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  • Essay / Impact of Interruptions in Emergency Nursing

    Table of ContentsIntroductionLiterature ReviewConclusionThis article will explore the impacts of interruptions on emergency nursing. I will evaluate this using information gathered from 3 articles. All of the studies in these articles illustrate the harmful consequences of emergency nursing interruptions on patients and nurses. When interruptions occur, it is likely that adverse consequences will result. This indicates the need for further research into these situations and the interventions needed to reduce their occurrence. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essayIntroductionThe purpose of this article is to identify interruptions in emergency nursing and the effects they have on patients and nurses, as well as strategies needed to reduce the number of such interruptions. Interruptions are things that prevent something from happening, thereby distracting an individual's attention from the task at hand. Many types of interruptions can occur. Some interruptions come from other members of the health care team, such as doctors or nurses, interrupting patient care to ask questions or give orders. The patient being cared for, other patients, family members and other visitors can also contribute to interruptions experienced by nursing staff. Other interruptions may occur from alarms such as heart monitors, call bells, IV pumps, EMS radio systems, or lookback pages. The emergency department environment is fast-paced, with patient presentations, complaints, and unknown events. This varied nature of the environment is what attracts emergency nurses to this area of ​​the medical field. Many types of interruptions can occur in this context. Healthcare professionals in this area of ​​care are accustomed to trauma, cardiac arrest and bizarre patient presentations. However, the familiarity of this unpredictable environment does not prepare nurses for the type and frequency of interruptions experienced during a shift, nor the unintended consequences this could have for them and their patients. Literature Review Nurses are at the heart of health care, as nurses occupy the majority of time spent with patients during hospital stays. Interruptions during emergency nursing care have a negative effect on nurses' cognitive functions, leading to memory deficits, decreased response times, increased mental workload, and increased risk of error (Forsyth et al., 2018). According to Monteiro, Avelar, and Pedreira (2015), interruptions can delay patient care, compromise patient safety, and decrease the quality of patient care. These consequences can lead to patient dissatisfaction as well as dissatisfaction among healthcare staff. Interruptions have occurred endlessly in existence, as well as in the healthcare system. Interruptions can contribute to nursing errors and put patient safety at risk. In 2015, the following article “Nurse interruptions and patient safety: an integrative literature review” was published. According to Monteiro, Avelar, and Pedreira (2015), this article was created from 29 studies reviewed from a database in which the following items were searched: “interruptions and patient safety.” THEStudies used by these Brazilian authors came from several countries to include the United States, Australia, Denmark, Canada, Italy, United Kingdom, China, Sweden and Germany. Therefore, interruptions experienced by nurses and their effects on patient care are a global phenomenon that has been studied. In the chaotic emergency services environment, interruptions will occur. Current studies reveal the quantity and variety of interruptions experienced by emergency nurses. Forsyth et al. (2018), reports that emergency nurses experience 8.7 interruptions per hour during a shift. Of these interruptions, "communication from other emergency room nurses accounted for 38.7%, communications from physicians accounted for 8.5%, communications from other healthcare personnel accounted for 15.6%, followed by environmental interruptions at 19.9%, telephone calls and telephone calls together accounted for 12%. %, and unplanned patient care accounted for 5.5%” (Forsyth et al., 2018). It was also determined that only 2.1% of interruptions were considered high priority (Forsyth et al. , 2018). It is clear that emergency nurses face many interruptions throughout their shift: “Given the impact of interruptions on the environment, it is not surprising that the emergency department has been identified as having the highest rates. preventable deaths and other adverse events. "Interruptions may occur when preparing medications, collecting supplies, performing assessments and interventions, providing reports, documenting, and in hallways. Monteiro, Avelar and Pedreira (2015) reported that "studies have identified that 88.9% to 90% of interruptions resulted in negative consequences, such as delay in processing and loss of concentration, and the majority of interruptions were produced during medication administration and while nurses were documenting. Disruptions during critical times like these not only result in a delay in patient treatment, but can also lead to safety issues and patient harm. Monteiro, Avelar and Pedreira (2015) also mention that “a study reports that unnecessary interruptions to care generate frustration, stress and demotivate professionals. "Revealing that not only do interruptions affect patient safety, but also nursing staff morale. In a fast-paced, ever-changing environment like that of emergency departments, nurses and other healthcare workers can feel the need to relay messages quickly, even if it means interrupting someone else's task. Some perceive this as the daily norm and have become accustomed to these interruptions, regardless of how it may affect them or the care they provide. However, it is important to remember that these established standards can have detrimental consequences during the examination. According to Monteiro, Avelar and Pedreira (2015), “these events are common in nursing practice and have an impact on the nursing practice. quality and safety of patient care by interfering with the cognitive processes of staff members, which can lead to a large number of errors. While studies indicate that interruptions can lead to increased nursing errors, patient safety risks, delays in care, and lower nurse morale; others.