A nurse working in an acute care setting wanted to determine the most accurate way to take patients temperatures. The nurse noticed that the tympanic thermometers used by the unit were often not accurate

Question

The nurse found that the literature showed tympanic thermometers were not the most accurate method of obtaining a temperature. The nurse wants to change the nursing practice of the unit. What is the nurse's most logical next step? a. Discuss the findings with a patient to gain support.
b. Tell the aides to stop taking temperatures.
c. Share the findings with the nursing policy and procedure committee.
d. Write an editorial in the public newspaper to bring the community into the process.

Answer 1

C
A key feature of a practice environment that supports the use of best evidence is requiring clinical practice policies and procedures to be evidence based. Many organizations involve staff nurses and research-prepared advanced practice nurses in reviewing scientific articles relevant to policies and procedures and then making appropriate revisions. Policies and procedures are important tools for supporting hospital-based nurses in using evidence in their everyday practice and promoting positive patient outcomes. Discussing results with the patient will not get the procedure changed. Telling the aides to stop taking the temperatures is dangerous. Writing an editorial in the public newspaper is inappropriate to effect change on the unit. First follow poli-cies and procedures of the agency in which one works.