Page 11 - APPENDIX B: Trials Investigating the Management of Acute Radiation-Induced Skin Reactions Reading Qualitative Research

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WOUND CARE

5) Anticipation: Develop proactive efforts to restore and maintain health with possible

policy change.

These underpinning assumptions assist in establishing the feasibility of the project, developing

the research purpose, design and methodology to answer the clinical inquiry.

Project Description

Problem statement. As explained earlier, the effects of radiating through dressings are

not well understood. The radiation technique being considered here is external beam

radiotherapy that includes photon or electron beam x-rays. In my observation, many different

practices exist based on empirical, physical or anecdotal evidence. Further, as modern wound

care products are expensive, it is possible that the more cost efficient practice of radiating

through dressings is also the ‘best practice’. There is not only a need for studies to evaluate

modern wound care products in the context of radiotherapy skin reactions, but also for

innovative techniques “to improve the neglected area of radiotherapy side effects” (Faithfull,

2008, p. 343).

If practices can be standardized, the overall benefit will be for both patients and to the

Radiation Oncology Centres and their staff. In order to develop a focused research question, I

used the PICOT tool by Melnyk and Fineout-Overholt (2011). Accordingly, in the PICOT

format where P (Population), I (Issue), C (Comparison): none, O (outcome): none, T (time), the

clinical question is framed as, “What is the current (T) evidence regarding the practice of nurses

(P) in Canada in relation to radiating through dressings (I) among patients with cancer?”

Research literature related to wound care primarily focuses on wound assessment and

treatment options resulting in practical tools for providing evidence-based care (Kohr, 2007).

However, an understanding of the nurse’s experience of dealing with wounds is valuable to