Key result
An educational intervention for nurses improved compliance with best practice standards for blood pressure measurement, including a 50% improvement in correct cuff placement.
Why the study?
Does an education and audit program improve nurses' compliance with best practice standards for blood pressure measurement?
Does an education and audit program improve nurses' compliance with best practice standards for blood pressure measurement?
A targeted education and audit program can improve nursing compliance with best practice standards for blood pressure measurement.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Supports nurse education programs to improve BP measurement compliance; hypothesis-generating pending larger trials on outcomes.
AIM: The aim of this project was to educate staff nurses and enrolled nurses on the correct placement of blood pressure cuff and monitor the compliance of best practice to audit criteria. METHODS: This project adopted a pre- and post-implementation audit approach. It utilised the Joanna Briggs Institute Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System and Getting Research into Practice programs. The project utilised three audit criteria that are considered the best practice standards. The audit took place in a 10-bed oncology high-dependency unit that involved 24 nurses. RESULT: The post-implementation audit findings revealed an improvement in all the three criteria. The first criterion scored 100% consistent documentation of blood pressure measurement in the clinical charts by the nurses. The second criterion showed a 50% improvement in the correct placement of blood pressure cuff on the arm circumference. The third criterion achieved a 12% improvement in compliance with maintaining the patient's arm at the heart level. CONCLUSION: This project highlighted some essential strategies that are required to implement evidence in clinical practice. These strategies include planning a systematic process, using Joanna Briggs Institute best practice sheet, involving relevant stakeholders and using multifaceted strategies. Having a committed and enthusiastic team contributed to the positive outcomes. The challenge now is to develop strategies in sustaining the momentum of compliance and embed the new evidence into routine clinical practice.
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Garcia et al. (2012) studied Blood pressure measurement practices (n=24). Education on correct placement of blood pressure cuff and best practice standards vs. Pre-implementation practices was evaluated on Compliance with best practice audit criteria for blood pressure measurement. An educational intervention for nurses improved compliance with best practice standards for blood pressure measurement, including a 50% improvement in correct cuff placement.
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