Raising a New Standard
2
commen ta r4f ( Judith Poole, RNC, MN Raising a New Standard hen AWHONN releases its fifth edition of Standards for the Nursing Care of Women and Newborns later this year, nurses can expect to find revisions within this widely used and well-respected document that keep pace with the dra- matically changing practice environment. Reading the fifth edition, nurses will immediately notice a departure from the current format in the fourth edition. Those changes reflect a commitment from the Task Force for Standards Revision to move toward evi- dence-based practice while integrating the art of women’s health and perinatal and neonatal nursing. This change works to strengthen the unifying concept of women’s health and perinatal and neonatal nursing as the nursing core that meets the health care needs of women across their lifespan. Although the fifth edition works to move the organization toward this concept, the standards are also adaptable to all practice settings, allowing freedom for guideline development within local practice areas. A New Format Drawing from formats used by both the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the Agency of Health Care Policy and Research, the fifth edition is divided into two sections-Section I: “Standards of Care and Standards of Professional Performance,” and Section 11: “Guidelines. ” Standards are the unifying core of nursing. The first section on standards provides nurses with a clear defi- nition of the unique aspects of nursing practice, regardless of her or his particular speciality area. In the fifth edition, nurses will notice a decided focus on the process of nursing care, a focus on the nurse, and definition of a nurse’s responsibilities with patients. The section on standards of professional performance delineates the various roles and behaviors of the pro- fessional nurse and indicates those activities for which the nurse is held accountable. AWHONN’s acknowledgment of the importance of The second section, “Guidelines,” defines To order a copy of the AWHONN fifth edition Standards for the Nursing Care of Women and Newborns, call the AWHONN Fax-On-Demand line at (800) 395-7373 and request document #615. patient-focused care that is evidence-based and out- come-oriented. The ANA defines guidelines as a focus on specific patient care delivery needs and patient outcomes. Seeking Clarification In revising the standards, the task force sought clarifica- tion on “what is a standard of care,” and “what is the intent of standards of care?” According to the ANA, standards are held to be authoritative statements pro- mulgated by the profession that describe the responsibil- ities for which nurses are accountable. As such, stan- dards provide a clear definition of what is unique to the AWHONN-associated nursing specialties. Standards define nursing’s accountability to the public and are designed to endure changes in practice over time, according to the ANA. Each standard within the fifth edition includes a core statement and measurement criteria. The core statement applies to all of nursing practice, regardless of practice specialty or practice setting. After each core statement, a list of measurement criteria is provided as a means to comply with the core statement. Because standards are designed to endure over time, the intent within core statements shouldn’t change with each new edition. However, the measurement criteria may change to reflect the needs of nurses practicing in various settings as health care policies and practices change. This is vital to every nurse within AWHONN: the fifth edition recognizes that nursing is dynamic and provides a strong foundation from which to practice. Unlike standards, guidelines focus on patient out- comes and not on the process of care. Practice guide- lines serve as a framework for care directed toward the recommended management of patient-specific condi- tions, such as telenursing, home care, management of staffing resources, health education, and health assess- ment. Guidelines are developed through expert consen- sus after a thorough review and analysis of the current existing literature and scientific research. Development of the guidelines section of the new standards will be an ongoing and dynamic process-one that will reflect a growing body of knowledge that will guide practice toward an evidence-based approach. Judith Poole, RNC, MN, is the chairperson of the AWHONN Task Force for Standards Revision, and chairperson for the Committee on Practice, and is the perinatal outreach edu- cation coordinator for the Department of Obstetrics at Carolina’s Medical Center in Charlotte, NC. October 1997 Lifelines 13
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Transcript of Raising a New Standard
commen ta r4f
( Judith Poole, RNC, MN
Raising a New Standard hen AWHONN releases its fifth edition of Standards for the Nursing Care of Women and Newborns later this year, nurses can
expect to find revisions within this widely used and well-respected document that keep pace with the dra- matically changing practice environment.
