Proficiencies to Improve Healthcare Quality Discussion Paper

Promoting Safety and Quality

The Joint Commission (TJC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have implemented particular criteria that have had a profound impact on the healthcare industry by shifting the focus to quality of treatment, patient safety, and clinical results. These norms are used as a basis for healthcare providers to develop policies and procedures that benefit patients as a whole. As an illustration of the standards’ practical effects, the focus is on the intense scrutiny placed on Hospital-Acquired Infections (HAI) as a key measure. TJC and CMS have issued strict standards to reduce HAIs, highlighting the paramount significance of infection prevention policies and practices (Murni et al., 2015). Proficiencies to Improve Healthcare Quality Discussion Paper

As the frontline providers of health care, nurses play a crucial part in making these goals a reality and enhancing clinical results. Healthcare practices must be in accordance with the defined standards, and they operate as the connecting link between the stated procedures and their actual execution. In the case of HAI, nurses play a crucial role in avoiding infections by strictly following hygiene rules, closely monitoring patients for indications of illness, and maintaining sterile settings (Murni et al., 2015). The nurse’s function is more than just carrying out orders; they must also be an active agent in the smooth incorporation of standards into routine clinical procedures.

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The unwillingness to adapt is an important obstacle. Due to the healthcare system’s tendency to be slow to change, new procedures or adjustments to current ones are not always met with enthusiasm. The role of the nurse as a change agent may be fraught with challenges, including resistance from colleagues and the inability to break long-established habits (Melnyk et al., 2014). Consistent compliance with best practices is made more difficult by the strict requirements of the healthcare sector, which is characterized by high workloads and time restrictions. When working in a busy hospital environment, nurses face the difficult balancing act of providing high-quality treatment while also managing the day-to-day operations (Myring, 2016). Proficiencies to Improve Healthcare Quality Discussion Paper

The effect of the nurse’s contribution to clinical results may be seen across the whole business. To effectively traverse the route toward reaching established criteria and attaining the strategic objective, healthcare executives must be aware of and handle these issues (Myring, 2016). High-quality treatment is directly proportional to the nurse’s capacity to effect change inside the institution. Organizational goals for continual development might be hampered by obstacles like opposition to change or actual limits.

References

Melnyk, B. M., Gallagher‐Ford, L., Long, L. E., & Fineout‐Overholt, E. (2014). The establishment of evidence‐based practice competencies for practicing registered nurses and advanced practice nurses in real‐world clinical settings: Proficiencies to improve healthcare quality, reliability, patient outcomes, and costs. Worldviews on Evidence‐Based Nursing, 11(1), 5-15. https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12021

Murni, I. K., Duke, T., Kinney, S., Daley, A. J., & Soenarto, Y. (2015). Reducing hospital-acquired infections and improving the rational use of antibiotics in a developing country: an effectiveness study. Archives of disease in childhood, 100(5), 454-459. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2014-307297

Myring, A. (2016). Quality Improvement Recommendations for Nurse Sensitive Transplant Indicators. Doi 10.14288/1.0307346

In the article “Managing to Improve Quality: The Relationship Between Accreditation Standards, Safety Practices, and Patient Outcomes,” the authors discuss the growing trend by medical insurance companies to eliminate reimbursement for Never Events. As these types of mistakes should be easily preventable, hospitals have developed protocols to lessen or extinguish the occurrence of these events. In addition, The Joint Commission (TJC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have developed core measures to guide health care providers’ efforts in improving patient safety and the quality of care delivered. Proficiencies to Improve Healthcare Quality Discussion Paper

Health care organizations have developed strategic agendas to help meet these standards and reduce the incidence of Never Events. Nurses significantly influence the overall quality of health care provided and play a pivotal role in improving patient outcomes.

For this Discussion, you will consider the standards that are in place for nurses and how they can be used to improve quality of care.

RESOURCES

Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.

WEEKLY RESOURCES

To prepare for this Discussion:

Review the information at the Joint Commission and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services websites on the core measures and standards presented in this week’s Resources.

Consider the nurse’s role in supporting the organization’s strategic agenda as it relates to improving clinical outcomes.

Conduct an Internet search for either a Never Event or a core measure and select one to address in your post.

BY DAY 3
Respond to the following:

How has the emphasis on quality of care, patient safety, and clinical care outcomes been impacted by specific standards emanating from TJC and/or CMS? Cite your selected core measure or Never Event in your response. Proficiencies to Improve Healthcare Quality Discussion Paper

What is the impact of the nurse’s role in clinical outcomes for the organization?

Discuss nurse-specific challenges in influencing change in quality improvement.

How does this influence the ability of the organization to achieve its strategic agenda?

Support your response with references from the professional nursing literature. Proficiencies to Improve Healthcare Quality Discussion Paper