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  • Essay / Nursing theories and nursing practice - 1742

    Nursing theories are the support for nursing practice today. Applying nursing theory into practice has a significant impact on improving the quality of patient care and overall health care outcomes. In particular, a theory of practice called the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle, developed by W. Edwards Deming, can be applied to improve processes in health care settings. According to Varkey, Relle, and Resar (2007), this theory "involves a test-and-learn approach in which a hypothesis or suggested solution for improvement is formulated and tests are carried out on a small scale before changes are made." are brought to the whole. system” (p. 736). Healthcare processes must be constantly evaluated based on evidence-based practices to improve quality and achieve better patient outcomes. Nursing leaders have a significant impact on quality management and empower employees to pursue process improvement. In my article, I will discuss the application of the PDSA cycle in quality improvement to reduce catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) in elderly patients. The knowledge gained will help identify a strategy to reduce the number of CAUTIs in acute care settings. Additionally, staff will be empowered to improve the delivery of care to this population and management will review existing policies and procedures to provide standards for improved practice. Overall, reducing the occurrence of CAUTIs will result in better quality management and better patient outcomes. Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections During hospitalization for other health problems, nosocomial infections (HAIs) develop. According to Stone (2009), they are the fifth leading cause of death in acute care settings in the United States. Most people in the news are among nursing home health care workers. Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 58(8), 1532-1537. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.02964.xSedor, J. & Mulholland, S. (1999). Hospital-acquired urinary tract infections associated with indwelling catheter. Urology Clinic of North America, 26(4), 821-828.Stone, P. (2009). Economic burden of nosocomial infections: an American perspective. Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, 9(5), 417-422. doi:10.1586/erp.09.53Sundvall, P., Ulleryd, P., & Gunnarsson, R. (2011). Questionable urine culture in determining the etiology of diffuse symptoms in the elderly: a cross-sectional study of 32 nursing homes. BMC Family Practice, 1236. doi:10.1186/1471-2296-12-36 Varkey, P., Reller, M., & Resar, R. (2007). Foundations of health care quality improvement. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 82(6), 735-739.