Over the years, the nursing profession has significantly evolved in such a way that requires them to work in various fields ranging from hospitals, community health departments, laboratories, home health care and the business sector. However, despite the fact these roles carry different responsibilities, the main goal of professional nurses remain the provision of optimal care based on evidence obtained through research. The utilization of research-based evidence requires an in-depth understanding of statistics which facilitates the prediction of the patterns regarding the symptoms in the patients. It also allows them to adequately prepare and develop coping measures associated with the uncertainty of situations. Additionally, statistics in the nursing profession facilitates evolution and improvement of the activities carried out through the standardization of the methods used in collecting medical data. Moreover, statistical analysis in the nursing profession enables practitioners to make decisions regarding the requirements of the administration of further immediate medical attention or follow-up. Therefore, based on these descriptions, this paper will emphasize on discussing the impacts of statistical analysis on the nursing profession.
Discussion
The statistical analysis describes the steps employed in the collection and scrutiny of all the data samples contained in a variety of items. The achievement of these elements involves the description of the nature of data that requires analysis and exploration of the relationship between the data and the underlying population. It also incorporates the creation of a model(s) necessary for summarizing an understanding of the relation of data to a particular population (Beach and Davies, 2013). These elements are followed closely proving or disproving the validity of the model and employment of predictive analytics in the determination of scenarios aimed at guiding future actions. In the nursing profession, statistical analysis has for many years played a significant role in the identification of patterns and trends particularly in unstructured data. According to research, statistical analysis in the nursing profession facilitates the description of the relationship between one event and situation to another (Duncan, Thorne and Rodney, 2014). It also enables the determination of the most effective methods necessary for the administration of medications as well as following protocols. For instance, a nurse may make observations regarding a patient that may require further attention. The use of statistical analysis will enable the nurse to make decisions on whether further immediate medical attention is necessary or follow up on the patients record.
Most importantly, critical understanding of the data which provides information as well as insight regarding the relationship between events or situations allows the nurse to provide appropriate care and advocate for efforts necessary in advancing the profession. Statistical analysis in the nursing profession focuses on the demonstration of the most effective protocols necessary for patient care based on evidence obtained from research (Maltby, Day and Williams, 2014). However, the establishment of these evidence-based practices necessitates a basic understanding of statistics which facilitates reading, comprehension, and interpretation of the relevant literature. The ability to statistically analyze situations and events allows clinicians to adequately determine whether the methods or protocols used commonly need to be revised based on the relevant research. Additionally, statistical analysis in the nursing profession enables the prioritization of treatment and the determination of whether or not patients need further medical attention. The achievement of these aspects occurs through the application of statistical analysis which facilitates the identification of patterns in vital signs and symptoms (Maville and Huerta, 2013). It also allows nurses to make appropriate decisions on how to respond to changes in a patients medical status. Similarly, statistical analysis facilitates the documentation of the timing medications should be given to patients through data sheets and frequency charts. However, the use of statistics and statistical analysis in the nursing profession brings about a myriad of effects particularly in the enhancement of care and educating the next generation of practitioners.
Positive Impacts of Statistical Analysis in the Nursing Profession
The application and understanding of statistical analysis in the nursing profession facilitate the appropriate allocation of limited resources which may eventually lead to changes based on facts as opposed to anecdotal evidence (Fattah Aziz, 2013). For instance, in an experiment involving about 230,000 surgical discharges from various hospitals in Pennsylvania, more than 4500 patients (2%) died within 30 days after they were admitted. The use of statistical analysis allowed to investigators to estimate the main courses and their determination revealed that the difference in the nurse-to-patient staffing ratios brought about 1000 deaths. The use of analytical tools allowed the practitioners to determine the problem and develop strategic ways of minimizing the effects through the emphasis on evidence-based research (Zarzeka et al., 2016). These factors brought about the enhancement in the provision of care and the identification of areas that needed change such as increment in the nurse-to-patient ratio within a healthcare facility.
