REVIEW OF CURRENT HEALTHCARE ISSUES
Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days who chose a different national healthcare issue/stressor than you selected. Explain how their chosen national healthcare issue/stressor may also impact your work setting and what (if anything) is being done to address the national healthcare issue/stressor. I will copy and paste two of my colleagues posts
1st one
The mental health crisis is a substantial concern within the realm of national healthcare, exerting a profound influence on numerous facets of society, including the healthcare profession. Mental health disorders are pervasive and escalating concerns, with the burden on healthcare systems, socioeconomic disparities, and systemic problems further compounding the situation. The ramifications of this crisis extend beyond patient outcomes to encompass the operations and welfare of healthcare professionals.
An essential determinant impacting mental health is an individual’s socioeconomic status (SES). An inverse relationship exists between socioeconomic status and the prevalence of mental health problems attributable to stressors, including inadequate healthcare access, financial hardship, and educational inequalities (Dougall et al., 2023). The correlation between socioeconomic status (SES) and mental health is complex, involving both direct consequences such as financial instability and indirect influences, including habitation in high-pressure environments and limited availability of mental health services (Erving & Smith, 2022).
Within the healthcare industry, providers are adversely affected by the mental health crisis via heightened emotional strain and burden, which culminate in burnout, diminished job satisfaction, and elevated rates of employee attrition. Without the proper resources and support, managing the complex mental health requirements of patients is frequently a challenge for healthcare professionals. The escalating need for mental health services places additional weight on healthcare systems that are already overwhelmed, resulting in a decline in care quality and a worsening of workforce deficiencies (Amalberti et al., 2019).
The mental health crisis has prompted our health system at Los Angeles General Medical Center (LAGMC), to implement several strategic initiatives. In light of the widespread ramifications that mental health concerns have on both healthcare providers and patients, our institution has established initiatives to tackle these obstacles comprehensively. One example of this is the integration of mental health professionals into primary care teams, which is one example of the expansion of mental health services. This approach aims to enhance patients’ access to mental health support and deliver comprehensive care (Broome & Marshall, 2021).
Additionally, the well-being of healthcare providers has been a priority for our health system. Staff mental health support programs encompass various initiatives, such as providing counseling services, organizing stress management seminars, and cultivating a supportive work environment. (Dixon-Woods et al., 2012) These measures are intended to reduce burnout and increase job satisfaction, augmenting healthcare delivery.
One instance of an implemented change is the implementation of routine mental health training for the entire staff. This training program aims to provide healthcare professionals with the necessary competencies to recognize and address mental health concerns in themselves and their patients. An additional endeavor entails the creation of a peer support network, which serves as a medium for healthcare professionals to exchange anecdotes and provide reciprocal assistance.
As a result, the mental health crisis is, in summary, an enormously consequential matter in the realm of national healthcare, affecting healthcare providers and patients alike. Socioeconomic status is a pivotal factor that impacts mental health by regulating care accessibility and general welfare. The health system has responded by augmenting mental health services and instituting staff support initiatives, with the dual objective of amplifying the quality of care and the well-being of providers. Confronting this crisis necessitates ongoing dedication and inventive approaches to efficiently oversee the escalating volume and intricacy of mental health requirements.
References
Amalberti, R., Vincent, C., Nicklin, W., & Braithwaite, J. (2019). Coping with more people with more illness. Part 1: the nature of the challenge and the implications for safety and quality. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 31(2), 154-158
Broome, M., & Marshall, E. S. (2021). Transformational leadership in nursing: From expert clinician to influential leader (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Springer. Chapter 3, “Current Challenges in Complex Health Care Organizations and the Quadruple Aim” (pp. 66–97)
Dixon-Woods, M., McNicol, S., & Martin, G. (2012). Ten challenges in improving quality in healthcare: lessons from the Health Foundation’s programme evaluations and relevant literature. BMJ quality & safety, 21(10), 876-884.
Dougall, I., Vasiljevic, M., Wright, J. D., & Weick, M. (2023). How, when, and why is social class linked to mental health and wellbeing? A systematic meta-review. Social Science & Medicine, 116542.
