Design for Change Proposal Term Paper

Total Length: 870 words ( 3 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 3

Page 1 of 3

PICOT & Literature Review Worksheet

NEC remains a challenge in the nursing world despite the major medical progress made in the medical sector. Given the varying clinical presentation of NEC among infants, clinicians have a challenge in diagnosing the disease at both the earliest and least severe stage of pathogenesis (Mulhall, 1998). To curb this problem, assigning disease severity based on staging criteria for NEC is vital for both the diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, properly educating nurses on Bell Staging; the standard in assigning severity of disease to NEC cases is likely to result in accurate and effective diagnosis.

Educating NICU Nurses

Nurses working in the nation's NICUs lack the basic knowledge in handling infants showing possible signs of NEC infection. Thus, to ensure efficient diagnosis and treatment of NEC, proper education of nurses on the diagnosis methods is necessary (Barnsteiner, 1996). The nurses are educated on Bell's three stages for easy recognition and diagnosis of NEC to patients. The nurses are inducted on Stage 1, for patients with mild symptoms, Stage 2 for those with suspected NEC diagnosis and Stage 3 which includes advanced NEC cases.

Research Question

How can NICU nurses increase their knowledge in recognizing early signs and symptoms of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in premature infants?

Focus of the question

How to properly educate NICU nurses on early signs and symptoms associated with NEC.

PICOT Elements

P = Patients(s) or problem

Patient, patient population or presenting issue

The population is nursing staff in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs).


I = Intervention under Consideration

Education regarding early signs and symptoms of NEC.

C = Comparison

What is the current practice you are comparing to "I"? (This element may be implied or missing)

None.

O = Outcome

What is the effect of the "I" on "P?" What is desired outcome?

Increased knowledge, improved ability to recognize the early signs and symptoms of NEC, decrease incidence of NEC, improved patient outcomes.

T = Time

Is there a need to limit the timeframe for the intervention?

During the hospital course of stay in the NICU for a premature infant.

Step 1: Assess the Need for Change in Practice

To increase nurses' knowledge in recognizing early symptoms of NEC, the first step involves the collection of internal data and comparing it with external data (Rogers, 1995). The internal data indicates the nurses lack sufficient information on diagnosing NEC among infants. On the other hand, the external data presents a model; Bell's sampling for nurses. From the collected data, nurse managers concerned about care of NEC patients diagnostic problems for NEC patients existed in the….....

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https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/design-change-proposal-106986