Throughout identifying, retrieving, and reviewing information on proning, I have learned more about it and the benefits. I would not say my assumptions changed, because I went into the project thinking proning patients was a beneficial measure and that is what the literature showed. I had heard about proning from my clinical instructor, as she works in the Special Care Unit. She had many stories of using the prone position with vented COVID-19 patients. I also recall in Adult Health III, the term “good lung down”, which can refer to the prone position in some instances.
My group was excited about the topic of proning, especially since it has been widely used during the pandemic. We were glad to not have to change the topic, but we did have to revise our proposal. We had too wide of a scope to be able to properly complete our proposal. We wanted to have a teaching session for nurses and then evaluate their work and patient outcomes afterward. That is not feasible, as we will all be in different places working different times for preceptorship. I think our idea would have had valuable outcomes, but we were not in the right place to execute it. We ended up with the idea to create a handout with education regarding proning patients that will be given to the nurses in the SCU at SMHC. There will also be an electronic survey to assess the nurses’ knowledge before and after receiving the handout.
This was an interesting project that I feel I got information to carry with me in my practice as a RN. I did not know very much about proning, besides that it was beneficial for those with respiratory problems, like COVID-19. The research my teammates and I completed gave me a much better picture of proning, when it is done, and the effects it has on patients. This knowledge will allow me to assess my future patients and possibly suggest proning as a method to help improve their condition. I still have a lot to learn, especially about critical patients, but this project opened my mind to certain aspects of respiratory care.
Since the beginning I have had a good feeling about this group and our ability to work as a team. Being in the same clinical group has bonded us and we’ve all gotten closer working together on MS4. I never found it challenging to get us all working on the project. We all wanted to participate and do it well. I tend to pay attention to detail and I sometimes I feel bad for constantly finding little pieces to tweak. I hoped they would take my feedback and suggestions well. Each time they were open to it, and we were able to openly discuss if and how to fix any problems. We all held up our ends of the bargain and gave it our best efforts. I really enjoyed working with this team and I look forward to finishing this project with them.