Reading the fifth edition, nurses will immediately notice a departure from the current format in the fourth edition. Those changes reflect a commitment from the Task Force for Standards Revision to move toward evi- dence-based practice while integrating the art of women’s health and perinatal and neonatal nursing. This change works to strengthen the unifying concept of women’s health and perinatal and neonatal nursing as the nursing core that meets the health care needs of women across their lifespan. Although the fifth edition works to move the organization toward this concept, the standards are also adaptable to all practice settings, allowing freedom for guideline development within local practice areas.
A New Format Drawing from formats used by both the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the Agency of Health Care Policy and Research, the fifth edition is divided into two sections-Section I: “Standards of Care and Standards of Professional Performance,” and Section 11: “Guidelines. ”
Standards are the unifying core of nursing. The first section on standards provides nurses with a clear defi- nition of the unique aspects of nursing practice, regardless of her or his particular speciality area. In the fifth edition, nurses will notice a decided focus on the process of nursing care, a focus on the nurse, and definition of a nurse’s responsibilities with patients. The section on standards of professional performance delineates the various roles and behaviors of the pro- fessional nurse and indicates those activities for which the nurse is held accountable.
AWHONN’s acknowledgment of the importance of The second section, “Guidelines,” defines
To order a copy of the AWHONN f i f th edit ion Standards for the Nursing Care of Women and Newborns, call the AWHONN Fax-On-Demand line a t (800) 395-7373 and request document #615.
patient-focused care that is evidence-based and out- come-oriented. The ANA defines guidelines as a focus on specific patient care delivery needs and patient outcomes.
Seeking Clarification In revising the standards, the task force sought clarifica- tion on “what is a standard of care,” and “what is the intent of standards of care?” According to the ANA, standards are held to be authoritative statements pro- mulgated by the profession that describe the responsibil- ities for which nurses are accountable. As such, stan- dards provide a clear definition of what is unique to the AWHONN-associated nursing specialties. Standards define nursing’s accountability to the public and are designed to endure changes in practice over time, according to the ANA.
Each standard within the fifth edition includes a core statement and measurement criteria. The core statement applies to all of nursing practice, regardless of practice specialty or practice setting. After each core statement, a list of measurement criteria is provided as a means to comply with the core statement.
Because standards are designed to endure over time, the intent within core statements shouldn’t change with each new edition. However, the measurement criteria may change to reflect the needs of nurses practicing in various settings as health care policies and practices change. This is vital to every nurse within AWHONN: the fifth edition recognizes that nursing is dynamic and provides a strong foundation from which to practice.
Unlike standards, guidelines focus on patient out- comes and not on the process of care. Practice guide- lines serve as a framework for care directed toward the recommended management of patient-specific condi- tions, such as telenursing, home care, management of staffing resources, health education, and health assess- ment. Guidelines are developed through expert consen- sus after a thorough review and analysis of the current existing literature and scientific research. Development of the guidelines section of the new standards will be an ongoing and dynamic process-one that will reflect a growing body of knowledge that will guide practice toward an evidence-based approach.
Judith Poole, RNC, MN, is the chairperson of the AWHONN Task Force for Standards Revision, and chairperson for the Committee on Practice, and is the perinatal outreach edu- cation coordinator for the Department of Obstetrics at Carolina’s Medical Center in Charlotte, NC.
October 1997 L i f e l i n e s 13
Guide I i ne Development With the fifth edition, the task force is beginning the developmental process for guideline development. Recognition of the nurse’s role in providing care,
counseling, and health education to women and fami- lies of newborns that is based in theory and research
education, research, and practice, nurses foster an environment for further development of evidence- based thinking that continually contributes to the body of nursing science. Guideline development will
parallel the expansion of evidence-based practice for all nurses caring f o r women
ther develop guidelines so that they become congruent with the intent to provide very specific information
and newborns. Additionally, guideline development
facilitates the identification of areas where the knowledge base is weak and
The chariges reflect a commitment from the Task Force for Standards Reuision to move
toward evidence- based practice while directs the need for-further clinical research. The task force recognizes that
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14 L i f e l i n e s October 1997
