Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Dinah Gould.
As an emerging academic profession, nursing suffers from a lack of rigorously tested evidence to support clinical practice. The author proposes that in some areas of nursing, research replication studies might be the best way to build up evidence, on which to base high-quality patient care.
Preventing pressure ulcers is an important nursing goal and over the years a number of risk assessment scales (RASs) have been developed to expedite clinical judgement. The aim of this study was to examine the validity of the three most commonly used RASs compared to nurses' own clinical judgement. Patient simulations were presented to 236 clinical nurses. Nine hundred and forty one assessments were completed and compared to the ratings from a panel of tissue viability experts. Clinical judgement exactly matched expert opinion (69.1%) more often than assessment with any of the RASs. The Waterlow Score matched exactly in 20% of cases, the Braden Scale in 8.5% of cases and the Norton Score in 4.6% of cases. Thus none of these RASs can be considered valid, assuming that the expert panel genuinely reflected the 'gold standard' in terms of the external criterion. The implications for clinical practice are far-reaching considering the extent to which RASs are currently used to reach important clinical decisions relating to the deployment of expensive pressure-relieving aids and nursing time.
AIM: This paper reports the views of students on the teaching and learning strategies used in paediatric intensive care nursing courses. STUDY METHODS: Qualitative methods of data collection and analysis were used. A case study of one paediatric intensive care nursing course was carried out, followed by group interviews with students from a further seven courses. Local ethics committee protocols were followed. Data were analysed using constant comparative analysis. STUDY FINDINGS: Qualified nurses undertaking paediatric intensive care nursing courses seek a specific knowledge base, relevant to their clinical practice. Their preferred way of learning in this situation is teaching by knowledgeable experts who are also prepared to discuss issues that arise. Although in some instances student centred or self-directed approaches were considered acceptable, Students still require clear guidance and structure in their learning. Students did not summarily oppose student centred approaches to teaching and learning, however, time considerations and whether this would reduce the amount of study time provided by their employers were important factors. There was evidence that students do not necessarily have one specific learning preference. LIMITATIONS: This study explored only paediatric intensive care nurse education, and was not intended to be generalizable beyond this field. CONCLUSION: The findings from this study indicate that no single educational approach is universally seen as the most attractive for PICU nurses. The major considerations in designing and implementing PICU nursing courses should be that content is clearly rated to the clinical speciality, theory is clearly linked to practice, and that the time constraints for students who are additionally in full time employment are taken into account.
This article raises awareness of the risks of irritant contact dermatitis among different occupational groups, especially healthcare professionals, and suggests strategies to aid prevention.
This article describes the environmental sources and transmission of Legionella pneumophila, outlines the factors that place certain groups of patients at particular risk, documents a number of outbreaks of legionellosis that have received media attention and explains the most important preventative strategies currently employed in the UK. Implications for the nurse's role, plus individual and public health are addressed.
Endometriosis is a common condition that causes pain and distress to many women. A variety of medical and surgical treatment options exist, and the nursing role is mainly one of information-giving and support.
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Hand decontamination is the most effective, and certainly the most cost-effective, method of preventing health-related infection (HRI). However, research has shown that health professionals, including nurses, do not decontaminate hands as often as they should. It has become apparent that hand decontamination does not always follow those activities which will probably result in the most heavy soiling, and the technique used to decontaminate hands is often poor.
Using hand decontaminants correctly is a skilled activity that all health professionals need to learn and practise. All health professionals need to acquire an appropriate technique at the beginning of their careers, with continuing professional development to update them and inform them of new advances in research and technology.