Physical assessment improvement project; stand for Excellence. 2015

Authors: Samirah

Country: Saudi Arabia

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Abstract: Background
American Association of Colleges of Nursing state that nursing physical assessment is standard clinical skills in nursing care.
Clinicians were questioning the quality of nursing skills in performing complete and systematic physical assessment during patients’ care . Nurses implement physical assessment on daily basis however, the quality and the consistency for this skills were questionable. This is a quality improvement project was aimed to evaluate and improve Nursing Physical Assessment skills in pediatric inpatients units.

Method:
Multidisciplinary team structured to start this project. Seven pediatrics units were involved in the project. (Plan, Do, Study, and Act) quality improvement methods were used in this project and three cycle were implemented throughout this project. Base line data obtained from hospital electronic health system to find out the consistency of physical assessment skills. Questioner were distributed to the primary nurses to find out the factors that could affect the quality of nursing assessment in the clinical area.
Clinical education, E-Book and Reminder note of nurses’ documentation made available in the clinical area. The practice standardized throughout skills competency and unified the electronic documentation form.
Result:
Base line data showed performing of physical assessment skills were not implemented in consist manner. Sixty-six pediatrics patients’ files reviewed, Five percent of the pediatric patients were assessed up on admission and once per shift. Subsequently of the project implementation hundred- forty –three patients electronic files reviewed , the monthly audit showed that nurses assessed their patients consistently . The compliance rate of nursing assessment increased up to fifty-five percent.
Nurses report that, patients load and lack of knowledge in interpreting the assessment finding were the most barriers that decrease the quality of nursing assessment. Nurses highlighted the implementation of the physical assessment enhance their communication with the patients and patients’ families and it promoted nursing Care plan.
Conclusion:
Physical assessment is one of the most powerful tool that can enhance the nursing care and improve patients and their families’ satisfaction.
Clinical education and availability of the electronic resources will enhance the nurses’ knowledge, plan of care and the treatment outcome.
In the future this project will be expanded to cover all pediatric specialized units,Further, patients’ satisfaction will be measured to ensure the effectiveness of the project on patients’ safety and satisfaction.

Keywords: Physical assessment

Paper Id: 231363

Published On: 2015-01-06

Published In: Volume 3, Issue 1, January-February 2015

Cite This: Physical assessment improvement project; stand for Excellence. 2015 - Samirah - IJIRMPS Volume 3, Issue 1, January-February 2015.

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