The nurse influences five medical elements: providing patient-centered care, working in interdisciplinary teams, using evidence-based practice, improving quality, and informatics. Together, these enable an analysis of the nursing process and its effectiveness. A critical approach to nursing care involves evaluating actions and their results: which aspects of performance can be improved and for what purpose. The nurse should correctly define her tasks and how she can achieve their optimization. One of the problems hindering the transformation of health care is one of concern. Unhelpful and redundant health care services result in either repeat care-seeking or significant hospital spending on unwarranted services (Salmond & Echevarria, 2017). A nurse practitioner can help change the health care system by eliminating unnecessary health care services with the application of critical thinking theory and leadership development.
The nurse initially thinks about change when she encounters patients every day at work. One notices the many subtle aspects of working with people because she regularly supervises medications, drinking, massages, etc. If a nurse thinks about change, that is already the first step in implementing the plan (Wagner, 2018). However, throughout the transformation process, the nurse will encounter typical problems that can prevent the elimination of health care redundancy. Distrust of the nurse’s judgment and disregard for the nurse’s observations may be paramount among these problems. Even though there are significantly more nurses than physicians around the world to perform daily care, disrespect and discrimination still occur on “senior” staff (Rubenfeld & Scheffer, 2015). In addition, there can sometimes be restrictions related to insurance and payment. The hospital recommends the patient for several cheaper procedures while 1-2 more expensive ones can be used. The patient is likely to save some money, but there is an increased risk of re-treatment due to incomplete treatment. Other possible limitations may include difficulties with protocols of care, with legal mechanisms of “hospital-patient.” I think the reluctance of the hospital system to adjust to the new regime would also be a barrier.
To change the system safely with redundant services, a plan should be made with goals and objectives worked out so that quality is improved with a drop in costs. To begin with, the program should include several meetings among the nursing staff, where the leader (the head nurse) will put forward several talking points about the problem (Rubenfeld & Scheffer, 2015). For example, the nurse will show statistics and the number of repeat visits – a clear demonstration and incentive for change. Then talks will begin with the senior staff to propose new plans for providing services on the nursing side. Together with the physician, the senior nurse can draw up several more care algorithms, after which they will be proposed to the hospital manager. Although nurses will not directly affect the legal aspects of the new system, they can work with patients and explain the need for higher-cost procedures. It will probably require a more thorough psychological evaluation of each patient, so hospital management should also include some courses for nurses.
This kind of transformation can change the overall health care system and the way it is treated. On the part of the nurses, the relationship with patients and their involvement in the healing process will be improved. In addition, the additional contact between all medical staff will significantly impact the organization of the hospital and provide a positive doctor-nurse-patient dynamic (Salmond & Echevarria, 2017). As a nurse, I will contribute to the improvement of care at all stages and focus my energies on the psychological comfort of the patient.
Thus, to transform the health care system and reduce useless and redundant health care services, the entire staff must be involved. Particular attention should be paid to changing nurses’ attitudes toward health care because they are the ones who interact with patients the most. Nurses can prepare new care plans, adjust them with physicians, and then change at the administrative level.
References
Rubenfeld, M. G., & Scheffer, B. K. (2015). Critical thinking tactics for nurses: Achieving the Iom competencies. Illustrations.
Salmond, S. W. & Echevarria, M. (2017). Healthcare transformation and changing roles for nursing. Orthop Nurs., 36(1). Web.
Wagner, J. (2018).Leadership and influencing change in nursing. University of Regina Press.