GCS STOCKINGS AND NURSES' TRAINING

GCS Stockings And Nurses' Training



GCS Stockings And Nurses' Training

(Proposal)

Introduction:

The research proposal below seeks to analyse the background information on GCS stockings and from this background information to find a gap in the knowledge to research further. A research design will follow, discussing how the student will undertake the research and how the data will be collected and analysed. The student will conclude discussing the positives and negatives of the research design, whether it is feasible or not and will also discuss future recommendations and further research. It is evident that incorrect application of GCS stockings leads to poor patient outcome. The student felt it would be useful to research how nurses feel having been given the correct training to apply GCS stockings. In doing so it will highlight issues of concern and contribute to an awareness of current evidence based practice. This may help to change opinions and reinforce new learning to improve future practice and as a result improve the standards of care to patients.

Statement of the Problem

During a recent hospital stay, one of the authors developed two severe pressure ulcers after ill-fitting stockings were applied during a surgical procedure. This experience increased awareness that something as beneficial as GCS may not be as benign as formerly thought, and that the use of GCS was a practice that required closer examination. Staff perceptions about GCS were gathered and explored. A number of complaints were expressed. Anecdotal reports included a perception that the incidence of GCS-related pressure ulcers had increased. Informally, patients had been heard to complain about how hot the stockings are, how hard they are to apply, and how they twist and feel tight. Nurses complained that patients did not like the stockings. The team decided to investigate the use of GCS in the institution in order to understand the issues more fully.

Research Question

This study will address the following research question:

Q1: When nurses are exposed to a training programme do they 'fit' GCS more effectively than nurses who have had not had the training?

Aim:

The aim of this study will be to:

Conduct a piece of research to determine whether training for nurses to apply GCS stockings has any effect on the patient compared to nurses who do not have the training.

Design of the study:

The research question above immediately informs the reader of what this study is about. The reader knows what he/she is looking at the effectiveness of training and in turn patient outcome. We know the subjects- a convenience sample of post operative patients on the ward. We know it is a quantitative study as it is comparing 2 or more variables. Consequently we will need a large sample. Quantitative research defined by Burns (2005) is a 'formal objective, systematic approach to describe and test relationships and to examine cause and effect interactions among variables'. Patients will be supplied with a patient information sheet to explain the purpose of the ...