Exploring patient assessment practices in the acute hospital environment: An ethnography
View File(s)
- Author(s)
- Details
-
Sonya R. Osborne, RN, BSN, GradCert (Periop Nsg), GradCert (HigherEd), MN, PhD
- Sigma Affiliation
- Phi Delta at-Large
Visitor Statistics
Visits vs Downloads
Visitors - World Map
Top Visiting Countries
Country | Visits |
---|
Top Visiting Cities
City | Visits |
---|
Visits (last 6 months)
Downloads (last 6 months)
Popular Works for Osborne, Sonya R. by View
Title | Page Views |
---|
Popular Works for Osborne, Sonya R. by Download
Title | Downloads |
---|
View Citations
Citations
Session presented on Friday, July 25, 2014:
Purpose: In Australia, as in other countries, recognising and responding to clinical deterioration in hospitalised patients has become a national priority. Ward nurses play an essential role in detecting acute care patients at risk of clinical deterioration through attentive surveillance, diligent assessment, and timely intervention. Much attention in the literature has been given to the efferent limb of the clinical deterioration pathway, such as hospitals' implementation of the use of early warning scores, track and trigger systems, and rapid response teams. Yet, unrecognised clinical deterioration continues to be a significant problem. The literature is consistent in viewing the situation of clinical deterioration from the perspective of improving detection and documentation of clinical deterioration with scant attention to the nature of assessment practices. The purpose of the study was to improve understanding of the unexamined factors that influence patient assessment practices by exploring patterns of behaviour, and interpersonal, cultural and geographical factors related to nursing assessment practices in the acute care hospital environment.
Methods: The study design was a hospital ethnography using participant observation and informal and formal interviews. Data, collected in the form of field notes and transcribed audio-recorded interviews, was analysed using an iterative process.
Results: Nurses' assessment and surveillance of patients is practiced in the context of the medical emergency response framework. As such this creates a culture that dominates and dictates a focus on monitoring and recording of patient's vital signs for medical team review and response. This focus influences multidisciplinary relationships and roles and the organisation factors that govern nurses' work.
Conclusion: The study findings illustrate the complex interplay of factors that influence nurses' assessment practice in the acute care setting. Development of holistic picture of patient assessment practices will inform development of effective health service improvements in managing patients at risk for clinical deterioration.
International Nursing Research Congress, 2014 Theme: Engaging Colleagues: Improving Global Health Outcomes. Held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wanchai, Hong Kong
Items submitted to a conference/event were evaluated/peer-reviewed at the time of abstract submission to the event. No other peer-review was provided prior to submission to the Henderson Repository.
Type | Presentation |
Acquisition | Proxy-submission |
Review Type | Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host |
Format | Text-based Document |
Evidence Level | N/A |
Research Approach | N/A |
Keywords | Nursing Assessment; Patient Safety; Clinical Deterioration |
Name | 25th International Nursing Research Congress |
Host | Sigma Theta Tau International |
Location | Hong Kong |
Date | 2014 |
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.
All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subjects.
-
More than vital signs: Reframing nurses' recognition and response to clinical deterioration
Osborne, Sonya R. (2014-11-17)Session presented on Friday, July 25, 2014: Clinical deterioration frequently goes unnoticed in hospitalized patients (1). Growing concerns about failure-to-rescue rates have prompted government initiatives and consensus ... -
Nursing and medical staff perceptions of a hospital-based medical emergency response team
Booker, Catriona Anne; Douglas, Clint; Osborne, Sonya R.; Fox, Robyn L.; Richter, Kathleen Patrica; Collier, Thea-Grace (2016-03-17)Session presented on Saturday, July 25, 2015: Purpose: Timely recognition and appropriate response to clinical deterioration has been at the forefront of international safety and quality agendas. Rapid response systems ... -
Factors influencing nursing assessment practices
Reid, Carol L. (2014-11-17)Session presented on Friday, July 25, 2014: Purpose: Changing acuity of hospitalised patients means sicker patients with more complex needs are at greater risk of becoming seriously ill during their stay. Frontline ... -
Nursing rituals in an adult acute care hospital: An ethnography
Wolf, Zane RobinsonThis study examined potential nursing rituals using an ethnographic approach. The definition of ritual by DeCraemer, Vansina and Fox (1976) was used: ritual is patterned symbolic action that refers to the goals and values ... -
Exploratory study of nursing leadership: An inquiry of leadership attributes of nurse managers in acute care hospitals and the professional practice environment
Henriksen, JanetThis study explored the perceived leadership attributes of nurse managers who enable the creation of positive professional practice environments for registered nurses in acute care hospitals. A general qualitative approach ...