Improving nursing practice: the provision of equipment

Area of Science:

• Nursing Care Quality
• Healthcare Management
• Medical Equipment Auditing

Background:

• Nursing care quality relies on skilled practitioners and adequate equipment.
• Urinary catheter availability and storage are critical components of patient care.
• Previous assessments lacked data on the impact of equipment management on nursing practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the availability and storage of urinary catheters.
• To evaluate the impact of equipment audits on nursing practice and resource management.
• To identify improvements in urinary catheter stock and selection awareness.

Main Methods:

• Conducted two point prevalence surveys on urinary catheter availability and storage.
• Documented stock levels, condition, and types of catheters across different locations.
• Compared findings between initial and follow-up surveys to track practice changes.

Main Results:

• Initial survey showed no correlation between catheter availability and patient incidence.
• Second survey revealed reduced excessive/outdated stocks and damaged items.
• Improved availability of small balloon catheters and increased awareness of judicious catheter choice were noted.

Conclusions:

• Equipment audits effectively raise awareness of clinical issues and unnecessary expenditure.
• Audits indirectly monitor care aspects like standards and guidelines adherence.
• Implementing regular audits can lead to significant improvements in medical supply management and patient care.