Erving, C. L., & Smith, M. V. (2022). Disrupting monolithic thinking about Black women and their mental health: Does stress exposure explain intersectional ethnic, nativity, and socioeconomic differences?. Social Problems, 69(4), 1046-1067.
2nd one
The National Healthcare Issue of Patient Safety
One of the critical national healthcare issues in the U.S. is patient safety. The issue contributes to poor patient outcomes and the high cost of care in the country. The issue manifests in different ways. For instance, Ahsani-Estahbanati et al. (2022) focused on healthcare-associated infections with 1.7 million events, resulting in $35 to $45 billion of excess costs. Patient safety also manifests in prescription medication. Hodkinson et al. (2020) found a 3% prevalence of preventable medication harm. Surprisingly, the prevalence doubled in surgical care and intensive care units. In another study, 400,000 patients in the U.S. experienced preventable harm (Rodziewicz et al., 2024).
As a nurse, ensuring patient safety is a paramount concern that affects my work setting in significant ways. One critical aspect is medication administration. Nurses must exercise utmost diligence in reviewing orders, double-checking dosages and routes, and monitoring for adverse reactions. Additionally, they need to adhere to strict infection control protocols. For instance, they need to ensure proper hand hygiene at all times through the use of personal protective equipment and aseptic techniques during procedures. Such modifications to the work setting are crucial to safeguard patient safety in my daily practice.
Language Barriers and Patient Safety
Language barriers, which represent a component of poor educational background, is a significant social determinant of health that affects patient safety. Benda et al. (2022) discovered that only 3% of patient safety events were directly connected to the patient’s non-English language preference, though a further 10% appeared possibly related. Therefore, a possible violation of patient safety may have stemmed from providers’ inadequate communication with patients due to limited English proficiency. When solutions were proposed, they typically involved temporary measures like involving interpreter services rather than more sustainable, systemic changes. Therefore, miscommunication due to language literacy affects every aspect of care, from obtaining accurate medical histories to explaining diagnoses, treatment plans, and follow-up instructions.
Responding to the Healthcare Issue
The organization responded to the issue by establishing a non-punitive reporting system that encourages staff to openly disclose medical errors, near misses, and safety concerns. The shift away from the historically punitive culture surrounding medical errors empowered staff to transparently identify safety vulnerabilities. According to Azyabi et al. (2022), encouraging a patient safety culture promotes open communication and the frequency of event reporting. The organization performed underwent rigorous multidisciplinary analysis on the reported events using techniques like root cause analysis to determine how to modify processes and conditions contributing to adverse occurrences.
References
Ahsani-Estahbanati, E., Sergeevich Gordeev, V., & Doshmangir, L. (2022). Interventions to reduce the incidence of medical error and its financial burden in health care systems: A systematic review of systematic reviews. Frontiers in Medicine, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2022.875426Links to an external site.
Azyabi, A., Karwowski, W., Hancock, P., Wan, T. T. H., & Elshennawy, A. (2022). Assessing Patient Safety Culture in United States Hospitals. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(4), 2353. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042353Links to an external site.
Benda, N. C., Wesley, D. B., Nare, M., Fong, A., Ratwani, R. M., & Kellogg, K. M. (2022). Social Determinants of Health and Patient Safety: An Analysis of Patient Safety Event Reports Related to Limited English-Proficient Patients. Journal of Patient Safety, 18(1), e1. https://doi.org/10.1097/PTS.0000000000000663Links to an external site.
Hodkinson, A., Tyler, N., Ashcroft, D. M., Keers, R. N., Khan, K., Phipps, D., Abuzour, A., Bower, P., Avery, A., Campbell, S., & Panagioti, M. (2020). Preventable medication harm across health care settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Medicine, 18, 313. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-020-01774-9Links to an external site.
Rodziewicz, T. L., Houseman, B., Vaqar, S., & Hipskind, J. E. (2024). Medical Error Reduction and Prevention. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499956/Links to an external site.
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