A vision for eye care: a brief study of the change process

Eye care is recognised as a basic nursing care procedure required by critically ill patients, to prevent complications such as eye infection or injury (Lloyd 1990). There is scanty literature available on the subject, with little evidence to support the action advised (Smith 1983, Lloyd 1990). Despite this, critically ill patients are given eye care by nurses, but the practical application varies widely (Farrell & Wray 1993). Selection of eye care techniques is based on the individual nurses' beliefs and values, and established largely by tradition. This article describes how this haphazard system of eye care was standardised in a general intensive care unit using the Dynamic Standard Setting System format for standard construction (RCN 1990). This formulation of a standard for eye care was used to explore the process of planned change underpinned by Lewin's theoretical model of change (Lewin 1964).