Chapter 6: Research and Evidence-based Practice in Nursing

Asha has noticed that many of the patients in her ward (who are elderly) are not eating all their meals and are losing weight over the length of their stay. She decides that she needs to investigate why this is happening as she knows that poor nutrition can lead to poorer outcomes for patients including increased incidence of pressure injuries, infection rates and longer stays in hospital. She decides that she needs to undertake some research to identify what the problems may be.

Question

  • How might she go about looking at the problems identified above using the evidence-based triad?

Answers

  • Use of up-to-date evidence by undertaking a search regarding nutrition and the elderly in hospitals to identify any possible indicators she could explore further.
  • Interviews with dieticians in the hospital regarding the nutritional needs of elderly patients and how these are currently met in the hospital as well as interviewing those staff responsible for serving meals and feeding elderly patients.
  • Interview elderly patients on her ward to identify the factors impact on their nutritional intake.