Date of Award
Spring 5-12-2023
Document Type
Scholarly Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Department
Nursing
First Advisor
Mandi Alonzo
Second Advisor
Jennifer Harris
Third Advisor
Greg Belcher
Abstract
Introduction: Like many hospitals across the country, a Southwest Missouri hospital emergency department (ED) is frequently crowded with patients. The resource nurse role is one method EDs use to help manage surges in patient care. A resource nurse is a registered nurse whose dedicated role it to help other nurses in the unit. Unfortunately, there are no specific written expectations to guide the resource nurse. The nurse often waits to be needed and productivity and dependability are highly variable. Purpose: Implementation of a checklist could prompt the resource nurse to be more productive, will provide written expectations for the role, provide a means of knowledge sharing, and could be used to provide accountability for productivity. Methods: The project consisted of four basics steps. Step one was to conduct a focus group of content experts to design the checklist. Second, the pre implementation survey using Qualtrics software was conducted. Next, the checklist was implemented and after a three-month study period the staff completed the post-survey. Results/Conclusions: The pre/post surveys measured nursing perceptions to detect improvement in the resource nurse utility. While the analysis of the data did not show significant change in nursing perceptions of resource nurse utility from the initial version of the checklist more research is needed to further improve the checklist and determine longer term outcomes related to ED throughput, outcomes, nurse stress, turnover, and burnout.
Recommended Citation
Tucker, Aaron, "An Emergency Department Resource Nurse Checklist" (2023). Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Project. 93.
https://digitalcommons.pittstate.edu/dnp/93