Over the course of the next eight weeks, we will be examining concepts related to nursing research and the translation of evidence to practice. To help you better understand the process, you will be identifying a practice issue for nurse practitioners. You will develop a PICOT question associated with the issue, find evidence to support a change in practice, and present your recommendations for change to your peers. This week, we will work on helping you refine your area of interest so that you will be able to develop a concise question for next week’s assignment. You are encouraged to use the area of interest you chose for the project in NR500NP and/or NR501NP; however, you may choose a different area if you wish.
Select an issue in nurse practitioner (NP) practice that is of interest to you and in which you would like to see a practice change occur. Conduct a review of literature to see what is currently known about the topic. In 1-2 paragraphs, describe the scope and relevance of the issue and your recommended change. Provide reference support from at least two outside scholarly sources to support your ideas. Please pick something you can do as a NP in your practice. Please avoid anything that would require a policy or law change, such as full-practice authority.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
As a medical professor, I understand the importance of identifying practice issues and implementing evidence-based changes in healthcare. This week’s assignment for nursing research aims to help students develop a concise PICOT question associated with NP practice issues. In this context, I will provide an answer to a content-related question regarding identifying practice issues and recommending evidence-based changes.
Answer:
The scope and relevance of the issue I have chosen for this assignment is related to the management of type 2 diabetes in elderly patients. The prevalence of diabetes increases with age, and the management of diabetes in elderly patients presents unique challenges due to coexisting comorbidities and polypharmacy. Despite the availability of evidence-based guidelines for diabetes management, geriatric patients often receive inadequate care, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality rates.
To address this issue, my recommended change is to implement a comprehensive annual diabetes review for elderly patients. This review should include an assessment of the patient’s glycemic control, blood pressure, lipid profile, and kidney function. Based on the review, an individualized care plan should be developed, including medication adjustments and lifestyle interventions.
Two outside scholarly sources to support this recommendation are:
1. Huang, E. S., Brown, S. E., Ewigman, B. G., Foley, E. C., Meltzer, D. O. (2007). Patient perceptions of quality of life with diabetes-related complications and treatments. Diabetes Care, 30(10), 2478-2483. doi: 10.2337/dc06-1982
2. American Diabetes Association. (2021). Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes-2021. Diabetes Care, 44(Supplement 1), S1-S232. doi: 10.2337/dc21-SINT01
