Free Essay. Factors That Influence Quality, Safe, Patient-Centered Care

The quality and safety of patients are highly determined by the environment in which nurses provide care. Most of the work of patient care is centered on nurses. When patients' needs are not met either due to lack of medical equipment, workforce shortages, or lack of appropriate standards and policies, nurses are given the burden of such responsibilities (Amer, 2013). Some of the factors that affect quality, safety, and patient-centered care include; technology, collaboration, shared decision-making, communication, laws, regulations, and policies.

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Technology

Patient care technology has advanced and has become complicated, affecting how nursing care is delivered and conceptualized. Before technological advancements, most healthcare providers relied heavily on the senses of touch, sight, smell, and hearing to look into the stats of their patients and to monitor changes. Technological innovations enabled for replacement of unaided senses with machines that would detect patient conditions and physical changes. For instance, pulse oximetry is used by nurses to identify a decrease in oxygenation before the clinical symptoms appear and help in diagnosing and treating some underlying causes (Amer, 2013). However, research into health care has also reported the inability of nurses to use technology appropriately and safely. Through the use of protective risk assessment methods, ongoing surveillance equipment, and the selection process, nurses can maximize safety.

Communication

Communication is vital in the healthcare industry. It aids in the provision of patient needs, safely and in high-quality, and patient-centered care. Effective communication helps in managing delivery in healthcare, facilitating improvements, and transforming healthcare. To incorporate best communication practices into the organizational culture, a deliberate and consistent effort has to be made. Poor communication among healthcare members, family members, and patients can lead to confusion during follow-ups and medications. When patients are educated when discharged and are given clear and precise guidelines, most hospitals will be able to reduce the rates of readmissions and in a result, increase loyalty in their patients (Amer, 2013). The ability to listen, explain and empathize ensures functional associations between colleagues and patients that in turn, affect the organization and individual performance on; clinical results, financial outcomes, and on care experience.

Collaboration

Healthcare provision involves the family, participation by patients, and a diverse team of healthcare professionals. The provision of specialized and cooperative healthcare requires the involvement of all of these team members (Mosadeghrad, 2014). A supportive and collaborative team ensures high-quality and safe care, organizational efficiency, staff satisfaction, and innovation. The provision of structural opportunities, appropriate education, and a psychologically supportive environment are essential in the promotion of collaborative practice in healthcare.

Shared Decision-making

Most healthcare circumstances do not usually have a 'correct' decision. There are always various choices and options that involve; tests and treatments, where there is an expectation of risks and outcomes which have to be in balance with the preferences and values of the patient. Most times, patients fail to realize that they have options. Shared decision-making is an approach that has been rated to be effective in handling patients in their care and in making care much safer (Amer, 2013). Shared decision-making involves the patient and the clinician sharing information, agreeing on the best treatment strategy, and participating in the decision-making process.

Laws, Regulations, and Policies

Regulations, laws, and policies are the means by which the government conducts its practices through exercising its law-making powers. Most decisions that were previously taken by the health minister or the health ministry are guided by the local government, regional government, private firms, non-governmental organizations, and individuals. Laws, regulations, and policies are now vital in affecting the quality, quantity, safety, and distribution of services in health systems.

Changes in Technology and their Effect on Quality Patient Care

Improvements in healthcare have been due to advancements in technology due to the rates of innovation and recent changes. Technology has impacted most aspects of life; research, collection of data, and treatment of patients. Health Information Technology has opened up many ways in which research and exploration have been done, enabling experts to make healthcare more productive and more driven. The utilization of Information Technology has made patient care more reliable and much safer. Nurses and doctors now use handheld devices to record essential real-time patient data and share them with their updated medical history. Specific software programs have improved, for instance, in the World Health Organization; classification of diseases, their symptoms, and their causes into a vast database (Amer, 2013). Medical providers and professionals can now track, retrieve, and use valuable data to fight and control diseases.

Roles of Communication, Collaboration, and Shared Decision-making

Effective clinical practices include many circumstances in which information must be communicated accurately. Whenever there is a lack of effective communication among healthcare providers, the safety of patients is at risk. Communication, collaboration, and effective decision-making ensure that there is critical information, information is not misinterpreted, and that changes in status are not overlooked (Mosadeghrad, 2014). Excellent communication and collaboration ensure ethical decision-making and help in the prevention of errors and enhance clinical outcomes.

Communication and Collaboration between Health Care Team Members, the Patient and Staff, and involving Insurance Companies

Nurse leaders are required to be leaders in the participation of ongoing reforms in the system, so that they can direct research in evidence-based care improvements, to advocate for policy changes and to translate findings in research into the working environment. Healthcare team members should lead by engaging all members of the team in an atmosphere of mutual respect and inter-professional collaboration (Mosadeghrad, 2014). When all the nonclinical and clinical staff collaborates efficiently, health care members will improve patient results, improve efficiency, enhance patient satisfaction, and prevent medical errors. Healthcare systems and insurance companies should collaborate since they have common objectives, and they share a vision of creating an improved healthcare experience.

References

Amer, K. (2013). Quality and safety for transformational nursing: Core competencies. Pearson

Higher Ed. Retrieved from https://phoenix.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781323284452/

Mosadeghrad, A. M. (2014). Factors influencing healthcare service quality. International Journal of health policy and Management, 3(2), 77. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4122083/