Assignment task:
Read a selection of your colleagues' blog posts and respond to two of your colleagues by expanding upon their responses or sharing additional or alternative perspectives.
PEER #1: Sabita Bhusal
Impact of the Practice Problem and Implemented Changes
Throughout this practicum experience, identifying the practice problem, proposing practice changes, and implementing those changes presented considerable challenges. Nevertheless, by articulating the benefits and enduring impact of the project, it became feasible to effectuate the desired practice changes(Laukka et al., 2020). Initially, our busy clinic's lack of time for patient consultations led to several critical issues, including rushed patient interactions, insufficient time for thorough assessments, and decreased patient satisfaction. This practice problem necessitated a comprehensive approach to improve time management and optimize patient care(Nilsen et al., 2020). The implemented changes included using telehealth for simple visits, optimizing the electronic health record (EHR) system, time management workshops for staff, and enhancing patient education materials.
Impact of Practice Change on Healthcare Organizations and Nursing Practice
Telehealth for Simple Visits:
The integration of telehealth for routine consultations, such as medication refills and lab follow-ups, has had a lasting impact. It has reduced the number of in-person visits, allowing for more efficient use of clinic time and resources for more complicated and needed patient care. For example, telehealth consultations have enabled us to accommodate a higher volume of patient interactions in the clinic, particularly during peak hours, while maintaining the quality of care. This has improved patient satisfaction, as they experience shorter wait times and greater convenience and care.
Optimized Electronic Health Record (EHR) System:
Streamlining the EHR system with features like voice recognition and automated documentation has reduced the time providers spend on administrative tasks. This has allowed them to focus more on direct patient care. Reduced documentation time has also decreased the likelihood of burnout among healthcare providers, as they can complete their work more efficiently. The automated processes have minimized errors in patient records, ensuring higher accuracy and reliability in patient data management.
Time Management Workshops for Staff:
The time management workshops have equipped staff with the skills to prioritize tasks and manage their time more effectively. This training has led to improved workflow efficiency and reduced stress among staff members. For example, by implementing techniques learned in these workshops, staff have streamlined their daily routines, leading to a more organized and cohesive work environment. This improved the clinic's overall efficiency and increased staff morale and job satisfaction.
Enhanced Patient Education Materials:
Developing comprehensive and accessible patient education materials has empowered patients to understand better and manage their health conditions. These materials have been instrumental in reducing the frequency of follow-up visits for clarification, as patients are now better informed. For instance, clear instructions on medication usage and lifestyle modifications have enabled patients to adhere to their treatment plans more effectively, resulting in improved health outcomes and patient satisfaction.
Value of Leading the Practice Change
Leading this practice change has been a transformative experience. It has provided invaluable insights into the complexities of implementing systemic changes in a healthcare setting. Working closely with my preceptor and leading a multidisciplinary team has honed my leadership and communication skills. It has been enriching to see the team collaboratively embrace the changes and work towards improving patient care.
The value of this experience lies in the practical application of evidence-based strategies to address real-world challenges. It has reinforced the importance of continuous improvement and adaptability in healthcare(Harrison et al., 2021). The opportunity to lead and implement these changes has also highlighted the critical role of leadership in fostering a culture of innovation and excellence in nursing practice.
Conclusion:
In summary, the practice changes implemented in response to the identified problem have had a profound and lasting impact on the clinic's operations, patient care quality, and staff well-being. The experience has underscored the value of evidence-based practice changes and equipped me with the skills and confidence to lead similar initiatives.
References:
Harrison, R., Fischer, S., Walpola, R. L., Chauhan, A., Babalola, T., Mears, S., & Le-Dao, H. (2021). Where do models for change management, improvement, and implementation meet? A systematic review of the applications of change management models in healthcare. Journal of Healthcare Leadership, 85-108.
Laukka, E., Huhtakangas, M., Heponiemi, T., & Kanste, O. (2020). Identifying the roles of healthcare leaders in HIT implementation: a scoping review of the quantitative and qualitative evidence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(8), 2865.
Nilsen, P., Seing, I., Ericsson, C., Birken, S. A., & Schildmeijer, K. (2020). Characteristics of successful changes in health care organizations: an interview study with physicians, registered nurses, and assistant nurses. BMC Health Services Research, 20, 1-8.
PEER #2: Qwinnetta Stokes
Initial Post
The problem I identified was the lack of education that pediatric bedside nurses receive related to burns. My solution for this problem was to create a staff education module for these staff nurses to feel more comfortable caring for these patients. While implementation is not quite finished, there were many lessons to be learned. The most was learning that our nurses value education. This had been an issue of discussion for a while, especially after it was announced that we would be the new burn center and that our unit would house most burn patients. Nurses began asking for special education relating to burns. These requests for training helped management and me to know that our nurses are open to learning new skills to care for our patients. They are open to change when it benefits their patients (Farthing et al., 2022). This has been of great value to the nurses and patients. Nurses feel more comfortable taking care of this population and patients will (hopefully) see better outcomes. It has also been valuable to me as a student. This project has allowed me to work in the domain of the second and third DNP essentials regarding systems thinking and clinical scholarship (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2006). Working with my faculty and preceptor has opened my eyes to how prevalent the process is, so much so that there are roles focused exclusively on quality and clinical outcomes. My preceptor inhabits one of these roles in my facility and it has been a great experience working with her. I have also learned that being a project manager and leading a team requires a lot and incorporates many moving parts. It has shown me how empowering nurses (and other front-line staff) is so important because they are invaluable to patient care and have unique placement to see patient and provider/systems thinking (Raderstorf et al., 2020).
References
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2006). The essentials of doctoral education for advanced nursing practice.
Farthing, J., Le May, S., & Gauvin-Lepage, J. (2022). Developing and pilot testing e-learning training for pediatric nursing burn care. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 53(5), 232-240.
Raderstorf, T., Barr, T. L., Ackerman, M., & Melnyk, B. M. (2020). A guide to empowering frontline nurses and healthcare clinicians through evidence-based innovation leadership during COVID-19 and beyond. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 17(4).