Name two potential barriers that may prevent your EBP change proposal from continuing to obtain the same desired results six months to a year from now and your strategies for overcoming these barriers.

Barriers to Sustaining Change in Evidence-Based Practice Nursing

Strategies to overcome them

Implementing change in evidence-based practice nursing can sometimes be challenging, affecting sustainability. To sustain the change, the organization’s culture must be incorporated. However, there are barriers to sustaining the change after implementation, including inadequate resources and workforce. Among the proposed changes was the use of ripple mattresses for patients with bedsores or debilitated patients at risk of getting pressure sores. Of concern is that ripple mattresses are expensive, and not all patients can afford them. Renting a ripple mattress just for, say, a week costs around $50. According to Payne (2018), a ripple mattress is effective in preventing and healing pressure sores because of the rippling effect it causes while inflating and deflating. However, because of its high cost, sustainability will not be easy. To overcome the financial barrier, I would recommend involving non-governmental organizations in funding and donating ripple mattresses for patients from low-income families. In addition, it would also be essential to call upon occupational therapists to help design regular mattresses to act as ripple mattresses for those who cannot afford them.

The second barrier is the inadequate workforce to implement the two-hourly bed turning of patients. Most hospitals are usually busy, and the recommended nurse-to-patient ratio is not yet met internationally. According to Shin et al. (2018), a high nurse-to-patient ratio is associated with poor healthcare outcomes as nurses experience extreme burnout due to too much work. This will, therefore, make it impossible to sustain the two-hourly bed turning of patients. For the sustainability of two hourly bed turns of debilitated patients, it would be necessary for the government to increase the workforce where possible. In addition, the patient’s relatives can be trained on how to maintain the two-hourly bed turning of their patient and its rationale.

References

Payne, D. (2017). Pressure ulcer prevention with a new mattress. Nursing And Residential Care, 19(11), 613-615. https://doi.org/10.12968/nrec.2017.19.11.613

Shin, S., Park, J. H., & Bae, S. H. (2018). Nurse staffing and nurse outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nursing Outlook, 66(3), 273-282. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2017.12.002