Running head: THE IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS IN MY PROFESSION

The Importance of Statistics in My Profession

JoAnn Norman-Metcalf
Ferris State University

The Importance of Statistics in My Profession

Statistics is a term that refers to anything that can expressed in numbers. It plays a key role in every
field of study. Statistics includes conclusions drawn from the use of principles and techniques based on
information and data. (OSullivan & White, 2012). The objective of this paper is to highlight the
importance of statistics in the field of nursing and why it plays an important role in nursing practice and
education.

THE IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS IN MY PROFESSION

The History of Statistics in Nursing

The history of nursing would not be complete without mentioning the great works of Florence
Nightingale (1820-1910), the founder of professional nursing and a pioneer in the field that we have read
about throughout our nursing education. Nightingale was highly educated in statistics and collected
detailed data to combat illness and death in the mid nineteenth century. (Black, 2014) She was an
advocate in the support of numerical figures and understood the relationship between numbers and
disease and used them to support her convictions which included caring for the sick and underserved.
For Florence Nightingale, the use of health statistics was a tool to improve health and influence public
opinion. (Schloman, 2001), her compassion for human life prompted changes in the delivery of care for
the medical system. For nurses, the importance lies in having the knowledge of research and statistics to
improve our skills in practice.

The Significance of Statistics in Nursing

Today, we live in a Technology Age where we gain a large amount of information that is built on
mathematical equations using statistics. In healthcare, statistics allow emergency preparedness, predicting
disease, medical studies and genetics. Statistics also help provide a service for living a healthy lifestyle
such as consumer goods and safety of product quality. In our communities, statistics allow for needs
assessments in diverse populations, quality improvement to establish benchmarks, standards and product
developments in medicine. (Australian Medical Journal, nd). The language of data requires an
understanding of statistical symbols used in statistics; this concept is evident in the statistics class we are
required to take. The mathematical data is less about numbers and more about the meaning of symbols
that can enhance and improve patient care. (Granger, Yangfang, Rogers, Miller, Gilliss & Champagne,
2013). The end result of data collection and analysis is that it answers the research questions proposed
that gives us evidence based information we can rely on.

THE IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS IN MY PROFESSION

Statistics help nurses develop personally and professionally

As a nurse, my personal performance is as important as my professional performance. In this age of
social media, it is important that nurses stay professional in their personal lives as well as professionally.
Being a part of a profession, holds us to a higher standard. It is important that we use tools to measure our
progress individually and collectively as a profession, we do this by way of surveys which are all a part of
statistics. In my current position as a staff nurse on a Renal/IMC unit, our hospital has used the National
Database of Quality Indicators (NDQNI) which compares data across institutions measuring patient
outcomes, adverse events as well as nurse sensitive issues such as staffing and job satisfaction .It is used
to measure progress on our unit and in the hospital and is confidential until the results are revealed on a
collective data sheet that is available to the public. Statistics help nurses measure performance in practice
and offer valuable feedback for personal and professional development and growth. Many surveys of this
kind have been used including peer review evaluations to track progress. As nurses, one of the best ways
to elevate the profession of nursing is by using the knowledge we gain through education.

Statistics help nurses put patients first

Statistics play a vital role in the way nurses care for their patients. As a nurse working in a hospital
setting, statistics are a part of my daily work. Nurses want their patients be confident in the care they
receive. Nurses can deliver the quality care patients deserve by staying up to date on the latest research,
best practices and techniques. In nursing, we often use statistical techniques and data that we are unaware
of such as: tracking of vital signs, administering medications and the treatments we provide to our
patients by use of charts. Statistics are useful in calculating medication doses and monitoring side effects
as well. Statistics help guide our decisions for care and guide our practice. As the world of nursing
changes we are relying more on evidence than ever before, we use research as a basis for practice
including data collection, observation, and analysis and testing.

THE IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS IN MY PROFESSION

Statistics impact decisions and aide in process improvements

In the field of nursing experience is said to be our best teacher and often times we do things for our
patients based on what we know. As our careers progress, we have learned that these past experiences and
instincts are unreliable when it comes to caring for our patients. An article in the Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing, (2012) identifies the importance of finding evidence to answer and guide clinical
practice, this concept is fresh in the minds of many nurses as we have now learned that statistical concepts
are relevant and what a complex process researchers go through to get answers to the question we ask.
Evidence based practice is built on research and is needed to improve the quality and safety of the
medical care we provide to those we serve.

The Statistical Conclusion

The importance of statistics in nursing is well documented and the benefits of statistics in nursing are
endless. Biostatistics is a valuable part of advanced practice nursing education; this class has provided me
with a basic understanding of statistics. The ability to understand qualitative and quantitative research
process and apply research findings to clinical practice is essential to nursing scholarship. (DiBartolo,
Salimian, Kotteman, & DiBartolo, 2012). Biostatistics in nursing is readily useful to enhance a nurses
ability to critically evaluate nursing research and practice. As nursing evolves, evidenced based practice
continues to be a priority in nursing research. The Institute of Medicines Report on leading the change
(2010), reflects the fact that change starts with research which is the basis for evidence based practice.
This change will allow nurses to practice to the extent of their license and is reflective of how we as
nurses see ourselves as leaders, elevate our profession and clinical practice. I have a new appreciation for
statistical concepts and the role it plays in nursing education. I believe this basic knowledge of statistics
will help me improve my skills in my current nursing practice.

THE IMPORTANCE OF STATISTICS IN MY PROFESSION

References
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