Data Sources and Nursing Contributions, Coursework Example

Introduction

Data measurements are essential to improve diagnostic capabilities and treat patients effectively. The appropriate data measuring tools must also be considered in order to establish a strategy for ongoing treatment. Many measuring devices are available to coordinate care and treatment objectives; however, they must be well understood prior to engaging in this process. The identification of these measurements is essential to nursing practice to improve quality of care and to establish patterns in patient readings. Therefore, it is necessary to develop approaches to evaluate data measurements so that patient outcomes are favorable. A number of data measuring tools are available to support diagnostic capabilities and other factors to improve patient outcomes and wellbeing. The following discussion will identify several commonly used data elements and their category of measurement to address the roles and responsibilities of nurses in supporting patient outcomes. This discussion will also consider the use of different types of technology to promote efficiency throughout nursing practice.

Analysis

Data elements in nursing practice encompass a variety of areas. Some of these elements will be addressed in greater detail to support a definitive understanding of their value to nurses and to patient care. The following elements will be considered:

• Blood pressure: This is a ratio-based measurement that captures a systolic (top) and diastolic (bottom) reading for patients, using a blood pressure cuff (Burns and Grove, 2010). This measurement is typically utilized in routine physical examinations, as well as detailed plans of care. Blood pressure technology has expanded in recent years to include electronic cuffs and readers, watches, and methods to measure blood pressure on a continuous basis (PR Newswire, 2013).
• Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD): This type of measurement has been the subject of debate for several years; however, consensus has determined that a ratio-based measurement is most accurate, using a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) in order to determine if CKD is evident (Johnson et.al, 2012). Standard procedures are used to determine this ratio and its impact on diagnoses and treatment.
• Patient falls: Falls should be measured using a ratio of number of falls per month divided by the number per year in order to determine an average. This is an important ratio to consider because it contributes to evidence-based practice to determine why falls occur and how they might be prevented in the future. Data should be collected and evaluated regularly in order to identify strategies to reduce the incidence of falls in a given patient population.
• Heart failure: This is best determined using a nominal measurement known as ejection fraction, which determines the level of blood flow out of the left ventricle (American Heart Association, 2014). Typically, the normal range of ejection fraction is between 55 and 70 percent; therefore, it is important to identify the degree of blood flow in order to determine if the heart muscle is experiencing any type of weakness or disease that impacts its level of function (American Heart Association, 2014). Ejection fraction is measured using a number of different technologies, including the echocardiogram, the MUGA scan, and cardiac catheterization (American Heart Association, 2014).

Each of these measurements is important to specific areas of nursing practice, depending on the circumstances of the patient and other factors such as age and type of symptoms. Nurses play a significant role in obtaining the data that is necessary to identify the appropriate diagnosis and to develop the tools that are necessary to establish care and treatment plans for patients. Collecting data using available tools and technologies also supports the development of new strategies to support effective patient outcomes. Most importantly, nurses should be as accurate as possible when recording and collecting data so that patients are able to obtain the necessary tests and/or treatments in a timely manner. Technology-based tools are essential to this process and support a greater level of efficiency in establishing a precedent for patient testing using the available tools and technologies. The challenges of establishing a successful approach to patient care requires nurses to be involved in all aspects of the process, including nursing research. When nurses act in the capacity of a research role, they are required to demonstrate strong technique and aptitude when providing direct patient care so that the data collection process is efficient and smooth. Nurses working directly with patients who also collect data should be provided with a framework to support the growth and development of nursing research. Therefore, they should be provided with training to improve their research skills and knowledge in executing research studies in the desired manner. This training should encompass the objectives of the research enterprise and the continued development of new principles to support effective nursing outcomes and enhance the quality of care that patients receive.

Conclusion

Nurses play a significant role in the data collection process and enable patients to be provided with care and treatment as appropriate. This is an important step towards the discovery of new technologies to support the identification of specific data elements to identify diseases and other conditions. It is important for nurses to adapt effectively to research roles so that data collection is timely and effective at all times. Furthermore, it is necessary to identify training-related resources to educate nurses regarding data collection and related elements to ensure that patient outcomes in research are supported by valid instruments and technologies to support effective results.

References

American Heart Association(2014). Ejection fraction heart failure measurement. Retrieved from https://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartFailure/SymptomsDiagnosisofHeartFailure/Ejection-Fraction-Heart-Failure-Measurement_UCM_306339_Article.jsp

Burns, N., and Grove, S.K. (2010). Understanding nursing research: building an evidence-based practice. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Johnson, D.W., Jones GRD, Mathew, T.H., Ludlow, M.J., Chadban, S.J., Usherwood, T., Polkinghorne, K., Colaguiri, S., Jerums, G., Maclsaac, R., and Martin, H. (2012). Chronic kidney disease and measurement of albuminuria or proteinuria: a position statement. The Medical Journal of Australia, 197(4), 224-225.

PR Newswire (2013). FDA clears new continuous blood pressure technology from Sotera Wireless. Retrieved from http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fda-clears-new-continuous-blood-pressure-technology-from-sotera-wireless-227205851.html