International journal of nursing practice
-
The aims of this study are to describe Chinese parents' perceptions of informational and emotional support received from nurses and their recommendations for improvement in the management of their child's postoperative pain. Data were collected using a questionnaire survey completed by 206 parents of 6- to 12-year-old child hospitalized in 12 wards in five provincial hospitals in Fujian Province, China, in 2004. ⋯ Parents made some recommendations, which centred mainly on nurses' use of non-pharmacological methods. Findings suggest that parents need more information related to pain management and their understanding of the information should be ensured.
-
This study aims to examine patient wait times from triaging to physician assessment in the emergency department (ED) for non-emergent patients, and to see whether patient flow and process (triage) are impacted by aged patients. A retrospective study method was used to analyse 185 patients in three age groups. Key data recorded were triage level, wait time to physician assessment and ED census. ⋯ The effects of aged patients on ED structure and process have significant implications for nursing. Nursing process and practice sets clear responsibilities for nursing to ensure patient safety. However, the impact of factors associated with aged patients in ED, nursing's role and ED process can negatively impact performance expectations and requires further investigation.
-
Medication errors have been the focus of considerable research attention in nursing; however, the extent to which nursing students might contribute to errors has not been researched. Using a grounded theory approach, in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with undergraduate nursing students based in a university in Queensland to explore their experiences of administering medication in the clinical setting. ⋯ Medication errors by nursing students have the potential to impact significantly on patient safety, quality of health care, and on nursing students' perceptions of their professional competence. Ensuring direct supervision is provided at all times must become an urgent priority for undergraduate nursing education.