NURS FPX 4025 Assignment 2 Applying an EBP Model
NURS FPX 4025 Assignment 2 Applying an EBP Model
Name
Capella university
NURS-FPX4025 Research and Evidence-Based Decision Making
Prof. Name
Date
Applying an EBP Model
Many people experience strong pain after hernia surgery. This pain hinders healing and leads to additional health issues. Nurses seek to find more effective ways to help patients experience less pain. This project uses the Iowa Model to guide care. It examines research on non-drug pain management options, such as patches and compression bands. The goal is to give patients better pain relief and faster healing. This assessment aims to explore nurse-led strategies for managing pain in patients recovering from hernia surgery.
An Issue That Needs EBP
One issue seen after hernia repair surgery is poor pain control. Many patients complain they feel strong pain after surgery. Past studies have found that between 26% and 39% of people have long-lasting pain after having laparoscopic hernia surgery. In general, in abdominal surgeries, the number of people with ongoing pain can range from 5% to as high as 85%. This can slow their healing (Widder et al., 2024). Some patients can avoid moving, coughing, or walking because of the pain. This can lead to more problems, like lung infections or blood clots.
Poor pain control also makes patients feel more stressed, worried, and discomfort. This issue can benefit from an evidence-based practice (EBP) approach. Using an EBP model can help nurses find better ways to manage pain after hernia surgery. The Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice is a good choice. This model helps nurses find the best research, apply it to their care, and see if it improves patient outcomes (Adams et al., 2024). It begins by identifying a problem, such as pain after surgery. Then, nurses look for strong research on pain relief methods. These can include things like ice packs and raising awareness about nanopatches, for example, the Kailo Flex patch, and patient teaching about the interventions.
NURS FPX 4025 Assignment 2 Applying an EBP Model
By using this model, nurses can learn what works to lower pain. They can then adjust their caregiving based on these findings. When pain is better controlled, patients heal faster, are more active, and feel more comfortable. It also means fewer problems and shorter hospital stays. In today’s nursing environment, it is no longer acceptable to rely on the mindset that they have always done it this way. Nurses must use strong, proven methods. EBP enables nurses to provide the best care possible. It enhances the lives of patients and supports nurses in their professional development (Connor, 2023). Using the Iowa Model helps ensure that care is based on facts, not habits. Pain control after hernia surgery is one area where this can make a big difference.
The Application of the EBP Model
The Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice is a step-by-step guide that helps nurses use research to solve problems in patient care. It is an effective model for improving pain control after hernia surgery. This model has seven main steps. Each step helps the nurse transition from identifying a problem to implementing real changes that benefit patients (Adams et al., 2024). The first step is to identify a problem or trigger. In this case, the problem is that many patients have poor pain control after hernia surgery. The next step is to decide if the issue is a priority for the organization. Pain is a common condition that affects many patients, so it is essential to address. Then, the nurse forms a team. This team may include nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals who work together to find solutions.
The fourth step is to gather and review research. The team looks for strong studies about the best ways to manage post-surgery pain. The fifth step is to decide if the research is strong enough to change practice. If it is, the team proceeds to step six, which involves creating a plan to implement the new practice. This could include using pain relief methods like massage, heat, the use of bands on the abdomen, and cold packs.
The final step is to evaluate the results. The team checks to see if patients now have better pain control, are healing faster, and are more active. If the change works well, it can help patients get a high standard of care in managing pain (Connor, 2023). The Iowa Model is a good choice for the pain issue because it is simple, organized, and team-focused. It helps nurses use the best science to improve care. For patients who have just had hernia surgery, this means less pain and better healing.
The Search Process
The Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice was utilized to identify more effective care options for managing pain in patients following hernia surgery. The first step was to see the problem. Many patients feel a lot of pain after surgery. This pain makes it hard for them to move, heal, and feel calm. It can lead to additional problems, such as mesh infections, lung infections, or blood clots (Wilson & Farooque, 2022). The second step was to decide if the issue was important to the hospital. Since pain after surgery affects many patients, it was chosen as a top issue to work on. Next, a team was formed.
This team had nurses, doctors, and a pain specialist. Together, they worked to find the best ways to lower pain. The team created a PICO(T) question to guide their search: “In adult patients after hernia repair surgery (P), how does using pain management interventions led by nurses like nano-patches, band compressions and mind–body modalities (yoga and meditation) (I), compared to guiding patients for passive distraction like watching TV, listening to music (C), affect pain levels and healing (O) within the first 3 days after surgery (T)?”
NURS FPX 4025 Assignment 2 Applying an EBP Model
Using this question, the team searched databases like PubMed and CINAHL. They looked for credible studies about nurse-led interventions, for instance, mind-body modalities, guided imagery, the use of ice, or band compressions. Keywords used for research included: nurse-led pain management, hernia surgery, mind-body modalities, nano-patches, band compression, guided imagery, postoperative pain, non-pharmacological interventions, and healing outcomes. One challenge was getting staff buy-in for nurse-led pain management strategies.
