Finding Scientific Evidence to Support Clinical Decisions

Finding Scientific Evidence to Support Clinical Decisions Introduction
           Identifying the best scientific evidence is critical to support clinical decisions in the nursing practice of wound management on chronic diabetic foot ulcers by setting an appropriate research question and reviewing supporting literature. Effective management of chronic diabetic foot ulcers demands that nurses have competency in knowledge, abilities, and preferences on wound care. In wound management, evidence-based practice is invaluable in achieving better patient outcomes and reducing the cost of care. Nursing practice significantly influences clinical-based decision-making during wound care management, a nurse-led intervention. Nevertheless, appropriate wound-care products or wound care therapy in promoting wound healing determine patient outcome. While acute wounds will heal without a problem among healthy persons, they can be complex and unpredictable, especially among diabetic patients. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain the quality of life and well-being of patients with chronic diabetic foot ulcers with weaker physical health, poor social and mental well-being, and lower practical ability, in addition to managing the constant pain due to the wound. This critical appraisal summarizes two research studies addressing the PICOT question: In patients with stage 3 diabetic ulcers, how does negative pressure wound therapy compare to a standard moist dressing affect wound healing over a period of two months?
Background of Studies
           In examining the opinions of nurses applying negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), Cray (2017) has found that healthcare professionals receive inadequate care training, which impacts patient safety. Nurses’ knowledge and skills in wound care are crucial factors in determining the best way of treating wounds and overall wound healing. Cray’s (2017) study aims to determine if the experiences of nurses are comparable to the experiences of patients. However, although nurses are aware of the basic evidence in wound treatment, they lack additional, less pressured, and practical training (Cray, 2017). As nurses need to learn complex and highly specialized skills quickly in a busy ward setting, often with no prior preparation or training, Cray’s (2017) article identifies that the care professionals have insufficient training on wound care. Therefore, the study seeks to answer the question of the opinion of nurses applying NPWT to enhance patient safety. A qualitative descriptive study by Huang et al (2020) explores the experiences of NPWT at home among patients with chronic wounds. The study follows observations that although patients prefer NPWT done at home, they lack the necessary preparedness and health education to make independent medical decisions. Therefore, wound professionals must implement patient education to enhance patients’ treatment experience to ensure effective and safe wound care. To enhance the quality of care, Huang et al (2020) article answers the question of the nature of the process and experiences of patients with chronic wounds under NPWT at home.
How Do These Two Articles Support the Nursing Practice Problem You Chose?
           Cray's (2017) and Huang et al (2020) work support the selected nursing problem of improving the quality of life and outcomes among patients with stage 3 diabetic ulcers. The current study will apply information from the two articles to answer the PICOT question that seeks to examine how NPWT is an effective intervention in the management of stage 3 diabetic ulcers compared to the standard moist dressing. Besides, the interventions and comparison groups in the two articles compare to those identified in the PICOT question, which makes the studies relevant to the present investigation. Cray (2017) offers invaluable information on the enhancement of nurse education in improving wound management using NPWT, while Huang et al (2020) have offered insights into the experiences of patients receiving NPWT at home and how such insights can translate to improving quality of care throug...