Research Methods: Critics of a Qualitative and Quantitative Paper on Pressure Sore Ulcer

Wound management is one of the cornerstones for nursing care however, effective wound care extends far beyond the application of the wound itself. Nurses may be required to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate wound care; therefore, order to fill these roles it’s critical to have an understanding of the several different areas of wound care such as, integumentary system, classification of wounds, wound procedures, and documentation. Knowledge in each of these areas will allow nurses to make well informed decisions about wound care, and as a result play an active part in wound healing.

The research article "What influences the impact of pressure ulcers on health-related quality of life? A qualitative patient-focused exploration of contributory factors" was recently published (2012) in the Journal of Tissue Viability by Gorecki, Nixon, Madill, Firth, and Brown. This is a qualitative study.

The aim of this reflection is to describe my personal experience in wound care and its management. Gibbs (1988) reflective cycle has been adapted in order to provide structure to the reflection process.

Pressure ulcers continue to be a prevalent issue in the health care system and causes “pain, slow recovery from morbid conditions, infection and death” (Kwong, Pang, Aboo, & Law, 2009, p. 2609). In the field of nursing turning and repositioning patients is a well-known nursing intervention to prevent development of pressure ulcers. However, many hospitals and facilities still neglect to apply this as a standard policy. This gives room for nurses and nursing aides to overlook the importance of this intervention resulting in increased pressure ulcer development. The purpose of turning and repositioning patients is to prevent oxygen

Pressure ulcers are one of the most common problems health care facilities often face which causes pain and discomfort for the patient, cost effective to manage and impacts negatively on the hospital (Pieper, Langemo, & Cuddigan, 2009; Padula et al., 2011). The development of pressure ulcers occur when there is injury to the skin or tissue usually over bony prominences such as the coccyx, sacrum or heels from the increase of pressure and shear. This injury will compromise blood flow and result in ischemia due to lack of oxygen being delivered (Gyawali et al., 2011). Patients such as those who are critically ill or bed bounded are at high risk of developing pressure ulcers (O'Brien et

An interdisciplinary team of professional staff is a necessity to overcome the issue of pressure ulcer development among patients. Relevant stakeholders would include a nurse, nurse aide, dietitian, and a hospitalist. The primary responsibilities of the nurse consist of completing and documenting skin and risk assessments, monitor progress and/or changes in medical/skin conditions, report patient problems to the hospitalist, and work with the wound team

To start the search for evidence within University Hospital, questions were asked in regards to pressure ulcers. Monthly updates are often sent out via email from the wound care team to keep everyone up to date on knowledge. While there was informative numbers within those updates, this information falls short according to Moore, Webster, & Samuriwo (2015). The main limitation of the study is the lack of a control group in pressure ulcer prevention and treatment. There is no clarity in the specific criterion that contributed to improved clinical outcomes. Teams used more than one method in the research project. Also, there is no study that meant the inclusion criteria in the random clinical trials. The lack of standardized

While nurses encounter patients with pressure ulcers in home care and acute care settings, they are mainly a problem with elderly adults in long term care facilities. This is because of decreased sensory perception, decreased activity and mobility, skin moisture from incontinence, poor nutritional intake, and friction and shear (Stotts and Gunningberg, 2007).

Today in clinical I experienced how to properly position a patient to prevent the risk of further damage, such as pressure ulcers.

The qualitative research article selected for critique is the study by Athlin et al. (2009), with the title of, “Factors of importance to the development of pressure ulcers in the care trajectory: perceptions of hospital and community care nurses”. This study looked at contributing factors promoting the growth or relapse of pressure ulcers, and how the nurses working in hospitals or group care, comprehend them in the care trajectory.

occurs when a patient adult or child is confined for long periods of time to a bed, or is

Research analyzing is a process in which a research undergoes a careful examination for its strength and weakness. Analyzing a research gives the nurse a chance to know the credibility of the study, its findings to see the evidence base for practice or utilization or application of the findings into the care practice. This paper is about analysis of a research conducted in relation to wound care in primary health care. This research took place in Stockholm, Sweden. The study shows a descriptive quantitative approach in investigating district nurse wound care management.

I will methodically analyze all parts of the study to assess the validity of the article, by contrasting and comparing the information provided, with previous literature. I will try to make sure that recommendations provided by the authors are congruous with nursing practice and beneficial to the advancement of it. I will as much as possible provide in depth detail of previous studies on the same topic that either support or contradict the analysis provided by this study and its authors.

o Review of related literature: In what ways does the literature review support the need for this study?

A review of the literature provides more detailed information on the chosen topic. Its purpose is to give the researcher knowledge that will form the foundation for his or her study and therefore, the information must be related to the topic. Not only does it provide basic information on the variables in the topic but also covers various relatable studies conducted in the past; how, where they were conducted, and the conclusions that the researcher(s) came to. Literature can be obtained from a wide variety of sources; newspapers, journals, databases, books, encyclopedias, digital sources, and much more. Information obtained in this section helps the researcher understand the magnitude of the problem defined in the first stage, recognize any consequences and gaps that other researchers may have not filled, and identify potential strategies to combat the problem. It serves as a secondary source of information. Based on