Dependent and Independent Variables in Evidence-Based Practice-Nursing

Dependent and Independent Variables in Evidence-Based Practice-Nursing

My evidence-based project is the prevention of pressure sores in an acute hospital setting. Collecting independent and dependent variables is critical in evaluating the outcomes of evidence-based projects (Abou Hashish & Alsayed, 2020). One of the dependent variables that I will collect for my evidence-based project is the pressure ulcers developing in patients admitted to acute care settings. A dependent variable is a variable that is being tested in a scientific experiment (Andrade, 2021). My evidence-based project aimed to prevent pressure sores. These variables are critical since they will ascertain the efficiency of the health outcomes of my evidence-based practice project by frequently changing the patient’s position (Boyko et al., 2018).

The health outcomes of my evidence-based project will be the prevention of pressure ulcers. Scientific evidence suggests that pressure ulcers in hospitalized patients increase the risk of complications, including increased length of hospitalization, increased infections, and mortalities (Bhattacharya & Mishra, 2015). Evaluating the incidence of pressure ulcers is essential in hospital settings since it will help them implement evidence-based strategies to prevent these pressure ulcers.

The independent variable being evaluated in this evidence-based project is the patient repositioning within an acute care facility. Constant patient repositioning for patients in acute care facilities reduces pressure sores’ prevalence (Boyko et al., 2018). Other variables do not change an independent variable in the experiment (Andrade, 2021); thus, this independent variable will require the training of nurses on the benefits of positioning patients to reduce and prevent pressure ulcers. The utilization of evidence-based practice aids in determining the prevalence of pressure sores in healthcare settings and the complications of pressure ulcers. It will also help implement strategies to prevent pressure ulcers.

References

Abou Hashish, E. A., & Alsayed, S. (2020). Evidence-based practice and its relationship to quality improvement: A cross-sectional study among ‎Egyptian nurses. The Open Nursing Journal, 14(1), 254-262. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874434602014010254

Andrade, C. (2021). A student’s guide to the classification and Operationalization of variables in the conceptualization and design of a clinical study: Part 2. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 43(3), 265-268. https://doi.org/10.1177/0253717621996151