Evaluating A Guideline Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Evaluating A Guideline - Research Paper Example Keywords: wrong site surgery, universal protocol, time out. Evaluating a guideline: Universal Protocol (Timeout) The universal protocol for preventing wrong site, wrong procedure and wrong person surgery was approved by the Joint Commission Board of Commissioners in July 2003. However, it took one year before it was effective in July 1, 2004 for all accredited hospitals, ambulatory care and office-based surgery facilities. There was an increasing and continuing occurrence of wrong site, wrong procedure and wrong person surgery that prompted the creation of the universal protocol of the Joint Commission. The university protocol incorporated a series of requirements under the Joint Commission’s 2003 and 2004 National Patient Safety Goals. The universal protocol involves a number of steps, viz: 1.) A preoperative verification process which entails verifying a checklist to confirm that the relevant and appropriate documents (e.g., medical records, imaging studies) are available. P referably, this process should take place when the patient is awake and aware. 2.) Marking the operative site which entails involving the patient in the marking process of the surgical site. In this process, make sure to use unambiguous marks. 3.) â€Å"Time-out† or â€Å"Surgical Pause† immediately before starting the procedure. This process helps the surgeons to correctly identify the correct patient, procedure and site (Joint Commission, 2003). In hospitals and surgical centers, it should always be ensured that the patient feels safe and confident. This can be possible through the use of the universal protocol. Nurses who are involved in this should help maintain patient safety by utilizing the universal protocol. Literature review In the search strategy, databases used were from Jacksonville University online resources. The databases included EBSCO and ScienceDirect. Both PubMed and CINAHL PLUS databases were systematically searched between 1990 and March 2007 to i dentify both theoretical and empirical data that discussed the implementation process for the universal protocol recommendations. Searches were also conducted from January 1, 1999- October 31, 2008. The search terms used were: wrong site surgery, universal protocol, time out, and universal protocol implementation. A review of literature shows that an effective implementation of the Universal Protocol will tremendously reduce cases of wrong patient, wrong site and wrong procedure. It will increase the safety of patients in hospitals and surgical centers. Rogers (1989) developed one of the most adopted theories of nursing, the concept of â€Å"Science of Unitary Human Beings and Principles of Homeodynamics.† In her theory, Martha Rogers postulates two major nursing ideas. These include: 1.) Nursing exists to serve people- it is a science and at the same time an art that is humane and humanistic. 2.) Nursing Science seeks to promote how persons co-exist with and interact with th eir environments. Rogers’ model of the Science of Unitary Human beings has some concepts that provide a framework for nursing practice. To start with, the Unitary Human being (person) is regarded as a unified whole which cannot be predicted from knowledge of the parts and having its own distinctive traits which cannot be perceived by looking at,