Statistical tools are used in our everyday lives. Discuss how understanding and using statistics can be beneficial to nursing practice. 
Please include your initial post with 400 words and two scholarly references by Wednesday midnight. 
ANSWER
How understanding and using statistics can be beneficial to nursing practice
Introduction
Statistics are used in our everyday lives in a variety of ways, from making decisions about what to buy at the grocery store to understanding the results of an election. But how can understanding and using statistics be beneficial to nursing practice?
Benefits of understanding and using statistics in nursing practice
There are many benefits to understanding and using statistics in nursing practice. Some of these benefits include:
Improved decision-making: Statistics can help nurses make better decisions about patient care. For example, nurses can use statistics to assess the risk of certain complications, determine the best course of treatment, and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions.
Enhanced research skills: Statistics are essential for conducting and interpreting nursing research. Nurses who understand statistics can better understand the results of research studies and apply them to their practice.
Increased communication skills: Statistics can be used to communicate complex information about patient care to other healthcare professionals, patients, and families. For example, nurses can use statistics to explain the risks and benefits of different treatment options or to discuss the findings of a research study.
Improved patient outcomes: Ultimately, the goal of using statistics in nursing practice is to improve patient outcomes. By using statistics to make better decisions about patient care, nurses can help their patients achieve better health outcomes.
Examples of how statistics can be used in nursing practice
Here are a few examples of how statistics can be used in nursing practice:
A nurse is caring for a patient with heart disease. The nurse uses statistics to assess the patient’s risk of developing complications such as heart attack or stroke. The nurse then uses this information to develop a treatment plan that is designed to reduce the patient’s risk of complications.
A nurse is conducting a research study to evaluate the effectiveness of a new intervention for preventing pressure ulcers. The nurse uses statistics to analyze the data from the study and determine whether the intervention was effective.
A nurse is talking to a patient about the risks and benefits of a new medication. The nurse uses statistics to explain the likelihood of different side effects and the likelihood of the medication being effective in treating the patient’s condition.
Conclusion
Understanding and using statistics is an important skill for nurses. By using statistics, nurses can make better decisions about patient care, enhance their research skills, increase their communication skills, and improve patient outcomes.
Scholarly references
Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2018). Nursing research: Generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice (10th ed.). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer.
Burns, N., & Grove, S. K. (2021). The practice of nursing research: Appraisal, synthesis, and generation of evidence (9th ed.). St. Louis: Elsevier.