Putting Research into Practice
Abstract
Nowadays, nursing homes have a number of problems that should be solved. The paper will summarize the research findings that will help to clarify what problems exist and what measures should be taken to address the issues. The paper will suggest three elements of practice that should be changed based on the findings. Then, it will provide steps to implement research findings in practice. Finally, potential barriers to the implementation of research findings will be identified.
Keywords: nursing homes, staffing, resident outcomes, dehydration, weight loss, food sanitation, pressure sores.
A collective summary of the research findings
The research has shown that modern nursing homes have a lot of problems and serious measures should be taken in order to improve the quality of care and meet the interests and requirements of patients of nursing homes. The authors of the analyzed articles identified different problems and provided effective approaches to solving the problems. Bostick (2006) pointed out that nursing homes that had a high percentage of RN staffing made a positive impact on patient outcomes. It was added that those nursing homes that had high staffing levels and covered a huge percentage of expenses during a day had a direct impact on patients’ improved healthcare outcomes in fractures, decubitus ulcers and other infections.
Bostick (2003) questioned whether there was a relationship between NA, LPN, and RN staffing hours and such indicators as weight loss, physical restraint, and symptoms of problem behavior. Having conducted a research, the author found out that there was no correlation between the aforementioned factors. Bostick (2003) also proved that increased RN staff time was not the guarantee of improved care of pressure ulcers. On the contrary, the research has shown that increased RN staff time had a negative impact on the care of pressure ulcers. The purpose of Dyck’s (2006) article was to analyze whether there was a relationship between the staffing of nursing homes and outcomes of dehydration and weight loss. Dyck (2006) noticed that nursing leaders that specialized in nutrition problems were able to cause weight loss.
Nurses were encouraged to ask critical questions concerning the nutrition in nursing homes. They were also encouraged to implement hydration, as well as eating assistance interventions. Schnelle (2004) focused on the relationship between nursing home staffing and care quality. Based on the research, the author specified that the highest-staffed nursing homes provided better care services than lower staffed nursing homes. Higher staffed nursing homes had lower loads across day shifts and night shifts in comparison to lower staffed nursing homes that had higher loads across both shifts. Konetzka (2008) concluded that there were a lot of problems in nursing homes that the representatives of the staff had to meet. The most common problems included, but were not limited to the following ones: inappropriate pills, food sanitation, pressure sores, and many others. The research has shown that the members …
