Search

Aims and Objectives: To identify that workarounds (defined as "informal temporary practices for handling exceptions to normal procedures or workflow") by nurses using information technology potentially compromise medication safety. Therefore, we aimed to identify potential risk factors associated with workarounds performed by nurses in Barcode-assisted Medication Administration in hospitals., Background: Medication errors occur during the prescribing, distribution and administration of medication. Errors could harm patients and be a tragedy for both nurses and medical doctors involved. Interventions to prevent errors have been developed, including those based on information technology. To cope with shortcomings in information technology-based interventions as Barcode-assisted Medication Administration, nurses perform workarounds. Identification of workarounds in information technology is essential to implement better-designed software and processes which fit the nurse workflow., Design: We used the data from our previous prospective observational study, performed in four general hospitals in the Netherlands using Barcode techniques, to administer medication to inpatients., Methods: Data were collected from 2014-2016. The disguised observation was used to gather information on potential risk factors and workarounds. The outcome was a medication administration with one or more workarounds. Logistic mixed models were used to determine the association between potential risk factors and workarounds. The STROBE checklist was used for reporting our data., Results: We included 5,793 medication administrations among 1,230 patients given by 272 nurses. In 3,633 (62.7%) of the administrations, one or more workarounds were observed. In the multivariate analysis, factors significantly associated with workarounds were the medication round at 02 p.m.-06 p.m. (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 1.60, 95% CI: 1.05-2.45) and 06 p.m.-10 p.m. (adjusted OR: 3.60, 95% CI: 2.11-6.14) versus the morning shift 06 a.m.-10 a.m., the workdays Monday (adjusted OR: 2.59, 95% CI: 1.51-4.44), Wednesday (adjusted OR: 1.92, 95% CI: 1.2-3.07) and Saturday (adjusted OR: 2.24, 95% CI: 1.31-3.84) versus Sunday, the route of medication, nonoral (adjusted OR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.05-1.57) versus the oral route of drug administration, the Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical classification-coded medication "other" (consisting of the irregularly used Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical classes [D, G, H, L, P, V, Y, Z]) (adjusted OR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.05-2.11) versus Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical class A (alimentary tract and metabolism), and the patient-nurse ratio ≥6-1 (adjusted OR: 5.61, 95% CI: 2.9-10.83) versus ≤5-1., Conclusions: We identified several potential risk factors associated with workarounds performed by nurses that could be used to target future improvement efforts in Barcode-assisted Medication Administration., Relevance to Clinical Practice: Nurses administering medication in hospitals using Barcode-assisted Medication Administration frequently perform workarounds, which may compromise medication safety. In particular, nurse workload and the patient-nurse ratio could be the focus for improvement measures as these are the most clearly modifiable factors identified in this study., (© 2020 The Authors. Journal of Clinical Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To explore how nurses in hospitals enact person-centred fundamental care delivery., Background: Effective person-centred care is at the heart of fundamental nursing care, but it is deemed to be challenging in acute health care as there is a strong biomedical focus and most nurses are not trained in person-centred fundamental care delivery. We therefore need to know if and how nurses currently incorporate a person-centred approach during fundamental care., Design: Focused ethnography approach., Methods: Observations of 30 nurses on three different wards in two Dutch hospitals during their morning shift. Data were collected through passive observations and analysed using framework analysis based on the fundamentals of care framework. The COREQ guideline was used for reporting., Results: Some nurses successfully integrate physical, psychosocial and relational elements of care in patient interactions. However, most nurses were observed to be mainly focused on physical care and did not take the time at their patients' bedside to care for their psychosocial and relational needs. Many had a task-focused way of working and communicating, seldom incorporating patients' needs and experiences or discussing care planning, and often disturbing each other., Conclusions: This study demonstrates that although some nurses manage to do so, person-centred fundamental care delivery remains a challenge in hospitals, as most nurses have a task-focused approach and therefore do not manage to integrate the physical, relational and physical elements of care. For further improvement, attention needs to be paid to integrated fundamental care and clinical reasoning skills., Relevance to Clinical Practice: Although most nurses have a compassionate approach, this study shows that nurses do not incorporate psychosocial care or encourage patient participation when helping patients with their physical fundamental care needs, even though there seems to be sufficient opportunity for them to do so., (© 2019 The Authors. Journal of Clinical Nursing Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Aims and Objectives: To analyse oral care delivery in one hospital through exploring experiences from both nurses' and patients' perspectives and examining patients' oral health., Background: Oral health problems are associated with undernutrition and other general health outcomes. Although oral care belongs to the essentials of nursing, it is often neglected. Improving oral health may