Help Needed with research topic

rn/writer, RN · Jul 3, 2005

There's a thread on this forum concerning whether or not to use alcohol swabbing (I think it's called "To swab or not to swab") before doing blood glucose finger sticks. I believe some of the posts mention research and might include links.

I don't know if this is monumental enough for your purposes, but it seems like you could easily knock out 1500 words on the subject, especially with the information from various posters.

I'm from the no-swab school of thought. Even in a hospital setting (where nosocomial cooties abound), if both nurse and patient hands are soap-and-water clean, there should be no problem with infection. On the other hand, incompletely dried alcohol can cause the blood drop to lyse and certainly has a detrimental drying effect on diabetic fingertips.

I'd love to see you pursue this topic to add to our collective font of knowledge.

Good luck, whatever you choose.

Take care,

Miranda F.

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Jul 3, 2005

Just some other ideas off the top of my head....

Axillary versus rectal temps on newborns and infants.

Accuracy of tympanic temperature readings.

Troughs for IV medications such as Vanc or Gent versus troughs and peaks.

Alcohol preps for hands versus good old fashioned handwashing with plenty of soap and warm water.

Mouth care with chlorhexidine preoperatively to prevent ventilator-assisted pneumonia.

The usefulness of touch as a nursing intervention (or therapeutic touch, since this has been in vogue).

Humor and play as nursing interventions for children with cancer or other life-threatening diseases.

The use of guided imagery and/ or music therapy to ameliorate posteropative pain, nausea, and vomiting.

The use of prayer as a nursing intervention.

Family presence during codes or invasive procedures (lots of research on this topic).

Some other ideas or useful sites:

http://www.nursing.uiowa.edu/centers/gnirc/protocols.htm

http://ninr.nih.gov/ninr/news-info/pubs/por_conf/mcclosky.pdf

christvs, DNP, RN, NP · Jul 3, 2005

Tweety, I vote for the topic "Using alcohol foam cleaners for hands versus handwashing." There must be a ton of research out there on this topic.

jax · Jul 4, 2005

I posted about pinsites/ext.fixators on the other thread. (In case you missed it)

donsterRN, ASN, BSN · Jul 4, 2005

Vicky mentioned the idea of humor and play as interventions for seriously ill children. I would find that very interesting to research.

Loribabble · Jul 4, 2005

I just finished this class last qtr - glad it is over.

I did my paper on the importance of sleep in an acute care pt. LOTS of info out there.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jul 5, 2005

Thanks for the input.

I'm going to go with the topic "Family prescence during CPR". Thanks Vicky and others helped me. I certainly appreciate it. There's been some interesting research in the opinions of nurses and how they are, if they are, carrying this out in the real world, since it is recommended now the AHA.

rn/writer, RN · Jul 5, 2005

If you would, please post your paper (or a link to it) when you're done. My husband and I are both EMTs and this topic would be very interesting to us. Quite often, EMS personnel delivering a PNB patient to the ED stay and continue to perform CPR, freeing up hospital staff for the other parts of the code. Family members usually arrive a few minutes after we do (although sometimes I'm sure they give other drivers heart attacks with their attempts to keep up with the ambo) and are generally steered to a waiting area. These same people just saw us conducting an EMS code in their living room, so I can see rationales for going in either direction. Only rarely have family members been a problem--why aren't you getting him in the ambulance? what are you sticking down his throat? why are you hurting her?--but their fears are usually calmed with information and explanation. Still, there are those odd ducks who will create chaos and grief whether the arena is a CPR situation or a simple trip to the grocery store. You have to wonder then if the codee opted out in self defense. God love 'em all.

Thanks and good luck,

Miranda F.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jul 5, 2005

Miranda, I'll be happy to let you read it. It's a long paper and a long process and it's not due until six weeks. Basically, we're focusing on research as it's a research course.

I work the floor and haven't had family members in the room. We quickly whisk them out of the room without giving them the option, so it will be interesting to read the recommendations. I'm not sure what our ER is doing though. :)