Opportunity for audit: establishing and monitoring the use of protocols for nurse-led treatments of minor injuries.
During the last three years an integrated initiative has evolved in the casualty units of nine community hospitals in the Grampian region of Scotland. This has involved the development of nurse-led treatments for minor injuries based on a large number of assessment/treatment protocols. This paper describes how this change was used as an opportunity to initiate audit within clinical practice. Methods of auditing the use of the new protocols are detailed and baseline results are reported and discussed. In this way it is hoped that nurses involved in similar developments can learn from the strengths and weaknesses of this initiative.
Macduff
C
C
Centre for Nurse Practice Research and Development, Robert Gordon University, Hilton Place, Aberdeen, AB24-4FP, UK.
West
B
B
Lawton
S
S
Leslie
A
A
Ironside
M
M
D002985:Clinical Protocols; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D009731:Nursing Audit / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D009737:Nursing Records; D012606:Scotland; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000451:nursing*