A survey on processing measurements and structural standard compliance in emergency wards

Abstract

Introduction: Nowadays, not only nurses need to have knowledge and skills, but they must be able to judge in clinical high risk conditions, to take a decision to maintain patients' lives, to solve complex problems and to think critically. Nurses who work in emergency wards need to have enough knowledge for diagnosis and classifying emergencies, gather data correctly, provide necessary patient education and anticipate in care needs for problem solving. But, lack of planning on no anticipated conditions, inappropriate control of care givers, equipment insufficiency, inappropriate physical environment and ultimately lack of compliance of processing and structural standards, result in decreasing their correct functions and endanger patients lives leading to death. Unfortunately, what are often seen in treatment centers, are services made far from professional standards that have direct effects on community health. Therefore, we decided to examine measurements of processing and structural standard compliance in a sample center (Emergency ward in Kashani Hospital) and to demonstrate the alternatives.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive analytic survey carried out In Isfahan Kashani Hospital. The main goal of research was examination and measurement of structural standard compliance (physical environment, equipments and personnel) and processing manner of patients care. First, an observational checklist was made to evaluate physical environment, equipments, personnel and nursing care instruments in emergency ward. Then, necessary information via these tools was gathered from emergency wards and their staff (nurses and auxiliary nurses). Collected data were examined through descriptive statistics.

Results: The findings of this research indicated a desirable condition in 48.5% of physical environment and equipments and in 74% of personnel. Also, 86% of personnel had average competency.

Conclusion: The findings showed that the inappropriate physical environment, insufficient equipments, inappropriate distribution of personnel and useless accountancy/control tools are the most important problems in this ward.

Key words: Processes Standard, Structure Standard, Nursing Care Standard