Write a paper (1,500-1,750 words) discussing the role of quality or safety in nursing practice. Include the following:
The purpose of this assignment is to investigate a quality and/or safety issue in a health care entity. You will use the issue and health care entity that you select in this assignment for Part 2 (later) of the paper and for the sustainability assignments.
Part 1
- In your own words, define quality and safety measures and describe their relationship and role in nursing practice today.
- Create a table that identifies three barriers, and three facilitators or methods for addressing the barriers, in today’s health care that impact both patient outcomes and organizational outcomes. Evaluate two of the barriers and provide solutions for how health care organizations can overcome them. Describe two of the facilitators or methods and explain how the facilitators or methods will assist overcoming or reducing barriers. Attach the table as an appendix to your paper.
- Identify a health care entity. Provide an overall description of this entity without using the real name (e.g., location, size, profit or nonprofit, years in operation). In addition to not using the name of the health care entity, do not use the name of any person described.
- Select a specific contemporary quality and/or safety issue that is measured at the health care entity and explain how that measure is applied in nursing practice. You will use this selected issue for all quality and sustainability assignments.
- Describe the current quality and/or safety program the health care entity has in place to address the quality and/or safety issue you selected. Describe the key quality measures or components currently used to analyze the health care program’s outcome. Discuss what is working and what is not working.
- Summarize the specific variables used to track improvement of the health care quality and/or safety program’s outcome.
this paper must have components listed above : This assignment requires that you support your position by referencing six to eight scholarly resources. APA format
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
Quality and safety are two essential components of nursing practice with a significant impact on healthcare outcomes. Nurses play a vital role in promoting quality and safety practices in healthcare facilities. Hence, it is crucial to discuss the role of quality and safety measures in nursing practice. This paper aims to investigate a quality and safety issue in a healthcare entity, barriers and facilitators in today’s healthcare, providing solutions to overcome the barriers, identifying a healthcare entity, defining quality and safety measures, describing a current quality and safety program, and summarizing specific variables for tracking improvement.
Definition of Quality and Safety Measures:
Quality measures refer to the methods used to evaluate how well healthcare is provided, including clinical outcomes, patient experience, and healthcare operations. Safety measures, on the other hand, involve measuring and preventing errors or unintended harm that may occur during healthcare. Quality and safety measures in nursing practice play an integral role in enhancing the quality of healthcare delivered, improving patient outcomes, enhancing operational efficiencies, reducing healthcare costs, and promoting patient-centered care.
Barriers and Facilitators in Today’s Healthcare:
Numerous barriers and facilitators impact patient outcomes and organizational outcomes in today’s healthcare settings. The table below identifies three barriers and three facilitators:
| Barriers | Facilitators |
| — | — |
| Limited Resources | Interprofessional Collaboration |
| Technology issues | Patient Empowerment |
| Resistance to change | Innovative approaches and solutions |
Two of the barriers include limited resources and resistance to change. Limited resources imply that healthcare facilities, especially those in low-income settings or underserved areas, have inadequate resources, including finances, equipment, and staffing, leading to compromised patient outcomes. The solution to overcome this barrier is through collaborative partnerships and community networks. Healthcare providers can work with community organizations and partners, including the government, to obtain resources and engage in fundraising efforts to support healthcare delivery. Resistance to change is another significant barrier to quality improvement in healthcare. It refers to healthcare providers failing to embrace innovative approaches to healthcare practices or refrain from making changes. One solution to overcome this barrier is through effective communication and involving healthcare providers in the change process, which promotes ownership and buy-in from employees.
Two facilitators include interprofessional collaboration and patient empowerment. Interprofessional collaboration involves healthcare providers from diverse disciplines working together to deliver comprehensive healthcare. This approach promotes continuity of care, enhances patient outcomes, and improves health literacy, resulting in better patient outcomes. Patient empowerment refers to the active role that patients play in their health journey. Empowered patients are actively involved in decision-making processes and have access to information and support, which promotes a sense of ownership and responsibility for their health outcomes.
Identifying a Healthcare Entity:
The healthcare entity selected is a non-profit community hospital located in an underserved area in Texas. The hospital has been in operation for over 20 years and serves a population of close to 1 million residents. The hospital operates on a limited budget but strives to offer quality healthcare services to its patients.
Contemporary Quality and/or Safety Issue Measured at the Entity:
One specific contemporary quality and safety issue measured at the healthcare entity is the hospital-acquired infection (HAI) rate. Healthcare facilities are susceptible to infections, including HAI, which affects patient outcomes and has financial implications for healthcare organizations. This measure is applied in nursing practice through ensuring adherence to infection control protocols, hand hygiene, use of protective equipment, and promoting environmental cleanliness.
Current Quality and/or Safety Program at the Healthcare Entity:
The current quality and safety program in place to address the HAI issue at the healthcare entity includes infection prevention and control measures such as cleaning and disinfecting protocols, hand hygiene compliance, environmental sanitation, and adherence to personal protective equipment guidelines. The program also involves monitoring and surveillance, including data collection and reporting, and auditing of infection control practices. The key quality measures currently used to analyze the healthcare program’s outcome include HAI rates, compliance with policies and procedures, and adherence to hand hygiene protocols.
Variables Used to Track Improvement of the Healthcare Quality and/or Safety Program:
The variables used to track improvement of the healthcare quality and safety program include the rate of HAI over time, patient satisfaction with infection control measures, employee adherence to infection control measures, financial impact on the healthcare facility, and adherence to evidence-based practices for infection control.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, quality and safety measures remain a critical component of nursing practice, providing essential guidelines for promoting patient-centered care, improving clinical outcomes, and enhancing operational efficiencies. Barriers and facilitators exist within the healthcare system, including limited resources, resistance to change, interprofessional collaboration, and patient empowerment. Healthcare providers must work together to overcome the barriers and leverage the facilitators to promote quality and safety in healthcare. Identifying a healthcare entity, defining quality and safety measures, discussing a current quality and safety program, and summarizing specific variables for tracking improvement, are crucial aspects to consider in investigating a quality and safety issue in a healthcare entity.
