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Data Mining: Timed data collection exercise


Submitter Information


Name: Lisa Day
Title: Assistant Clinical Professor
Credentials: RN PhD
Co-Authors:

Elaine L. Smith RN, MSN, MBA, CNAA, QSEN Project Manager, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Nursing, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA


Organization: UCSF, School of Nursing, Dept. of Physiological Nursing
Email: lisa.day@nursing.ucsf.edu
Address 1: 2 Koret Way, Rm N631
City: San Francisco
State: CA
ZIP: 94143-0610

Teaching Strategy


Competency Category(s):
Learner Level(s):
  • Pre-licensure ADN/diploma
  • Pre-licensure BSN
  • RN to BSN
  • New graduates/transition to practice

Learner Setting(s):
  • Clinical settings

Strategy Type:
  • Other
Small group discussion

Learning Objectives:

Students will:

  1. demonstrate skills in identifying data used in the delivery of nursing care.
  2. demonstrate skills in accurately documenting data in the medical record.
  3. demonstrate attitudes that reflect a desire to engage in nursing practice that attends to the accurate documentation of patient-related information.

Strategy Overview:

During a clinical day in an acute care setting, instruct students to keep notes on the types of data they collect and document over a two hour period in the course of caring for one patient and how these data are used throughout the day. Examples of data include vital signs, blood glucose, intake and output, medications, physical assessment.

Once the data collection is complete students share with one another during clinical conference the information they have gathered.

This exercise can also be part of an interprofessional learning experience with nursing, medical and pharmacy sharing their experiences.

Questions and topics for group discussion:

What are all the different ways data are collected and documented by nurses on the unit? By other members of the healthcare team? (eg: written in a paper record, entered into an electronic record, information that does or does not become part of the patient’s permanent record)

Describe how the data you collected were used to improve the care of your patient today.

Who else on the healthcare team read the information you documented? How did they use this information?

In what ways are the data you documented used to improve the quality of care for all patients in the hospital?



Evaluation Description


Students will be evaluated on their ability to recognize the importance of accurate data collection and documentation. During discussion, students will generate and share ideas for quality improvement and literature review that may be appropriate to share with nurse leaders in the institution.

In my experience students are interested in thinking about data collection related to their patient care and about how the data they collect and document are being used. The exercise generates good discussion about how nurses’ documentation is used to improve patient care.