Critical Care Outcomes and Nurse Work Environment: An Article Critique
Meghan B. den Hartog
Missouri State University
Critical Care Outcomes and Nurse Work Environment: An Article Critique
“The Critical Care Work Environment and Nurse-Reported Health Care-Associated Infections” is an article on a retrospective, cross-sectional study. The four authors associated with this article are highly credentialed and work in either a critical care or educational setting or both. The study herein addresses a possible relationship between nurse-perceived critical care work environment and the nurse-perceived incidence of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
Critique of the Introduction
The introduction of the article is concise and clearly states pertinent information. At twelve words, the article title is appropriate in length and states the study’s key components. The abstract is direct and representative of the entire topic; however, it is troublesome in relation to its stated conclusion that “healthcare-associated infections are less likely in favorable critical care work environments” (Kelly, Kutney-Lee, Lake, & Aiken, 2013, p. 482). This may be misleading. The limitations …show more content…
First, despite the large and relatively diverse sample, the generalizability is questionable. Further studies involving a wider spread of the population are needed. Second, while the assessment tools used are credible, reliability of the data is also called to question. Actual numerical data collected on the incidence of HAIs is needed to support the subjective data collected by the surveys. Despite the questionable areas of this study, it does indeed start a conversation about nurse work environment and patient outcomes. This is an aspect of American healthcare that warrants investigative research, especially in critical care
Meghan B. den Hartog
Missouri State University
Critical Care Outcomes and Nurse Work Environment: An Article Critique
“The Critical Care Work Environment and Nurse-Reported Health Care-Associated Infections” is an article on a retrospective, cross-sectional study. The four authors associated with this article are highly credentialed and work in either a critical care or educational setting or both. The study herein addresses a possible relationship between nurse-perceived critical care work environment and the nurse-perceived incidence of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
Critique of the Introduction
The introduction of the article is concise and clearly states pertinent information. At twelve words, the article title is appropriate in length and states the study’s key components. The abstract is direct and representative of the entire topic; however, it is troublesome in relation to its stated conclusion that “healthcare-associated infections are less likely in favorable critical care work environments” (Kelly, Kutney-Lee, Lake, & Aiken, 2013, p. 482). This may be misleading. The limitations …show more content…
First, despite the large and relatively diverse sample, the generalizability is questionable. Further studies involving a wider spread of the population are needed. Second, while the assessment tools used are credible, reliability of the data is also called to question. Actual numerical data collected on the incidence of HAIs is needed to support the subjective data collected by the surveys. Despite the questionable areas of this study, it does indeed start a conversation about nurse work environment and patient outcomes. This is an aspect of American healthcare that warrants investigative research, especially in critical care