Introduction
The setting which will be analyzed in this proposal includes a nursing home within a metropolitan area. Currently, a group of twenty-five registered and unregistered members of staff are in need of improved education in regards to medication compliance. While the facility only includes eighty-bed spaces and limited staff, emerging issues have begun to be more prevalent in day-to-day operations of the facility. Most of these challenges are associated with barriers posed by the pandemic and the resulting limitations to the staff’s capabilities in terms of medication compliance. Raised costs, increased spread of diseases, disruption of continuous care, and decreased flexibility and accessibility have been factors of these issues.
The priority of both the proposal and any associated strategies focus on the improvement of the current medication compliance in the facility. Additionally, the metropolitan location of the nursing home also allows for a number of advantages and difficulties. While more innovative educational technology is likely to be available within such a setting, its utilization will vary in response to the staff using it. Demographic and personal factors such as age or adeptness with technology are also likely to affect the effectiveness and usability of certain strategies. As such, background key characteristics such as the current issues of the nursing home, its location, and the qualities of the staff will dictate which strategies are likely to be implemented with success.
Two Strategies
While online learning systems within the sphere of healthcare encompass a number of varied strategies, the one observed in this proposal prioritizes easily accessible information and resources to staff via their own and in-hospital devices if necessary. This strategy has a number of immediate benefits, such as it being significantly less costly than in-person classes or conferences (Nicoll et al., 2018). Due to the digital format, it is simple to distribute and reproduce. It also allows staff members individual engagement with the system which is essential in minimizing the spread of diseases, which is especially prevalent in the time of the pandemic. Online databases and learning systems can also be updated easily and across all platforms, allowing for access to recent information and research. Similarly, though its accessibility may depend on a system’s features, most learning programs are available via phones, tablets, or personal computers. This has significant implications for medication compliance as a learning instrument that prioritizes clarity and individual study is more likely to produce better and more careful processes and treatment in the facility.
Though online learning systems host a number of advantages, there are also some drawbacks to implementing such an educational strategy. First, the adeptness of the staff with such programs may differ depending on their previous experiences with such technology or digital learning. Second, individual work that is promoted through online learning also limits the interactions with colleagues and professionals which may be detrimental to the long-term goals of medication compliance (Almarzooq et al., 2020). Third, while it may be possible to offer registered, unregistered, and personal care nurses varied and specialized programs and materials, it is not an inherent feature of online learning systems. In regards to medication compliance, this may provide issues as the strategy limits interactions between professionals and can decrease accuracy within the work of the staff. As such, while online learning offers extremely vital benefits, it also possesses a number of prevalent drawbacks.
Health information technology refers to equipment, databases, and records of resources that are vital within a nursing home setting. Current uses of such a strategy include the digitization of all health records within a facility and the integration of any other necessary clinical and administrative information (Ko et al., 2018). In practice, it allows all staff members to access medical information in order to be better educated on prevalent issues and topics. As such, it provides a number of benefits to any medical facility or collective. It does so by offering complete and cohesive information regarding past patients, treatments, and health records. It also allows health care professionals to create treatment plans from confirmed templates or by comparing patient records. Such databases also provide varied information that may otherwise be inaccessible within a nursing home setting. Due to the practical applications of the strategy, medication compliance is likely to improve.
However, while such a database would allow for a broad variety and body of vital information, there are certain drawbacks to such a strategy. First, while the tool engages professionals by educating them on medication compliance practices, it is not formatted like a more learning-oriented tool. Second, its interface may be less accessible to certain staff members either due to inexperience, lack of technology on which it can operate, or for other reasons. Third, such a database may not be efficient in distinguishing materials and resources that are relevant to registered, unregistered, and personal care nurses. This inability to provide relevant material may cause less adherence to medication compliance.
Evaluation Method
The effectiveness of either strategy can be measured through a number of factors within the nursing home setting. These include ease of access, frequency of utilization, care quality, and incidences of non-compliance. Essentially, because the nursing home aims to increase the accessibility, care quality, and medication compliance of its facility, it is vital to consider the factors in the evaluation. Prior to any implementation, the strategy must be analyzed and it can be discerned whether it would be efficient in the selected setting. Accessibility and utilization can be observed based on the age of the staff, their experiences with technology and software, and whether they have ownership of gadgets such as phones, tablets, or laptops. The content of each strategy can suggest whether it will be effective in maintaining or improving the current quality of care. Both strategies focus on education regarding medication compliance and therefore create the potential for improved quality of care. The ease with which the staff can utilize the strategies can suggest whether either method would be effective in medication compliance (Carr et al., 2021). Medication compliance is the most important measure, with both strategies attributing to the potential improvement in the working process of the staff.
Justification of Best Strategy
It is likely that an online learning system is more beneficial to the staff that operates within a nursing home facility. This is largely due to the fact that the drawbacks that exist as a result of the online learning strategy are more easily minimized within such a setting. While the facility hosts a small body of staff, it is likely that they may interact more than within a large hospital. As such, social learning will still be possible despite the fact that online learning systems provide largely individual study. Similarly, because such programs are oriented toward learning, staff that are less adept with technology are more likely to learn the operations of such systems than less user-friendly health records. While there may be no immediate way to offer different staff varied materials, online learning systems are susceptible to being updated, and therefore this option remains possible. The advantages of online learning systems can also be made more specialized for certain settings than health records. Essentially, learning programs that are directed at nurses within nursing homes may be acquired.
Conclusion
While both methods host a number of benefits in regards to improving medication compliance, online learning systems are more easily accessible and usable within a metropolitan nursing home setting. While health-information technology is also incredibly important and allows facilities to collect data in a cohesive and complete manner, it is better suited for larger organizations. In order to combat specific issues currently prevalent within the nursing home, a more specialized option is required. Online learning systems are able to currently provide a more detailed and learning-oriented approach.
References
Almarzooq, Z. I., Lopes, M., & Kochar, A. (2020). Virtual Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Disruptive Technology in Graduate Medical Education. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 75(20), 2635–2638. Web.
Carr, L. H., Padula, M., Chuo, J., Cunningham, M., Flibotte, J., O’Connor, T., Thomas, B., & Nawab, U. (2021). Improving Compliance with a Rounding Checklist through Low- and High-technology Interventions: A Quality Improvement Initiative. Pediatric Quality & Safety, 6(4). Web.
Ko, M., Wagner, L., & Spetz, J. (2018). Nursing Home Implementation of Health Information Technology: Review of the Literature Finds Inadequate Investment in Preparation, Infrastructure, and Training. INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 55(1). Web.
Nicoll, P., MacRury, S., van Woerden, H. C., & Smyth, K. (2018). Evaluation of Technology-Enhanced Learning Programs for Health Care Professionals: Systematic Review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 20(4). Web.