Uses of Statistical Information
Jean Matsche
University of Phoenix
Statistical Applications
Tammy Czarnecki
October 5, 2007 Uses of Statistical Information
The expansion of the responsibilities of nurses, the nursing shortage, and increasing specialization make it more important than ever that nursing practice be evidence-based (Understanding Nursing Research, 2007). This expectation has made it evident that clinical nurses acquire skills in reading and evaluating the results of statistical tests.
This systematic evaluation of practice is essential to providing quality care (Dorn, 2004).
One reason that nurses may avoid statistics is that may were taught only the mathematical procedures of calculating equations, with little …show more content…

Change is difficult, without data to confirm or deny that the change is effective, the clinical nurses may withdraw support and not continue to collect data on this or any other study initiated.
Sepsis in the neonatal period can be a devastating, life-threatening problem. For the neonate that requires assisted ventilation, the risk for infection is much higher, thus raising the morbidity and mortality rate. A Ventilator Acquired Pneumonia (VAP) is a nosocomial infection occurring in a patient requiring mechanical ventilatory support that was not present at the time of intubation. The VAP rate in the NICU at Saint Joseph's has been an ongoing problem, one that was well identified over two years ago through one of the Vermont Oxford studies on length of ventilator support. This was an unexpected result from that study, but the numbers were high enough to affect significantly the length of stay of the infants in the NICU. VAPs not only impact both the number of ventilator days and length of stay, but are the leading cause of death among hospital-acquired infections (Kollef, 2000). A group was formed at the time the results were received from Vermont Oxford and met for a number of months. A review of the literature and data collection of the current practices of similar neonatal units was done. Nothing was done with that information. The group has not met in over a year. The VAPs rate