Most importantly, statistical analysis in the nursing profession, since the era of Florence Nightingale, has brought about the adequate understanding of the components required during the preparation of future practitioner researchers as well as faculty teaching programs. The adoption of these analytical components at the various levels of nursing teaching programs enables them to boost their skills as well as confidence in the delivery of care to their patients (Stommel and Dontje, 2014). Furthermore, statistical analysis in the nursing profession has brought about the development of new and advanced methods and protocols necessary in the administration of medication and determination of suitable solutions based on evidence obtained from research. For instance, if the policies employed within a hospital require nurses to change an IV line after every 24 hours, but studies indicate that alterations made after 20 hours would result in a reduction of risks associated with thrombophlebitis by about 20 percent, the reasonable option would entail changing the procedures. In this case, statistical analysis regarding the use of an IV line in treating thrombophlebitis has facilitated the identification of better alternatives which would lead to improved results based on evidence obtained from research (Kim, Kim, and Choi, 2016). Nurses will employ these alternatives to ensure the provision of quality care and minimal effects to their patients and initiate changes in the policies and procedures applied within the hospital.
Besides, statistical analysis in the nursing profession brings about accountability in the cases handled and the procedures used on different patients. In almost all cases, nurses rely on evidence-based research to determine the appropriate procedures and protocols to follow in providing care to their patients. The reliance on these factors allows them to evaluate the patterns of diseases in the patients and apply them in recommending appropriate procedures aimed at boosting their welfare (Kim, 2015). However, due to the high occurrence of deaths related to carelessness and negligence of nurses, statistical analysis brings about various features used in accounting for the procedures conducted on the patients. These features include frequency charts and data sheets that require nurses to note down the different timings patients took their medication as other services offered. The determination of these features helps in the identification of errors made or undelivered procedures as well as the relevant stakeholders responsible for such mistakes and negligence (Duncan, Thorne and Rodney, 2014). Similarly, it also helps in creating an understanding based on evidence on the aspects that contributed to the worsening or demise of the patients and actions that needed to be taken to alleviate the situation or prevent future occurrences.
In the nursing profession, other effects associated with statistical analysis include determination of the number of patients who visit a healthcare facility on a daily basis. The achievement of these objectives occurs through the use of analytical tools such as the arithmetic mean in calculating and estimating the number of people who get treated in a day, a week or a month (Aalen, Borgan and Kvaloy, 2013). Moreover, these analytical tools facilitate budgeting and evaluation of costs incurred as well as profits obtained through the services carried out within the healthcare facility. Similarly, the calculation of data based on evidence obtained from the facilitys records enables the determination of the number of patients suffering from a particular disorder (Maltby, Day and Williams, 2014). The nurses within the hospital may use this information to implement preventive measures against such disorders.
Negative Impacts of Statistical Analysis on the Nursing Profession
The application of statistical analysis requires well-defined mathematical processes and procedures in the collection, interpretation, and presentation of data. The quantitative processes employed focus on summarizing and partially reducing data into small portions which may be interpreted within the context of a predetermined theoretical background. Nonetheless, instead of collecting data from the entire population, researchers and analysts focus on studying a thoroughly selected subset of the population, study sample (Stommel and Dontje, 2014). The challenge in the application of such analytical procedures entails the occurrence of errors in the interpretation and presentation of data. Statistical analysis brings about biases and wrongful representation of information in a particular population. For instance, during the outbreak of a disease, nurses will focus on determining the extent to which the effects of the disease have been experienced. The achievement of such tasks occurs through the use of a study sample to represent the entire population which yields erroneous outcomes. The study sample may include people with mild symptoms of the disease while other sections of the population portray strong signs and instances of casualties. Nurses may use the mild symptoms to issue a representation that the entire population portrays similar signs (Kim, 2015). Statistical analysis brings about the generalization of information which in turn results in wrongful interpretation and representation of data.
Conclusion
Evolution in the nursing profession has driven them to work in various fields ranging from hospitals, community health departments, laboratories, home health care and the business sector. However, the responsibilities they carry emanates from the main goal of providing optimal care based on evidence obtained through research. The utilization of research-based evidence requires an in-depth understanding of statistics which facilitates the prediction of the patterns regarding the symptoms in the patients. It also allows them to adequately prepare and develop coping measures associated with the uncertainty of situations. Statistical analysis in the nursing profession facilitates evolution and improvement of the activities carried out through the standardization of the methods used in collecting medical data. It als...
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