Development of a Drainage Tube (Jackson-Pratt Drain or Hemovac) Management Protocol

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to develop a drainage tube management protocol for nursing students to enhance theircore nursing skills and improve the quality of the nursing practicum. Methods: A drainage tube (Jackson-Pratt drainor Hemovac) management protocol for nursing students was developed in four stages: a preliminary survey (stage1), establishment of criteria for the implementation of the protocol (stage 2), finalization of the protocol (stage 3),and development of nursing scenarios to implement the developed protocol (stage 4). Results: The final drainagetube management protocol outlined 23 steps, and the scoring system reflected whether each step was fullyperformed (2), partially performed (1), and not performed (0) for a total possible score of 46. The example nursingscenario was designed to evaluate the process through which nursing students provide care for a postoperativepatient with a Jackson-Pratt drain (or Hemovac) with level 1 (fundamentals of nursing practice for sophomoresin the first stage). Conclusion: It is important to educate and evaluate nursing students on core nursing skills thatmust be learned and acquired during their school years, owing to their high frequency of use and importance innursing practice. To this end, standardized protocols for each core nursing skill should be used to ensure consistenteducation and evaluation in nursing situations that resemble the clinical setting, in which continual updating ofcore nursing protocols is required.