You have been assigned by your nurse manager to develop a database for a particular issue on your unit. This assignment will require you think about a workplace issue or element. Follow the steps below to begin organizing your thoughts and begin thinking about how you want to organize your database.

• What is the topic or workplace issue or element for your database?

• What information is needed for the database?

• How often will data need to be inputted into the database?

• Who will input the database information?

• Full database summary is completed.

Example: My nurse manager has asked that I perform a chart review over the last 18 months, random sampling, of L&D patients who were admitted for Pitocin Inductions. I have been asked to review 25 charts.

• What is the topic or workplace issue or element for your database? Was Pitocin protocol for nurse assessment of the labor-induce patient followed for each induction?

• What information is needed for the database?

1. Patient ID number
2. Admitting nurse
3. Gestation
4. Cervix assessment
5. Baseline fetal and maternal assessment
6. Time Pitocin was initiated
7. Increase of Pitocin was 1-2 mu per minute and no sooner than every 30-60 minutes.
8. Maternal and Fetal assessment recorded every 15 minutes.

• How often will data need to be inputted into the database? This is a retroactive chart review in preparation of Medical-Staff Maternal/child committee.

• Who will input the database information? Duty delegated to charge nurse by nurse manager. Retroactive chart review that requires a one-time database completion.

• Full database summary is completed. Charge nurse will provide summary of database information, discussion will take place with nurse manager prior to meeting.

Database Anatomy: