Measurement, Statistics and Appraisal | Academic Papers Help

Measurement, Statistics and Appraisal

Measurement, Statistics and Appraisal (Pressure Ulcer)
The research study used in this essay is of Infected Pressure Ulcers in the Long-Term-Care Facilities. Participation in this research entailed gain of knowledge about Pressure Ulcers because of the information exchange involved. The participants were able to learn more about the sores and how to prevent them. The patients also benefited from the study in that they learnt on how to avoid and speed up the healing process. Through the study period participants would be forced to work with the infected patients in some instances. The open wounds on their bodies were infectious and being in close relation with them exposed the participants to risk of contamination. Most of the subjects in this conduct were not in the situation to speak for themselves due to the pain involved and some were in commas. Therefore consent was obtained from their relatives. It was explained that the study would not harm them in any way and in the few times that they were conscious they had no complains about the involvement. There was no mention of the institutional review board in the research.
The independent variable in this study was the sores on the infected patients. The way the sores formed and why they did was under research so that possible preventive ways would be implemented to bring about change. The dependent variable was the increased stay in the Care Facilities. Infection with pressure ulcers consequently increased admission periods in the hospital as the patients needed concentrated care and continuous observation. Data in this research was collected from reports written after analytical surveys had been conducted in the same region. This method of data collection was preferred because to conduct the data collection process themselves would be time consuming. Since the data collected was from about the same time with their research and it was clearly analyzed it was considered for use. The exact time period for the research was not stated but it entailed review of reports on the same subject there before. Participants would analyze the data and get the required information from them to propel their research. The participants would also visit certain care facilities and ask questions from the nurses and the family members to the infected patients. This helped to give clarity to the obtained data from the analyzed reports and surveys.
Though the data management strategies used were not pointed out, comparison of the past data and information obtained from the care facilities helped analyze the data and show how correct it was. Since the data from the past reports had statistical calculations and percentages of the infection rates and the durations involved, the same were used on the current research though the numbers were ascertained with the care facility personnel. The research process was not conducted by one person to the end. The participants analyzed all the data separately then came together to create a single thread of information through comparisons and contrasts of their individual findings. This made sure that all had gone through the raw data before combining their findings. The results of the research showed that there was a large prevalence of pressure ulcers among the residents involved in the study and an annual incidence of 10% to 21%. For all the patients detected with pressure ulcers, about 65% of the patients in the survey showed symptoms of stage II to stage IV ulcers. Urinary tract infections prevailed as well with the prevalence of pressure ulcers. It was approximated that the average healing period for a patient infected with pressure ulcers was about 5 months with a stable diet that boosted regeneration and healing of the skin tissue. Personally the findings have reduced in this day and time because people have more knowledge on pressure ulcers than before. Nowadays special continuous care is taken for those who are faced with the threat for pressure ulcers for instance comma victims. They are turned from time to time to reduce the chances of the infection since this is considered the major cause. The elderly too are taught on how to prevent pressure ulcers since they are more vulnerable as their aging skin has an increased susceptibility to injury and has a very slow healing ability.
Insufficient data from the infected patients themselves was a limitation to this research. Most of the data collected about the patients was from the nurses and related members to the patient. Though this was helpful, it would have been preferred to obtain all the data from the patients themselves. The study showed that presence of pressure sores increased the duration of stay in the hospital. Subsequently this increased the work load of the nurses therefore to reduce this nurses were educated more on the preventive measures of the infection. For future reference, the care facilities involved in the research project were given copies of the fully updated research project to be able to apply the findings to their day to day activities with the purpose to reduce the number of patients diagnosed with Pressure Ulcers.

References
Smith, P., Joyce, M. & Black, S. (1999). Infected Pressure Ulcers in the Long-Term-Care
Facility. Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, 20(5), 358-361