6 comments to my peers – Trends and Issues in Todays Health Care
Comment 1:
The Healthcare field is always changing and with those changes a nurse must be able to meet the educational demands of the job. Hospitals are trying to adopt the new standards of care by requiring no less than a bachelor’s degree in nursing. By furthering their education, it helps improve patient outcomes by mastering the complexity of care and advanced technologies. It also allows a nurse the ability to understand health policy, greater critical thinking skills, and contribute to health equalities (CFA,2022). Patient outcomes depend on several factors including experience and diagnosis of the physician, severity of the illness, and quality of the nursing care provided. Educated nurses are crucial for high quality care. Educated nurses can affect several areas of patient care including staffing, patient flow, quality improvement and the way care is delivered. Having a higher level of education in turn allows for stronger leadership skills that can help improve patient outcomes.
When it comes to a Nurses ability to care for patients at the bedside, I do not believe that higher education such as obtaining a bachelor’s degree or higher education increases that nurse’s ability to effectively provide excellent patient care. These nurses with AS degrees are smart and hardworking and most of the education that they continue to receive through CEU and in-services help them to be knowledgeable and provide effective care to patients. Higher education is a necessity when it comes to leadership roles. In these roles a nurse needs to know how to manage staff and be an effective leader, all of which is taught through higher education.
Christian values have always played a role in healthcare from the begin of time. Helping those that are in need or sick is the backbone of the medical field, which is a Christian value. Having compassion, understanding, and being nonjudgmental all make good qualities that help patient to have better outcomes and greater satisfaction with the care provided.
Comment 2:
As a healthcare provider, our skills are regularly updated and continuing education, or continued professional development enables the renewal and updating of skills in health care settings. It is essential to advance nursing education and lifelong learning to provide better patient care (Mlambo et. al, 2021). The following study shows evidence of better patient outcomes in hospitals with nurses that have their bachelor of science in nursing. In 2010, the Institute of Medicine suggested that by 2020, 80% of nurses should have at least a bachelor’s degree. Recent data supports this, showing better patient outcomes in hospitals with more BSN-prepared nurses. Studies found that higher percentages of BSN-prepared nurses in hospitals were linked to increased odds of patients surviving cardiac arrest with good cerebral performance. Additionally, lower patient-to-nurse ratios on medical and surgical units were associated with better outcomes. These findings emphasize the importance of policies promoting BSN education and improving nurse staffing in hospitals (Harrison et al, 2019). I agree with this research. Before this BSN program, I had been out of school for almost ten years. Since I started this program, I have started to gain a deeper knowledge of every day tasks, and given a foundation to the evidence-based interventions I perform. The application of Christian worldview can help improve patient outcomes by giving patients support. Many patients get strength from their faith to help them get through certain challenges and as a healthcare provider, if we can understand and respect patient’s religious belief, that simple gesture can provide them the support they need and impact their overall health outcomes in a positive way.
Comment 3:
Nurses with higher levels of education such as bachelor’s or higher degrees show higher levels of competence and expertise. These nurses tend to have improved patient outcomes and patient safety by utilizing critical thinking, competence in evidence-based practice, and the ability to take lead positions and implement quality-improved initiatives. Lifelong learning enhances healthcare services, the knowledge, and the skill if the nurse. The different ways that healthcare workers continue their education is by participating in mentorship programs, attending educational seminars, and taking on new challenges (Brook, 2023). According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), patients were significantly less likely to die following surgery when cared for in a hospital with higher proportions of BSN-prepared nurses and more favorable patient outcomes. (Lasater et al., 2021).
I do agree with this research because as new viruses and bacteria are emerging, nurses and all healthcare providers need to continue learning to be able to provide high-quality care in a safe way to every single patient. The hospital provides the resources for the nurses to keep advancing their education such as tuition reimbursement, learning and lunch, and seminars with guest speakers addressing new technology.
Christian worldviews influence health care and providers should care for each patient’s body, mind, and spirit. Chronic illness creates anxiety and through religion, this can be reduced by accommodating the patient religious and spiritual needs to create the patient’s treatment to meet their specific needs (RL, 2023).
Comment 4:
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in nursing are both terminal degrees in the field of nursing, but they differ in their focus, goals, and intended outcomes. The DNP is a practice-focused degree that emphasizes the application of evidence-based practice, leadership, and quality improvement in clinical settings (McNett et al., 2021). Nurses pursuing a DNP typically seek advanced clinical roles, such as nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, nurse executives, or clinical nurse specialists. The DNP curriculum includes coursework in areas like healthcare policy, organizational leadership, informatics, and quality improvement, preparing graduates to lead change initiatives, improve patient outcomes, and advance the practice of nursing at the clinical level. In contrast, the PhD in nursing is a research-focused degree that prepares nurses for careers in academia, research, or healthcare administration. PhD programs emphasize the development of research skills, critical thinking, and scholarly inquiry, with a focus on generating new knowledge, conducting original research, and contributing to the scientific foundation of nursing practice. Graduates of PhD programs often pursue roles as nurse researchers, educators, policy analysts, or healthcare consultants, where they contribute to advancing the science of nursing through research, teaching, and dissemination of knowledge.
