses are not actually familiar with the safety procedures or they could also be ignorant over the same (Mwebaza, Katende, Groves & Nankumbi, 2014). Experienced nurses however, tend to have the experience, skill and expertise to detect the emerging cases of pressure ulcers as well as the prevention mechanisms that they can utilize to prevent manifestation and progress. Skin care remains one of the major clinical issues that new nurses need to be mentored and trained on a regular basis including continued learning mechanism during clinical work (Mwebaza, Katende, Groves & Nankumbi, 2014). During the practicum, the following set of ten open-ended and ten closed ended questions would help explore the issues around the continued prevalence, manifestation of pressure ulcers as well as management of the skin as a safety and quality care issue within the care settings.
Open-ended questions
Do you think the use of protocols is a sure way that would help in the management of the skin and prevention of pressure ulcers? And if so, how?
Considering the physical manifestation of pressure ulcers, do you agree that the presence of wound care nurses is essential in skin management?
What is the role of risk assessment tools in the management of pressure ulcers?
Describe a current risk assessment tool and explain whether in their current state these tools are useful in their present state?
Why do you think the ‘regular turning’ of the patient is a primary strategy for prevention of pressure ulcers?
Why do you think patient education has significant influence in the management of pressure ulcers?
Do you think that healthcare facilities have generally failed to prioritize skin care?
Do you think there are special apparatus, equipment or resources necessary that would aid skin management for hospitalized patients?
Do you think the nurses in the medical and surgical units should involve physiotherapists and physicians in the management of pressure ulcers or skin care? And why or why not?
How would you describe the role of regular fresher courses and training for nurses in the medical and surgical units where pressure ulcers tend to be dominant?
Closed ended questions
Nurses need the support of the management and administration, especially from a budgetary perspective if they are to effectively manage or prevent pressure ulcers. Rate this statement as true or false.
Are you contented with the current pressure ulcers protocols?
Would you, in your position advocate for the regular training of nurses of nurses on skin management?
Would you say an annual pressure ulcers risk assessment is appropriate within all settings?
Pressure ulcers care bundles should be tailored to each care setting. Is this true or false?
Bedside-reporting is the primary strategy to minimize the occurrence of pressure ulcers in hospitalized patients? True or False?
The classification of pressure ulcers as an HAI has significantly helped in the reducing the frequency of occurrence of the same. Do you agree with this statement?
Do you agree that inter-professional collaboration cannot be compromised in the management of pressure ulcers?
Do you think the patient’s functional status has an impact on the increased or decreased risk for pressure ulcers?
Generalized patient education is not important for patients in hospitalized settings; training on effective coping mechanisms is more important. Do you agree with this perception?
The role of utilizing open-ended and close-ended in needs assessment
Apparently, the integration of both open-ended and closed-ended questions in the research interview served to increase the quality of the responses. The open-ended questions seek to inquire for explanations and in this case they seek to gain the position of the care professional against the popular truth (Seidman, 2013). The purpose is to add to the currently available knowledge on skin care and pressure ulcers. The respondent is the course of knowledge owing to their experience within the care settings and the information they offer helps develop an association between the available theoretical knowledge and issues within a practical setting. The closed-ended questions on the other hand are more concerned about short responses (Seidman, 2013). The idea here is to help rate the available knowledge against the experience of a care professional within practical care settings. The ultimate position of the closed-ended questions is to rate truths as well as the level of agreement of disagreement (Seidman, 2013). The closed-ended questions are the platform on which the position of the final report of the interview will be based. These two types of questions are complementary as opposed to acting in isolation (Seidman, 2013).
References
Mwebaza, I., Katende, G., Groves, S., & Nankumbi, J. (2014). Nurses’ Knowledge, Practices, and Barriers in Care of Patients with Pressure Ulcers in a Ugandan Teaching Hospital. Nursing research and practice, 2014.
Seidman, I. (2013). Interviewing as qualitative research: A guide for researchers in education and the social sciences. Teachers college press.