Some team members were unsure if interventions like meditation or compression bandages would be effective or practical. To address this, the team shared evidence from high-quality studies and explained how these methods could support recovery after hernia surgery. They selected interventions that fit the hospital setting and trained nurses to apply them. Later, they would measure whether patients experienced less pain and healed more quickly. This process illustrates how the Iowa Model enabled the team to translate research into practice, addressing a real patient care issue and enhancing outcomes.
Analyzing the Resources
The article by Chelly et al. (2024), published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, is a credible and relevant source. It was published within the last five years and comes from a peer-reviewed medical journal. The article follows the CRAAP test well. It is current (2024), relevant to post-operative pain, authored by experts, accurate with well-documented data, and has a clear purpose to inform clinical practice. This article supports the PICOT question. This article focuses on the use of nanotechnology patches, like NeuroCuple™ and Kailo™, for acute pain. The randomized study showed a 41% pain reduction within the first few days, aligning directly with the PICOT timeframe. This makes it highly relevant. The study also compares nanotechnology patches used alongside standard care, supporting the comparison in the PICOT question. While the studies mentioned were not placebo-controlled, the early findings are promising.
The study by Xiong and Liu (2025) is helpful for understanding how compression bands affect pain after hernia surgery. It was published in a peer-reviewed journal known for clinical research. This article is current, published within the last five years, which meets the Currency part of the CRAAP test (Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose). The Relevance is high, as the research focuses on patients after hernia repair, which matches the population in the PICOT question. The authors used strong evidence, including a meta-analysis of ten studies with over 1,000 patients.
NURS FPX 4025 Assignment 2 Applying an EBP Model
This supports the Authority and Accuracy of the study. This article supports the PICOT question by demonstrating how abdominal band compression, a nurse-led intervention for pain control, affects post-hernia surgery pain. The study found that using bands helped lower pain scores, while using sandbags made pain worse. This helps compare non-drug pain relief (such as compression) with standard methods, like being guided by nurses, which are often limited to passive distractions. The evidence is useful for understanding interventions that work during the first few days after surgery. This source is more reliable than general pain articles because it focuses specifically on hernia patients. That makes it more specific and helpful for diagnosing post-operative hernia repair.
The article by Niyonkuru et al. (2024) was published in Pain and Therapy, a peer-reviewed medical journal. It meets the CRAAP criteria. It is Current, published within the last five years. It is Relevant because it focuses on pain after surgery. The authors are health professionals, which shows Authority. The Accuracy is supported by scientific evidence from many studies. The Purpose is to share helpful, balanced information on non-drug pain treatments led by nurses. This article supports the PICOT question by demonstrating how mind–body techniques and physical therapy can help reduce pain after surgery. This is important when caring for adults after hernia repair in the first three days. The article states that these methods can enhance healing and improve patient comfort. That makes it a strong match for the PICOT focus. This makes it very useful for post-operative hernia repair care.
Conclusion
Pain after hernia surgery is a big problem for many patients. It makes healing slow and harder. Nurses can employ more effective methods to help manage this pain. The Iowa Model gives clear steps to follow. It allows nurses to utilize high-quality research to identify what truly works. This means patients feel better and get well faster.
References
Adams, A., Ellick, J., McCoy, S., Olufson, H., & Young, A. (2024). Oral abstracts. Nutrition & Dietetics, 81(S1), 5–76. https://doi.org/10.1111/1747-0080.12895
Chelly, J. E., Goel, S. K., Kearns, J., Kopac, O., & Sadhasivam, S. (2024). Nanotechnology for pain management. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 13(9), 2611. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13092611
Connor, L. (2023). Evidence‐Based practice improves patient outcomes and healthcare system return on investment: Findings from a scoping review. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 20(1), 6–15. https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12621
Niyonkuru, E., Iqbal, M. A., Zhang, X., & Ma, P. (2024). Complementary approaches to postoperative pain management: A review of non-pharmacological interventions. Pain and Therapy, 14(1), 121–144. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40122-024-00688-1
NURS FPX 4025 Assignment 2 Applying an EBP Model
Widder, A., Reese, L., Lock, J. F., Wiegering, A., Germer, C.-T., Rittner, H. L., Dietz, U. A., Schlegel, N., & Meir, M. (2024). Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP): An underestimated problem after incisional hernia treatment. Hernia. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10029-024-03027-7
Wilson, R. B., & Farooque, Y. (2022). Risks and prevention of surgical site infection after hernia mesh repair and the predictive utility of ACS-NSQIP. Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, 26(4), 950–964. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11605-022-05248-6
Xiong, B., & Liu, S. (2025). The effect of abdominal compression device on patients after external hernia repair surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine, 104(9), e41708–e41708. https://doi.org/10.1097/md.0000000000041708
