DQ4#5

Re:Topic 4 DQ 1

Recently, in my health facility, physicians were recommending that nurses learn and implement procedure relating to using a new sets of infusion pump currently developed.

As a nurse, I believe it is imperative to know whether the procedure fits the RN scope of practice to ensure that it does not violate nursing practice. To do this, as Board of Registered Nursing, State of California (2011) recommends, I would check if the activity is among the activities listed in, Section 2725 of Business and Professions Code present in the Nursing Practice Act. This also goes for determining whether the procedure fits in definition of nursing practice, which incorporates functions, such as those of basic healthcare, assessing individuals tackle daily living difficulties relating to their illness/health needs or treatment that must use substantial technical skill or scientific knowledge. Focus would also be on assessing whether the procedure fits within the three functions of nursing practice functions, which are independent functions, interdependent functions and dependent functions.  This relate to the procedure fitting within the direct or indirect patient care services offered by nurses,  such as those of administering medication, disease prevention and implementing standardized procedure. It would help to examine medical practice scope and research to be aware of whether the procedure overlap to avoid confusion/dismissing it as not being within scope of nursing.

To introduce the new procedure with nurses and physicians, focus would be on fostering collaboration in developing standardized procedures, outlining the description of infusion pumps, including how it is developed, its approval in nursing practice and its use. Next, authorization from the management for its use would be sought to certify its use within the health facility. This would also go for establishing the standards procedure that RN must perform the infusion pump procedures, including circumstances such as supervision, as well as, requirements to follow when performing the procedure such as measuring and recording medication/nutrients to be used.  It would be important to note the education, training or experience requirements that RN would need to use the infusion pumps, a protocol for authorizing RNs qualified to perform the procedure and dire circumstances when nurses must consult physicians/specialists. The RNs would be trained/taught about all these requirements and given copies or online resource access for references. When training them, de Veer, Fleuren, Bekkema and Francke (2011) note that it would be important to assess their knowledge and ensure supervision during the introduction/induction phase, until they are comfortable to work with the infusion pumps.

References

 

Board of Registered Nursing, State of California. (2011). An explanation of the scope of RN practice including standardized procedure. Retrieved from http://www.rn.ca.gov/pdfs/regulations/npr-b-03.pdf

de Veer, A. J. E., Fleuren, M. A. H., Bekkema, N., & Francke, A. L. (2011).Successful implementation of new technologies in nursing care: A questionnaire survey of nurse-users. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 11, 67. doi: 10.1186/1472-6947-11-67