Research Process for CLABSI Prevention

The research process is a systematic one that requires extensive rules that must be followed vigorously, especially in nursing practice. Nursing research provides evidence of an empirical nature in the hope of supporting and furthering the nursing practice (Burns, 1989). Any issue that is researched follows these steps: problem identification, a literature review, the proposed hypothesis, deciding upon a theoretical framework, selecting a research design, performing the research, analyzing the data, drawing conclusions and then disseminating the findings. For the purposes of furthering the need of CLABSI prevention, the research process becomes even more essential.

Given the prevalence of bloodstream infections in neonates, nursing researchers must first know what to look for in the overall prevention process. Any literature that is used in the nursing research process must specifically discuss CLABSI rates and the importance of hospital and medical setting cleanliness pertaining to catheter use in newborns. Furthermore, the literature must concisely state this so that the nursing researcher knows where to go from there as far as designing a framework for executing an experiment or study.

In the APIC Guide (2009) that discusses the elimination of CLABSI, it notes that researchers should know the various techniques and strategies proposed by the SHEA and Infectious Diseases Society of America and the CDC, so that there is thorough literature review undertaken and the research's design is as unique as possible ("APIC Guide," 2009, p.19-21). This will ensure that the type of research - either qualitative or quantitative is effective in providing exceptional insight into continual CLABSI prevention. It will also ensure that the population sample selected has significant CLABSI rates in their respective hospital and/or medical settings, so once the research is obtained, it can be examined thoroughly and in turn, extend the existing and current knowledge within the field.

References

Burns, N. (1989, December). The research process and the nursing process: Distinctly different. Nursing Science Quarterly, 2(4), 157-158. doi:10.1177/089431848900200404

Guide to the Elimination of Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections [Guide]. (2009). Retrieved from Association For Professionals In Infection Control And Epidemiology website: http://www.apic.org/Resource_/EliminationGuideForm/259c0594-17b0-459d-b395-fb143321414a/File/APIC-CRBSI-Elimination-Guide.pdf