require behaviour change of both nurses and patients. Defining tailored strategies need a clear view on the context., Design: A context analysis in one hospital using a convergent parallel mixed-methods design was reported following the EQUATOR guidelines using two checklists: COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative research (qualitative research) and STROBE (observational research)., Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 nurses and 11 patients. The topic list was based on the Integrated Change Model. Prospective oral examination was performed among 91 surgical patients using the Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT)., Results: Nurses acknowledged that they did not prioritise oral care in daily practice. Furthermore, they lacked knowledge and skills to identify and provide care for oral problems. Nurses mentioned helpful resources to perform oral care, like standardised language and instruments. However, they had no access to or were unaware of them. Patients admitted that they did not prioritise oral care due to their sickness during hospitalisation, were unaware of the importance of oral care, but felt responsible for their oral care. The most prominent oral problems identified with the OHAT were unclean mouths (n = 75, 82%), unhealthy gum and tissues (n = 55, 60%) and dry mouth (n = 42, 46%)., Conclusions: This context analysis identified inadequate oral care due to lack of positive attitude and knowledge in both nurses and patients, skills for nurses, and resources., Relevance to Clinical Practice: The behavioural factors indicate strategies for development of a multicomponent intervention to improve oral care in this hospital, nutritional status and general health outcomes., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Aims and Objective: To gain insight into nurse practitioners' (NP) leadership roles in Dutch hospital care, by exploring the perceptions regarding their current leadership role and the differences with their previous role as a registered specialised nurse., Background: To meet today's challenges of the increasing healthcare demands, the employment of NPs is proliferating. NPs have the ideal position to play a pivotal role within healthcare reforms, yet full expansion of their scope of practice and expertise is having limited success. Long-term sustainability of NPs depends on the ability to perform and develop a leading role., Design and Methods: This qualitative descriptive study was conducted in fifteen Dutch hospitals. Data were collected from April-July 2018, and purposive sampling was used for eighteen semi-structured interviews. This study is conducted and reported according to the COREQ checklist., Results: Three main themes concerning NPs' current leadership role emerged, and they were all linked to a successful positioning of NPs. All themes seemed to be of influence on NPs' scope of daily practice. Direct patient care was emphasised, and leadership on other levels appeared to be underused. Most NPs desired to reshape their profession. However, unprofitable use of their leadership skills especially on professional and organisational level and lack of supportive factors seemed to hinder them., Conclusions: An adequate use of leadership is crucial for role development and positioning of NPs. Further development of the NP profession can help to better differentiate between the tasks of registered specialised nurses and NPs., Relevance to Clinical Practice: Leadership in nursing contributes to the improvement of the quality and efficiency of health care. Further positioning of the NP profession depends on a profitable use of leadership competencies. Besides, NPs should collaborate with healthcare organisations, educational institutions and professional associations to value the NP profession in the current healthcare system., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Aims and Objectives: To evaluate the effects of preoperative nutritional support using a regular diet for undernourished surgical patients at the outpatient clinic., Background: Undernutrition (or malnutrition) in surgical patients has severe consequences, that is, more complications, longer hospital stay and decreased quality of life. While systematic reviews show the effects of oral nutritional supplements (ONS), enteral and parenteral nutrition in surgical patients, the effects of normal foods and regular diets remain unclear., Design: A systematic review., Methods: PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library and EMBASE were searched up to July 24, 2017. Studies on undernourished patients receiving nutritional support using regular or therapeutic diet, performed preoperatively at the outpatient clinic, were considered eligible. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Two reviewers independently performed study selection, quality assessment and data extraction., Results: Six studies with moderate risk of bias were included. Interventions were preoperatively performed in mainly oncological outpatients by dieticians and aimed to reach nutrient requirements. Interventions included consults for counselling and advice, follow-up meetings and encouragements, and ONS. Nutritional status, nutrient intake and quality of life improved in supported patients. Improvements were better in counselled patients compared to patients using supplements. Unsupported patients experienced worse outcomes., Conclusion: Frequent consults with counselling and advice as nutritional support for undernourished patients before surgery result in improvements to nutritional status, intake and quality of life. This statement is supported by weak evidence due to few studies and inadequate methods., Relevance to Clinical Practice: Nutritional support should be provided to all undernourished surgical patients during preoperative course. Nurses are in key position to provide nutritional support during outpatient preoperative evaluations., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)