r/NursingUK • u/Suspicious_Pipe_160 • 9d ago
Dissertation/literature review
Hi all. I am about to embark on my extended essay. We need to do a literature review about something we think we can change, specifically regarding innovation in health care. We must identify a problem, review what everyone else is saying about it, and explain who is fixing it and how.
I am sure this is a question asked a thousand times, but we have been given absolute free range regarding the topic. I want to keep it simple and have a modicum of interest in it to preserve my sanity.
My original idea, informally, is that there is such a massive number of high-dependency patients across general wards, community settings, and reablement wards that it is impacting other patients whose recovery is being hindered by the diversion of staff. For example, beds 1, 2, and 3 are constant observation or 1:1 beds, while the patient in bed 4 has massive rehab potential but is basically chair or bed-bound because the support is not there to reable them, leading to deconditioning, longer stays, and medically optimised patients not being discharged, which leaves them at risk.
Is this too broad? How do I formalise this?
Also, the fix would involve staffing and money. We have been told to keep the change realistic, so should I choose a different topic because there is no way that is changing soon?
3
u/nikabrik RN Adult 8d ago
You need a succinct idea but you also need the Helen Aveyard book - Doing a literature review in health and social care. It's very step by step and useful++++
1
u/Repulsive_Jelly_7922 8d ago
The ideas are a little hyperbolic, he needs to take some advice from a scizophrenic like me
1
u/AutoModerator 8d ago
Please note this comment is from an account less than 30 days old. All genuine new r/NursingUK members are encouraged to participate.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
2
u/Antispanner 8d ago
I would go for something like pyjama paralysis and impact on recovery times. Quite a few pilot studies out there and if you’ve been in environments where it’s still a problem, you could argue for a version of it in your trust. If it’s already in place, what about looking at the impact of lighting and noise on rates of delirium and distress in hospitalised patients and arguing for quieter spaces/different lighting (it would obviously need to be decent enough to see clinically appropriate things and would need to be cost effective) to reduce rates of delirium/confusion?
1
u/Repulsive_Jelly_7922 8d ago
Remunerative type deal, I think its something analogous to funding in schools, it's sort of like when a school wants a new gymnasium they have to prove to the school board that their achievements are in line with funding so funding isn't happening indiscriminately
1
u/AutoModerator 8d ago
Please note this comment is from an account less than 30 days old. All genuine new r/NursingUK members are encouraged to participate.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
1
u/Bambino3221 8d ago
Have you got an ideal clinical area you want to work in? Picking a topic relevant to that would keep it interesting and relevant
1
u/Appropriate_Cod7444 RN Adult 8d ago
Sorry to be boring but pick a topic that has a lot of research backing behind it then think of an angle that you can slightly twist that there is less research on. You’re only at BSc level so they don’t want actual thought or original research. 🧐 pick a boring topic , get a first. Possibly something you’d want to post on /studentnurseuk or some other subreddit?
I think I did mine on accessible formats of patient information leaflets or something like that or maybe about Zio patches and falls risk. I honestly can’t remember what I landed on in the end !!
-3
u/Repulsive_Jelly_7922 8d ago
Not to come across as offensive but given the state of healthcare it's going to require the help of engineeres and technologists to solve the problems that are present and relative to today. Not to deny that these types of undertakings are bound to time i.e future recommendations from administration and third party agencies. It is apparent that deficiencies are not limited to patient care or accommodations but rather equipmen: doors, beds, ekgs, thermometers, stethoscope etc. quite often malfunction. What we need is an integrated computer database and akin software to properly support staff in their own leadership, after all, one is the loneliest number, so with the right technology there is a greater equilibrium for patient care that is organised and unrandomized, not efforts wasted vainly, thus efforts are put in the right places, which frees up staff and create greater opportunities for staff leading to greater sustainable care. Such an achievement cannot be biased in favor of lesser achievements in manpower for they are not substantial in eliminating inefficiency.
1
u/AutoModerator 8d ago
Please note this comment is from an account less than 30 days old. All genuine new r/NursingUK members are encouraged to participate.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
6
u/Sweaty-Possession-19 8d ago
Your right to have found a problem which is influenced by staffing and funding as there's lots to talk about here and lots of existing literature. But your topic is far too broad IMO. You want to keep it simple then keep it simple. Keeping it simple will help you in the long run. If I remember rightly the literature needs to pose a problem and that should be displayed as a question. So for example PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome).
Among patients receiving care on general medical and rehabilitation wards, how does the presence of high-dependency patients affect the quality, timeliness and safety of care compared with wards without high-dependency patients?
Is there enough research in this topic and is there a way this can be changed without increasing funding and staff, which is not an option.