Nursing Sensitive Indicators: Organizational Systems

Nursing Sensitive Indicators: Organizational Systems

Western Governors University

Nursing Sensitive Indicators: Organizational Systems

​The knowledge of nursing sensitive indicator can be helpful in providing the patient care which meets the quality and ethical standards. Nursing sensitive indicators rely on evidence to take patient care decisions (Patrician, 2010). According to Patrician (2010), Evidence Based Nursing is the use of personal expertise and research to take decisions on patient care. In case of Mr. J, there is a clear lack of evidence based nursing. Mr. J was kept in restraint without considering that Mr. J was not trying to get out of bed by himself. When the pressure ulcer was identified, the nurse neglected evidence which should have been a basis of removing restraint. Even if the risk of falling was high, a sound alarm could have been placed at the bedside, which Mr. J could have used when he wanted to use the bathroom.

​The body of Mr. J was in unnecessary discomfort due to restraint and constant pressure was causing ulcer in the back. Mr. J was diagnosed with mild dementia and was drowsy, so the nursing staff had put him in restraint. Although, there are very flexible guidelines for the use of restraint in the National Quality Forum (2004), but, in case of Mr. J, the nurse is rigidly focused on keeping the patient in restraint to reduce risk of falling. The restraint makes the patient’s body immobile and can also make the patient feel imprisoned; leading to depression and other psychological disorders (Foster, 2012). A clear lack of ignorance of nursing standards is affecting Mr. J.

​Apart from lack of knowledge; there is a clear disregard for following patient care guidelines by the nursing staff. The negligence of the pressure ulcer and keeping the dietary error from the family shows the lack of professionalism of nursing staff. The knowledge of nursing sensitive information will create awareness of patient care protocol. It will help reduce any such incidence of negligence and disregard for the patient’s situation.

​The use of nursing sensitive indicators can provide the basis for monitoring quality standards (Doran, 2003). For this the hospital will have to maintain records of incidence of relevant indicators. A separate quality control department can be formed which will operate independently. The data can be collected for each patient and compiled by the support staff of the quality department. This way a check and balance mechanism will be formed and a conscious disregard for the patient care protocol will reduce. The results will indicate the areas where patient care needs improvement. This data will assist the management to provide training to nursing staff for indicators which