clinical question that puzzles you?

Hi everyone. I am student nurse in the south island of New Zealand and needing some ideas for a research assignment. I figured i would post in this forum since the majority of you are experienced and may have come across something that you've often wondered about.
'm finding it difficult to come up with something that hasn't been done (i haven't had that many clinical placements yet)

Some examples that they've given us are:
"Why do we measure a persons vital signs every 4 hours?"
"Does home visiting improve health outcomes?"
"When someone is having a blood transfusion how frequently should you check for transfusion reactions?"

those were just a few examples... i initially wanted to have something like "Why can't registered nurses in New Zealand catheterise males" but i couldnt find any research on it and my lecturerer told me to do something else.

can you think of any good ones?? something that i could find some good research on? the assigment just requires us to form a research question using PECOT (population/exposure/comparison,control/outcome/time)
Really you can't cath men? Can a male RN cath a woman?

wow, cathing a man is so much easier than a woman

yeah it's a bit silly (i am actually going to write a submission on it).. i know some can but on all of the different wards i had my placements on they had to call a doctor to do it.In class, we learnt how to catheterize a woman but not a male.Flo- yes a male nurse can catheterize a woman

Quote from Sez86yeah it's a bit silly (i am actually going to write a submission on it).. i know some can but on all of the different wards i had my placements on they had to call a doctor to do it.In class, we learnt how to catheterize a woman but not a male.Flo- yes a male nurse can catheterize a woman

This must be a hard topic because there are reasons for everything we do. even the ones you listed i can come up with answers pretty quickly. There are some things that are considered 'old' nursing where its hard to figure it out... Oh i thought of one! (actually by browsing allnurses i found it haha)why are we instructed to have the opening of the pillowcase facing the door when we make beds? not that anyone actually does it, just nursing school stuff that is STILL taught!

Why do we measure a persons vital signs every 4 hours?"all patients admitted in the hospital are considered to be unstable, it is important to monitor patient vital sign, since mostly patient admitted in hospital are given intravenous therapy, thus, monitoring of fluid intake via intravenous is important to determine patient volume status, such as hypo or hyper tensive, and any changes of vitals sign calls for medical attention."Does home visiting improve health outcomes?"yes, it evaluates patients outcome and effect of discharge instruction, as well as monitoring post hospital coping."When someone is having a blood transfusion how frequently should you check for transfusion reactions?every 15 minutes until stable, and every 30 minutes, it is important to monitor patient for signs of headache, pruritus, chest pain, Difficult of breathing, itchiness, changes in baseline vital signs, etc. these are signs of BT reaction, which BT should be stopped at once and informing the doctor immediately is a primary nursing responsibility.check ur fundamentals of nursing,

Quote from Sez86"Why do we measure a persons vital signs every 4 hours?"

"Why can't registered nurses in New Zealand catheterise males"In the hospital i worked, catheterization is primarily a doctors job, but in certain cases or emergency cases with proper order, nurse do the catheterization, catheter pull-out order; is a nurse job, We do also observe gender issues, male nurse cath male patient; viz-a-viz, In NZ perhaps, these practice may be bound to transcultural and gender issues. however, "will you not save a lamb from the cliff because it is sabbath?

Quote from LPNweezyThis must be a hard topic because there are reasons for everything we do. even the ones you listed i can come up with answers pretty quickly. There are some things that are considered 'old' nursing where its hard to figure it out... Oh i thought of one! (actually by browsing allnurses i found it haha)why are we instructed to have the opening of the pillowcase facing the door when we make beds? not that anyone actually does it, just nursing school stuff that is STILL taught!