7 Reasons Why Statistics is Important in Nursing
Written By:
Darby Faubion
Darby Faubion RN, BSN, MBA
Darby Faubion is a nurse and allied health instructor with over 20 years of clinical experience. Darby lives in Louisiana and loves exploring the state’s rich culture and history. Darby has a passion for caring for veterans and a special interest in those affected by post-traumatic stress disorder. In her quest to make a difference for veterans, she founded a non-profit called “Operation Battle Buddy.” Read Full Bio »» RN, BSN, MBA
Whether you are a new or seasoned nurse, chances are, you use statistics daily. Understanding statistics and learning to apply the principles of statistics is instrumental in providing effective patient care. As a nurse and healthcare educator, I understand learning to apply statistics can sometimes be confusing. You may even wonder, “Why is statistics important in nursing?” In this article, I will answer that question by sharing 7 reasons why statistics is important in nursing and give you some examples of how you can use statistics in patient care.
Why is Statistics Important in Nursing?
(The following are the 7 reasons why statistics is important in nursing.)
REASON #1: Statistics Help Nurses Apply Evidence-Based Practices to Patient Care
Statistics deals with collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and utilizing data gathered from research. Nurses use statistical data from research to understand and interpret research findings to help make informed decisions based on proven evidence. Statistics is important in nursing because it helps nurses read, comprehend, and interpret literature and research findings and apply
evidence-based practices to patient care, which helps improve patient outcomes.
REASON #2: Statistics Help Nurses Respond to Changes in Your Patient’s Status
Descriptive statistics, such as percentiles, standard deviation, mean, and median, allow nurses to understand and track patient data. By utilizing statistics, you can identify changes in patterns of various signs and symptoms your patient experiences or reports and respond to those changes with appropriate interventions.
A common way we utilize statistics on the med-surg floor is to track vital signs, lab results, and other health indicators. If my patient’s blood pressure suddenly increases, that is an indication that intervention may be needed. Also, if you chart your patient’s weight on a weight chart to determine whether their weight is within the healthy weight percentile for their age and gender or if they need nutritional interventions.
REASON #3: Statistics Help Identify Public Health Risks
Another top reason statistics is important in nursing is that public health nurses can use health statistics to understand risk factors affecting various populations or communities. By understanding risk factors, they can then track and monitor disease events, such as how the COVID-19 pandemic has been monitored, assess the quality and safety of healthcare practices, and evaluate the impact of or lobby for changes to healthcare policies.
For instance, my friend Tammy works as a public health nurse, and part of her job is to monitor and track different diseases in the community where she works. As part of her job, Tammy uses biostatistical tools to uncover the cause and progression of diseases and to help develop new strategies to educate the public on the control and prevention of diseases and illnesses.
REASON #4: Nurses Can Use Statistics to Promote Quality Improvement
Nurses analyze statistical data on infection rates, patient outcomes, and other important issues within the healthcare system. By analyzing variations in trends and patterns, nurses can identify areas that need improvement or enhancement. They can then use statistics to guide the implementation of quality improvement initiatives within their healthcare settings.
I previously worked on a quality improvement team at one of my jobs. One of our goals was to review service-level data to improve patient experiences. For example, we reviewed data that showed waiting times between the time a patient signed in for care until their encounter with the practitioner, analyzed patient surveys and feedback forms to determine patient satisfaction rates, and tracked the number of hospital readmissions related to post-discharge complications. By accessing this data, we were able to identify areas of our services where improvement was needed and implement measures to promote success.
REASON #5: You Can Use Statistics to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Nursing Interventions and Compare Patient Outcomes
Part of following the
nursing process is to evaluate whether interventions are effective and determine if new interventions should be initiated to help improve patient outcomes. Another reason why statistics is important in nursing is nurses use statistics to weigh facts and determine whether treatment results align with expected patient outcomes. Doing this makes it possible to make informed decisions about which measures are most effective and how to proceed with patient care.
When I taught nursing school, one of my classes did a research project using statistics to determine the effectiveness of a hand hygiene campaign to reduce hospital-acquired infections. The students gathered information from the hospital’s infection control nurse about the number of hospital-acquired infections within a given period. Then, they worked alongside the infection control team to educate staff and patients as part of the hand hygiene campaign. At the end of the campaign, they compared the rate of infections that occurred after the campaign began to the number of infections that occurred before the campaign. Using the statistical data gathered from the project, students were able to show positive results from the campaign, as evidenced by a reduced number of hospital-acquired infections.
REASON #6: Statistics Help Nurses Prioritize Care
Statistics make it possible for nurses to determine patient needs and prioritize care based on those needs. By using data sheets, frequency charts, and nurses' notes, you can review statistical data to determine patient responses to medications and treatments and prioritize the frequency and timing of necessary interventions.
Additionally, you can use statistical research to gauge anticipated outcomes as well as possible side effects or adverse reactions to treatments. When you are aware of possible side effects or adverse reactions, you can prioritize the frequency of assessments to verify your patient’s response to treatment.
REASON #7: Nurses Use Statistical Data to Educate Patients
With an understanding of statistics, you can interpret odds ratios, which is one of the reasons statistics in nursing is important when it comes to patient education. For example, using statistical data to determine the risks and benefits associated with certain medications, treatments, or lifestyle choices, you can educate patients, allowing them to make an informed decision about their care.
I love the idea of utilizing statistics to educate patients because statistics are based on facts, not opinions. We can use the data we collect from statistics and apply it to each patient’s unique situation and provide individualized education relevant to their needs. For instance, if you have a patient with a diagnosis of breast cancer, using statistical information about treatment options allows your patient to participate in shared decision-making. Also, if a physician prescribes a new medication for a patient, you can educate the patient about the likelihood of side effects or adverse reactions and expected outcomes based on data from patients who received the same treatment previously.
My Final Thoughts
Nurses use statistics in several ways, from using data sheets and flow charts to monitoring vital signs and conducting or analyzing research. Knowing how to access and utilize statistics is essential, but equally as important is being able to answer the question, "Why is statistics important in nursing?”
Having been a nurse and healthcare educator for many years, I have seen the evolution of how nurses and other healthcare professionals use statistics and the impact it has on how we provide patient care. In this article, you learned 7 reasons why statistics is important in nursing. By utilizing statistics, you can make more informed decisions about patient care, provide sound patient education, and help promote positive patient outcomes.
List Of Sources Used For This Article
1.
“What Is Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing?” (
American Nurses Association Nursing Resources Hub)
2.
“The 5 Nursing Process Steps- (Learn Each Step in Detail)” (
nursingprocess.org)
3.
“Interpretation and Use of Statistics in Nursing Research” (
aacnjournals.org)
Darby Faubion, RN, BSN, MBA
Darby Faubion is a nurse and allied health instructor with over 20 years of clinical experience. Her work history includes clinical experience in pediatrics, mental health, addiction and behavioral disorders, geriatrics, wound management, and communicable disease. Darby has worked in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and home health and hospice agencies. Darby also has experience as a nursing and allied health educator at both community college and university levels. Her love for nursing and nursing education led to her becoming a test-taking strategist and NCLEX prep coach.