Discussion: Work Environment UTA NURS 4455
Discussion: Work Environment UTA NURS 4455
Module 3 Discussion
Are there tasks or functions in your work environment that you believe are redundant, unnecessary, or repetitive or that could be done by a lesser-paid employee? Explain.
What is work environment?
In the fifth step, the nurse evaluates how effective the nursing interventions were in addressing the nursing diagnosis. To complete the evaluation, the nurse determines whether data such as the pain score, vital signs, and other parameters are within defined limits. Evaluation is the final step in the nursing process, yet it directs the nurse back to the first step of assessment.
Overall, the nursing process provides a valuable framework that engages critical thinking, continual assessment, and reassessment of the patient’s status. This is particularly important if red flags are identified in the evaluation step that may suggest the onset of a post-operative or other complication. In the orthopedic population, unresolved or worsening pain is often the first sign of impaired circulation, which may be related to the trauma (for example, a high-velocity injury leading to compartment syndrome) or to the treatment (bandages impairing circulation, or anticoagulation causing internal bleeding). List 1 (below) illustrates the value of the first step of the nursing process; a comprehensive assessment can help ensure early intervention and de-escalation of clinical concerns, while avoiding complications stemming from delays and situations of failure to treat.
Accurate vital signs critical
One of the most important components of the assessment is obtaining an accurate set of vital signs. This includes temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation level, and pain score. Across acute surgical settings, there is variance in the protocols that direct how frequently vital signs are to be assessed (Zeitz, 2003). At Trillium Health Partners in Mississauga, Ontario, clinical order sets are used to direct nurses on care processes such as wound care, medications, monitoring of lab values, and vital signs. Every 2 years these clinical order sets are reviewed and updated. This typically involves ensuring that the current processes meet the standards of care and best practice recommendations. This biannual revision process includes a review of the literature and external site surveys. Recently, this involved verifying that the clinical order sets were up to date with respect to how frequently nurses are directed to obtain vital signs in post-operative care.
