The incidences of pressure ulcers within healthcare settings remain an issue of concern even as the policies and regulations continually describe and design measures to help minimize and prevent the occurrence of pressure ulcers. Pressure ulcers are described as major indicators of quality acre within healthcare facilities and are categorized as hospital acquired infections which are highly preventable with application of safety measures and adherence to procedures for quality care (Niederhauser et al., 2012). The primary risk factors for the occurrence of pressure ulcers include poor nutrition, advanced age, multiple co-morbidities, immobility as well as poor monitoring for hospitalized patients. The role of the Registered Nurse (RN) in the prevention of pressure ulcers is critical especially due to their experience and skill in the management of patients within acute care settings. However, RNs have over time regarded this role of monitoring hospitalized patients as one that only befits the assistant nurses and beyond their scope.
PICOT Question
RNs have in most cases delegated these roles to the assistant nurses without any frameworks for communication or collaboration and this could explain the increased prevalence of pressure ulcers within care settings (Sving et al., 2012). This paper will seek to explore the need for collaboration and communication between RNs and their assistant nurses in the delegation of roles for monitoring patients in a bid to reduce the cases of pressure ulcers. This will be based on the PICOOT question stated as follows; For hospitalized patients (P), does the designing of frameworks for delegation of work by RNs to assistant nurses (I) as compared to the integration of pressure ulcers prevention training modules for assistant nurses (C) lead to lower incidences of pressure ulcers and the associated mortality and morbidity rates (O) within the period of 6 months after the implementation of intervention (T)? (Stillwell et al., 2010)
In answering this question, the research will determine whether the role of the RN in the prevention of pressure ulcers should be maximized by actually giving them the authority for effective delegation or otherwise.
References
Niederhauser, A., Lukas, C. V., Parker, V., Ayello, E. A., Zulkowski, K., & Berlowitz, D. (2012). Comprehensive programs for preventing pressure ulcers: a review of the literature. Advances in skin & wound care, 25(4), 167-188.
Stillwell, S. B., Fineout-Overholt, E., Melnyk, B. M., & Williamson, K. M. (2010). Evidence-Based Practice, Step by Step: Asking the Clinical Question. AJN, American Journal of Nursing,110(3), 58-61. doi:10.1097/01.naj.0000368959.11129.79
Sving, E., Gunningberg, L., Högman, M., &Mamhidir, A. G. (2012). Registered nurses’ attention to and perceptions of pressure ulcer prevention in hospital settings. Journal of clinical nursing, 21(9‐10), 1293-1303.
