Theoretical and Scientific Foundations of Nursing

DISCUSSION RESPONSE

Respond to  two colleagues  with suggestions of how to help and/or confirmation of similar issues/questions. No references are required.

Search-Based Questions

PEER #1

Mario Truman Sanchez

Main Post

Critical Question: In emergency centers, does creating a designated patient flow manger decrease overcrowding and improve patient flow as compared to established EC quick routes within a 6-month time period?

Literature Search

In conducting my literature search I utilized the Walden Library and The Welch Medical Library, these two resources provided adequate articles for my clinical practice question although, I found The Welch Medical Library more useful. I began by developing an appropriate question following the PICOT format, this allowed for me to develop a question that was not overly broad, thus yielding information only related to my topic. Making use of these bibliographic databases provide me with a vast amount of published literature, with a bit of search parameters initiated, such as peer reviewed, publications within the last five years and full-text articles refined my query to my liking. Within the Welch Medical Library, I used the PubMed database. The data base provided a “QuickStart”, which I entered key phrases such as emergency center overcrowding, patient flow optimization, improving patient flow, etc. into the query box, thus yielding relevant publications that I shifted through to compile ten articles that suited my question. Once my selection was complete I went through the abstract of each article to narrow my search to four appropriate publications. The process suited me well and I was able to effectively gather my information within a timely manner.

Issues and Concerns

One of the concerns I encountered was the correct combination of word phrases to yield proper search results. If I used to few words my results were simply to limited and if I created a phrase that was too long my search yielded results that were far to board. As my understanding of this developed I only entered phrases three-to-four words long, thus learning by trial and error on adequate search phrases.

Recommendations

The Walden Library provides a simplified method to develop research queries and synthesize data, which is useful in research. I prefer the Welch Medical Library to the Walden Library simply because I have used it more often and know my way around, thus allowing me more time to hunt for material required for my assignments. When conducting a literature review I find it best to develop a simplified question that can be answered and creating search phrases that are developed ahead of time so that not a lot of time is spent guessing on what may best for efficient article retrieval.

PEER #2

Amanda Ujunwa Okoro

The nursing profession necessitates possessing qualities such as physical and emotional fortitude, bravery, empathy, and proficiency. Nursing professionals are vital in advocating for and safeguarding patients' rights, dignity, health, and safety. Nurses provide patients with dignified treatment, acknowledging their individuality and demonstrating compassion. By engaging in this practice, individuals will exhibit a higher level of compliance with the prescribed therapy, improving their overall health condition. Nurses advocate for their patients, including supporting them in fulfilling individualized care objectives and safeguarding vulnerable patients at risk. Nurses engage in collaborative efforts with their peers to establish novel policies that promote the provision of safe care for patients. In addition to advocating for patients, nurse advocates actively support workplace improvements. This includes promoting and enhancing working conditions, ensuring equitable remuneration, and facilitating chances for professional growth among nurses. Nurse advocates focus on addressing issues like burnout, dangerous work situations, and restricted opportunities for professional progression. Nurse advocates may have a significant impact on the well-being and job satisfaction of nurses, as well as the quality of patient care, by promoting a work atmosphere that is supportive and empowering. One strategy for enhancing patient satisfaction is ensuring service providers have sufficient support to carry out their duties effectively. The attainment of desired outcomes becomes unattainable when nurses experience burnout, excessive workload, heightened stress levels, and inadequate patient-to-nurse ratios. As a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) prepared nurse, I am engaged in scholarly inquiry about strategies for promoting policy enhancements to mitigate burnout within the healthcare sector.

 The phenomenon of burnout has seen a significant surge in scholarly attention since the mid-1970s. Burnout syndrome is a psychological state characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal achievement (Maslach & Jackson, 1978 & 1979). This condition may manifest in persons who are involved in occupations that require significant interpersonal interactions. The word "burnout" was first introduced and used by Freudenberger (1974) to describe the condition in which an individual experiences both physical and emotional weariness due to an overwhelming burden on their resources (Mehra, 2023). There are notable associations seen among nurse weariness, work discontent, and desire to quit, as shown by the studies conducted by Guerrettaz (2012), McHugh et al. (2011), and Shah et al. (2021). Burnout has been shown to have a significant association with patient safety problems. Specifically, research conducted by Garcia et al. (2019), Halbesleben et al. (2008), Hall et al. (2016), and Jun et al. (2021) has consistently demonstrated that nurses who experience burnout are more prone to committing mistakes in the provision of clinical care, hence exerting a detrimental influence on patient safety.

The data for my study was obtained from the Walden University Library. While investigating nursing burnout, an extensive review was conducted on a selection of over 20,000 peer-reviewed studies published over the last five years. Subsequently, a refined compilation of articles was identified for further examination. Using Boolean operators in the search for burnout among nurses and formulating PICO(T) queries resulted in a limited number of findings. Subsequently, the tool mentioned above was used to search for burnout among nurses, including interventions and associated outcomes. As a result, a total of 20 scholarly papers, which had through rigorous peer-review processes, were retrieved. Finding information on the questions to ask using Boolean operators might be easy, but it proved helpful. I used many databases, including CINAHL, SYSTEMIC REVIEW, and ACADEMIC SEARCH COMPLETE, to get the necessary papers for my discussion. Databases have proven essential in facilitating the identification of the requisite scholarly articles. Employing alternative wording and utilizing specific search phrases significantly enhance the likelihood of a successful search endeavor.

One area of concern is the abundance of literature available on the topic of burnout. I have curated a collection of over 20,000 articles and then refined my selection to include only those that are directly relevant to my research subject. Employing the Boolean operator and employing iterative modifications to my search query, I obtained the precise article that aligns with my research objectives. Engaging in this activity requires a significant investment of time and a substantial amount of reading material.

References

João Reisinho, Rita Rodrigues, António Fernandes, João Sardinha, Pedro Santos, Daniel Sousa, Fernanda Loureiro, & Vanessa Antunes. (2021). Literature review on shift work and nurse's burnout. Annals of Medicine, 53(sup1), S130. https://doi.org/10.1080/07853890.2021.1897458

Mehra, R. (2023). Burnout Syndrome, Occupational Stress and Altruism among Nursing Profession. Indian Journal of Health & Wellbeing, 14(1), 29–32.

Miles, B. (2023). A review of the potential impact of professional nurse advocates in reducing stress and burnout in district nursing. British Journal of Community Nursing, 28(3), 132–136. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjcn.2023.28.3.132