The importance of evidence-based practices for surgical nursing

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Zehra UNAL1, Sena Nur ARSLAN2
 

1Hitit University, Turkey
2Hitit University, Turkey

: J Nurs Patient Care

Abstract

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Today, with the progress of science and technology, new-modern treatment and care methods have started to be applied in the field of healthcare, as in all areas. In the field of surgery, which is particularly in need of technological and modern practices, there has been a transition from traditional care methods during the pre-operative, intra-operative, and postoperative processes to evidence-based practices. Research shows that with evidence-based practices, complications in the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative periods are minimized, recovery is accelerated, costs, length of stay and mortality rate are reduced, etc. It is known that many positive results have been achieved. Especially in recent years, the Accelerated Recovery After Surgery protocol developed by the ERAS association is a protocol that stands out in terms of evidence-based practices. ERAS protocol is a process that covers the pre-, intra-, and post-operative periods and also requires a multidisciplinary approach. Within this multidisciplinary team, surgical nurses have significant responsibilities. The ERAS protocol consists of practices that encompass both dependent and independent roles, which form the foundation of nursing. With the evidence-based practices of the ERAS protocol, surgical nurses can meet all the physiological and psychological needs of patients before, during and after surgery. In this regard, the importance of evidence-based practices in surgical nursing emerges. Thanks to evidence-based practices, patients can be mobilized early, their stress, recovery time, hospital stay and costs are reduced, and mortality rates are decreased. At the same time, surgical nurses can use their time effectively and their workload decreases.

Biography

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Zehra UNAL is Assist Prof Dr in the Department of Surgical Diseases Nursing. She has been working in Department of Surgical Diseases Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Hitit University, Corum, Turkey since 2013.