One role that requires a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is that of a Nurse Executive. Nurse Executives are responsible for leading and managing nursing departments or entire healthcare organizations, ensuring the delivery of high-quality patient care, and promoting a culture of safety, innovation, and excellence (Southard, 2021). In an interdisciplinary healthcare setting, such as a hospital or healthcare system, Nurse Executives collaborate with leaders from other disciplines, including medicine, administration, finance, and quality improvement, to develop and implement strategic initiatives that improve patient outcomes, enhance operational efficiency, and promote interdisciplinary teamwork. By leveraging their clinical expertise, leadership skills, and understanding of healthcare policy and regulations, Nurse Executives play a crucial role in driving organizational change, fostering interprofessional collaboration, and promoting a patient-centered approach to care delivery. Additionally, they serve as advocates for nurses and patients, ensuring that nursing practice is aligned with evidence-based guidelines, regulatory standards, and ethical principles, ultimately contributing to the overall success and effectiveness of the healthcare organization.
Comment 5:
A PhD degree has enabled nurses to refine their research skills and test nursing practice theories, which has expanded the nursing knowledge base and set higher standards for clinical practice in various healthcare settings (Helbig et al., 2022). Moreover, a PhD can prepare nurses to educate future nurses at the college level. Their programs focus on a wide range of vital topics, including nursing history and philosophy, healthcare technique development and testing, data management, research methodology, and important social,
A DNP degree specifically prepares nurses to become expert clinicians by applying research and knowledge to create more efficient practices and improve patient outcomes. DNP-prepared nurses apply the latest research and knowledge into practice to enhance healthcare and improve patient outcomes. DNP program covers seven key areas, including scientific underpinnings for practice; advanced nursing practice; organization and system leadership/management, quality improvement, and system thinking; analytic methodologies related to the evaluation of practice and the application of evidence for practice; utilization of technology and information for the improvement and transformation of healthcare; health policy development, implementation, and evaluation; and interdisciplinary collaboration aimed at improving patient and population healthcare outcomes (Helbig et al., 2022).
Nurses with a DNP degree can specialize in various fields such as leadership, administration, public health, healthcare policy, informatics, nursing education, clinical nurse specialists, nurse educators, certified registered nurse anesthetists, or nurse practitioners (Reynolds & Sabol, 2023). The specific duties of DNP nurses depend on their area of expertise. They may be responsible for diagnosing and treating patients, prescribing medications, ordering diagnostic tests, handling patient complaints, consulting on complex cases, and implementing policy changes. In addition, DNP-prepared nurses are equipped with invaluable skills to identify healthcare unit requirements and drive the implementation of transformative and sustainable initiatives. With academic-practice partnerships established at healthcare facilities, DNP nurses can collaborate with PhD candidates from affiliated universities to achieve heightened effectiveness and outcomes at the clinical level, leading to more meaningful and robust results (Reynolds & Sabol, 2023). However, DNP nurses in educational roles may not have the authority to perform certain clinical tasks mentioned earlier.
Comment 6:
Continuing education is extremely important in the nursing profession. With the constant changes we see, whether it be advancing technology, evidence-based research that has shown one technique is better at reducing infection, or new illnesses that have arisen, nurses must stay up to date on their education. Advanced education has shown to improve the quality of care and health outcomes, such as mortality rates (Vázquez-Calatayud et al., 2021). Currently, the hospital that I work at requires that all nurses obtain their BSN degree within 5 years of their hire date.
Other studies have shown that with the lack of primary care physicians, nurses with advanced nursing degrees will fill those positions in order to maintain health and wellness (McNiff, 2022).
I personally agree with the research that has been done in regards to continuing education. I have seen policies change within the facility I work at to better the care that patients are receiving that have been backed by evidence-based practice. The Christian worldview can help improve patient outcomes by being there for our patients and supporting their needs. Nurses are there to advocate for their patient’s and care for them in ways that can improve their outcomes. Nurses treat their patients as if they were family members of their own and I believe that really benefits patients and helps them exceed in getting better and improving their health.
Collepals.com Plagiarism Free Papers
Are you looking for custom essay writing service or even dissertation writing services? Just request for our write my paper service, and we'll match you with the best essay writer in your subject! With an exceptional team of professional academic experts in a wide range of subjects, we can guarantee you an unrivaled quality of custom-written papers.
Get ZERO PLAGIARISM, HUMAN WRITTEN ESSAYS
Why Hire Collepals.com writers to do your paper?
Quality- We are experienced and have access to ample research materials.
We write plagiarism Free Content
Confidential- We never share or sell your personal information to third parties.
Support-Chat with us today! We are always waiting to answer all your questions.
