Reflect      on the four peer-reviewed articles you critically appraised in Module 4,      related to your clinical topic of interest and PICOT.

Introduction: Healthcare organizations constantly seek opportunities to improve their services by implementing evidence-based practices. The purpose of this presentation is to propose an evidence-based practice change to address the current problem in our healthcare organization. This presentation describes the culture and readiness for change, the current problem, an evidence-based idea for change, the plan for knowledge transfer, the dissemination strategy, measurable outcomes, and lessons learned.

Healthcare Organization: Our healthcare organization is a community hospital that provides acute care services. The organization’s culture values the input of all stakeholders in the decision-making process. The organization has a culture of learning, where every staff member is encouraged to participate in continuous learning and development. The hospital has a readiness for change, and the staff is open to adopting new evidence-based practices to improve the quality of care.

Current Problem: The current problem in our healthcare organization is the high rate of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs) among patients admitted for more than five days. HAPUs are a common problem in hospitals and can cause pain, discomfort, and prolonged hospitalization for patients. HAPUs also increase the cost of care and may result in litigation against the hospital.

Evidence-Based Idea for Change: The evidence-based idea for change is to implement a pressure ulcer prevention protocol. The protocol will include the use of pressure-relieving devices, turning and repositioning the patient every two hours, daily skin assessment, and documentation of the preventive measures taken. The protocol will be based on the best available evidence from randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. The pressure ulcer prevention protocol will be implemented in collaboration with the nursing staff, physicians, and other stakeholders involved in patient care.

Plan for Knowledge Transfer: The plan for knowledge transfer will include knowledge creation, dissemination, and organizational adoption and implementation. Knowledge creation will involve conducting a literature review to identify evidence-based practices for pressure ulcer prevention. Dissemination will involve sharing the evidence-based practices with the nursing staff, physicians, and other stakeholders through educational sessions, staff meetings, and other communication channels. Organizational adoption and implementation will involve incorporating the pressure ulcer prevention protocol into the hospital’s policies and procedures.

Dissemination Strategy: The results of the project will be disseminated through a variety of channels, including staff meetings, presentations at conferences, and publications in relevant journals. The dissemination strategy will be based on the target audience and the intended outcomes. The dissemination strategy will be developed in collaboration with the hospital’s communication department.

Measurable Outcomes: The measurable outcomes of the implementation of the pressure ulcer prevention protocol will include a reduction in the incidence of HAPUs, an improvement in patient satisfaction scores, a reduction in the length of hospital stay for patients with HAPUs, and a reduction in the cost of care associated with HAPUs.

Lessons Learned: Through the critical appraisal of the peer-reviewed articles, I learned the importance of evaluating the quality of evidence and using evidence-based practices to guide decision-making. The Evaluation Table within the Critical Appraisal Tool Worksheet Template helped me to critically appraise the articles and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the evidence. The critical appraisal process helped me to identify the best available evidence to inform the pressure ulcer prevention protocol.