DEFINE CRITICAL THINKING AND EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE NRS 430
DEFINE CRITICAL THINKING AND EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE NRS 430
Define critical thinking and evidence-based practice. Discuss what critical thinking in nursing practice entails and explain why it is important. Discuss the role of critical thinking and evidence-based practice as they relate to client outcomes.
Handwashing is such a simple act that can bring such big results. It is an easy task to wash our hands or use a hand sanitizer.
So why don’t we do it?
Sometimes it may be an education issue. We don’t think that we really did anything that could contaminate us. Is taking someone’s pulse considered a clean or dirty procedure? Do I need to wash my hands before? After? Both?
What about just straightening the patient’s blanket? Or handing them their cell phone?
Things to think about. While these seem like simple things – it is something that we need to critically think about.
Here are a couple of resources to look at:
Hand washing is very important in and out of healthcare practices, it help to keep you healthy and prevent the spread of respiratory and diarrheal infections. Taking someone pulse is considered dirty, even touching the patient cell and straightening the patient blanket . So it’s best to practice a wash in wash out procedure.
· Correct hand washing techniques were always a good step/reminder before going in a patients room and after leaving a patients room. It is essential that proper hand washing is done to keep from spreading any germs from patient to patient. It also keeps us nurses healthy from any bacteria that is spread through hospitals and or clinics.
Washing hands is a vital factor in preventing infection/illness to and from our most vulnerbal hosts. It is any easy task that should be second nature to most. However, some view it as out of sight, out of mind and a distraction from tasks. Oftentime, we do need to be edcuated on proper hand hygiene ie., the method and length of time in addition to when to use hand sanitizer and whenshing with soap and water is the preferred method. Unfortunately, many nosocomial infections are transmitted by staff not or improperly washing hands in between patients. Should this simple task receive critical thought? Initially, the response would be NO, of course not; however, handwashing is often overlooked until it is too late.
In addition to the patients being set back negatively resulting from improper hand hygiene, nosocomial infections are costly. To add insult to injury, preventable conditions are not covered by most insurance companies. What’s most unfortunate is that more often than not, these illnesses could be prevented with proper handwashing. To add insult to injury, preventable conditions are not covered by most insurance companies.
In addition, please note that with proper hand hygiene we are protecting our patients and families. This is especially true of continuous, repeat offenders as they may need educating on technique and consequences of failure to wash hands properly. This simple protocol should be taken seriously and not be overlooked as the consequences may lead to my death.
Critical thinking and evidence-based practice are both essential in the work and professional development of bedside registered nurses. Evidence based practice is a approach to making clinical decisions and also solving patient problems via taking into account information such as patient preferences, personal environment, and characteristics and using evidence based on nurses experience and research (Sacket, 2000, as cited in Kim et all, 2018). When there is a situation that requires significant critical thinking experienced nurses will often first trust their past experiences rather than make a decision based on scientific evidence (Thiel & Ghosh, 2008, as cited in Kim et all, 2018). In order to make better and more scientific supported patient outcomes it is important to follow critical thinking and evidence based scientific research hand in hand.
References
Kim, S. S., Kim, E. J., Lim, J. Y., Kim, G. M., & Baek, H. C. (2018). Korean nursing students’ acquisition of evidence-based practice and Critical Thinking Skills. Journal of Nursing Education, 57(1), 21–27. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20180102-05
