Change in a healthcare industry
Hello Titilola, change is inevitable in the healthcare industry. As you stated, change can be planned or can be accidental. Although there has been an increase in knowledge of evidence-based practice, which is meant to improve patient safety and quality care, there has been an increase in the cost of healthcare globally (Khalil, 2015). For instance, in the United States, approximately $2.7 trillion was used in healthcare alone, and most of this expenditure was inappropriate and preventable since medical errors accounted for most of the expenditure (Khalil, 2015). Also, three common causes of mortality were identified as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and injuries, which further escalated healthcare costs. Khalil (2015) cites that the continued increase in healthcare costs is greatly attributed to the slow implementation of evidence-based practice and inefficiencies in the delivery of healthcare, thus, requiring change. Change is never an easy progression, which requires proper planning. However, in case of accidental change, as in the case of the COVID 19 pandemic, staff should be educated; their decisions should be supported, and be compensated appropriately. There has been a nursing shortage, which has been worsened by the current pandemic; however, this should not be the basis for nurse managers to overwork their staff, since it leads to burnout and psychological distress.
References
Khalil, H. (2015). Implementing change in healthcare: evidence utilization.
Response
Hi Genevieve, as healthcare executives look for solutions to solve problems and enhance patient care, they should recognize that nurses are the largest and the most effective change agents. Nurses make up to 50-60% of all healthcare workers in the industry. They interact more with patients compared to other healthcare personnel. For instance, after other healthcare workers leave the hospital setting, nurses continue with assessing the plan of care for patients. Therefore, nurses serve as the eye and ear for recognizing ways to improve patient safety (Rafferty, 2018). A fall is one of the most devastating things that can happen to a patient in the healthcare setting. When a fall occurs, and a patient gets injured, it causes a negative perspective for the patient’s morbidity and increases healthcare costs. Annually, 700 000 to 1000, 000 individuals in the U.S. fall while in the healthcare environment (Ganz et al., 2013). Nurses, being primary caregivers, are in the best position to prevent falls through the implementation of evidence-based practice using standards, procedures, and the use of assessment tools.
References
Ganz, D. A., Huang, C., Saliba, D., Miake-Lye, I. M., Hempel, S., Ganz, D. A., & Ensrud, K. E. (2013). Preventing falls in hospitals: a toolkit for improving quality of care. Ann Intern Med, 158(5 Pt 2), 390-396.
Rafferty, A. M. (2018). Nurses as change agents for a better future in health care: the politics of drift and dilution. Health Economics, Policy and Law, 13(3-4), 475-491.
Response
Hi Angela, the nursing profession is an advancing profession and more complex than ever before, as such, requiring cognitive skills. Although nursing care is associated with simple tasks such as keeping a patient safe, nourished, comfortable, and clean, the difference in nursing care provided by professionals and that offered by non-professional caregivers is determined by the clinical judgment used in the care of patients. That is the judgment during the assessment, diagnosis, implementation, and evaluation of care provided (Van Graan et al., 2016). Knowledge forms the foundation for need assessment and determines what action to take to fulfil the patient’s needs. Critical thinking skills are an essential skill for every healthcare professional to ensure quality and safe care. However, some circumstances may become a barrier to critical thinking, especially when one is still new in the environment. High anxiety levels compromise the reasoning capacity of an individual (Sampson et al., 2019). Therefore, new nurses should be mentored and supported to become competent in critical thinking during times of crises.
References
Sampson Jr, J. P., Lenz, J. G., Reardon, R. C., & Peterson, G. W. (2019). A cognitive information processing approach to employment problem solving and decision making. The Career Development Quarterly, 48(1), 3-18.
Van Graan, A. C., Williams, M. J., & Koen, M. P. (2016). Professional nurses’ understanding of clinical judgement: A contextual inquiry. Health sa gesondheid, 21(1), 280-293.
Response
Hi Tammy, health is crucial for critical thinking. Health encompasses the mental, physical, and social wellbeing of an individual, and interference in one aspect of health can cause serious consequences. Provision of nursing care requires integration and processing of large and complex data to ensure safe and quality care. Stress causes a mental distraction by taking up some of the working and processing memory. According to Singer et al., 2017, when the body experiences stress, the adrenal gland releases cortisol as a response mechanism, which increases the heart rate and enables the body to escape the stress. However, when stress becomes continuous, cortisol accumulates and affects the amygdala, a region in the brain that regulates emotion by causing it to work overtime. By doing so, the prefrontal cortex, which is involved in critical thinking, is hindered from functioning effectively. Experiencing stress is part of human life, and is inevitable. However, one should try to deal with stress effectively when they are faced with challenges. Stahl & Goldstein (2019) describes some of the ways to reduce stress as; exercising regularly, having an adequate sleep, utilizing breathing and meditation techniques, managing time, and eating nutritiously.
References
Singer, N., Sommer, M., Döhnel, K., Zänkert, S., Wüst, S., & Kudielka, B. M. (2017). Acute psychosocial stress and everyday moral decision-making in young, healthy men: The impact of cortisol. Hormones and behavior, 93, 72-81