2010 Volume 14 Issue 3 Pages 219-228
[Purpose] The aim of this study was to clarify the effectiveness of certified nurses (CNs) for quality improvement in dysphagia nursing by ward nurses.
[Methods] This study was approved by the ethics committee of our university. A survey was conducted CNs and their ward nurses at 4 months and 1 year 4 months after the CN was certified by the Japanese Nursing Association. A questionnaire survey of CNs and their ward nurses was conducted by mail using a quality assessment scale developed for dysphagia nursing (QASDN). The QASDN for ward nurses consisted of 64 items and six factors: “Ⅰ: assessment of swallowing function”; “Ⅱ: assessment and practice for planning to leave the hospital”; “Ⅲ: risk management and practice of dysphagia rehabilitation”; “Ⅳ: practice of dysphagia rehabilitation for pharyngeal dysphagia”; “Ⅴ: evaluation and coordination”; and “Ⅵ: assessment of risk management.” The QASDN for CNs consisted of 69 items and seven factors. The QASDNs for ward nurses and for CNs were rated on a scale of five.
[Results] 1. The mean scores of total, factor Ⅱ, factor Ⅲ, factor Ⅳ, and factor Ⅴ of QASDN for ward nurses at 1 year and 4 months after CNs started activity in their hospitals were significantly higher than at 4 months (p＜0.05). The mean scores of the five factors excluding factor Ⅱ for the ward nurses group of CNs with above-average scores on QASDN were significantly higher than for the ward nurse group of CNs with below-average scores on QASDN (p＜0.05). 2. From the results of multiple regression analysis, the significant factors in the sum score of overall QASDN for ward nurses at 1 year and 4 months after CNs started activity were in turn the length of their dysphagia nursing experience, the length of their clinical nursing experience, and the above-average QASDN scores of CNs.
[Conclusion] These results suggest that the nursing quality of CNs favorably influenced quality improvement of dysphagia nursing by ward nurses in the hospital.
