Introduction
The modern healthcare sector could be considered an important sphere that is focused on the improvement of the quality of peoples lives and delivering care to all individuals in need. However, the increased complexity of the challenges a health worker faces results today in the appearance of new models of care delivery that are expected to replace the old ones that have become outdated.
Furthermore, the rapid rise of technologies and digital evolution precondition the wide usage of innovations in the sphere. All these factors could not but impact the situation and create the basis for the reconsideration of traditional methods. For this reason, nowadays, we could observe a great variety of care delivery models that are explored in health care to guarantee improved outcomes and assist patients in their recovery. Thus, the choice of the model depends on numerous factors peculiar to a certain care units functioning. The total care model is one of these that is widely used nowadays by health workers.
Total Care Model
Besides, the popularity of the model could be explained by the fact that it provides a high degree of autonomy, and both a caregiver and patient could enjoy the benefits that come from the exploration of the given method. Moreover, adherence to this approach guarantees that a patient will receive holistic and unregimented care (Dearholt, & Dang, 2012).
As for the current case, the Total Care model is used in the intensive care unit (ICU) by nurses belonging to different shifts and who provide services to patients in critical conditions. It is explored by these specialists when planning, organizing and delivering care to this category of patients. Nurses adhere to the model because of its traditional character, comparatively high flexibility, and reliability. The model could be altered to create the basis for the implementation of new technologies and gradual improvement of outcomes. Besides, there are also several disadvantages like high costs and the absence of a unified approach that could be explored by all specialists working in the unit.
Scholarly sources analysis
Delving into the issue, Walter, Webster, Scott, and Emery (2012) state that in patients with cancer, the exploration of the given model could help to attain improved results and serve as one of the determinants of outcomes. Investigating the functioning of a certain care unit, the authors come to the conclusion that the exploration of the total care model could help to reduce diagnostic delays and increase the proportion of early-stage cancer identified due to the enhanced nursing efforts (Walter et al., 2012).
The investigators researched Andersens Model of Total Patent Care and came to the conclusion that the adherence to the model helps to improve results of care and assist patients in their recovery (Walter et al., 2012). Furthermore, there was strong evidence that the Total Patient Care model was among the main factors that help patients suffering from cancer to identify it in the early stages and attain improved results. For this reason, the exploration of the model in real-life conditions could be beneficial and justified by its positive impact on outcomes.
Winge, Johannesson, Perjons, and Wangler (2015) also admit the great positive impact the given model could have on the evolution of a certain medical care unit and improved outcomes. Besides, the organization and the delivery of todays health and social care become more and more complex. For this reason, the high flexibility of the Total Care model could be considered its main advantage that guarantees the further exploration of the model in the existing medical setting.
Nevertheless, the increased complexity of modern challenges also comes from the potentially incoherent, uncoordinated, and interfering care processes that result from the misunderstanding between care providers and patients (Winge et al., 2015). In this regard, the researchers state that the exploration of the method is expected to eliminate all these threats by guaranteeing improved cooperation between a nurse and a caregiver. The investigators also state that the introduction of a Coordination Hub needed to align efficient patterns will contribute to the enhanced result of the treatment process. For this reason, it still remains efficient.
Different models analysis
However, the given approach is not ideal. The fact is that there are several other models that could be explored by caregivers to deliver care and guarantee the improved outcomes of treatment. As has already been mentioned, the choice of the most appropriate model of care delivery depends on the peculiarities of a medical unit functioning.
The model of functional nursing could be considered one of the efficient approaches that could be used in different settings. For instance, Kuk et al. (2017) state that the usage of this model can help to reduce costs and decrease the number of health workers involved in the process significantly. It is extremely important for modern health care, and for this reason, the exploration of the model could help specialists to become more efficient and contribute to the improved outcomes. Additionally, the efficiency of the model of functional nursing is evidenced by positive result peculiar to other care units that use it.
Klasen, Groenwegen, Mitchell, and Wilson (2016) also outline the advantageous character of the Functional Nursing model. Comparing the approach to other methods that are used in the health care, the authors state that its exploration could help to attain improved results and attain an enhanced efficiency of different tasks. Furthermore, the given approach presupposes a significant decrease of costs that at the moment are very high. The investigators analyze the functioning of a certain care unit and come to the conclusion that the model is seen positively by staff (Klasen et al., 2016).
However, it remains challenging, and there is a great need for the additional training to explain the main peculiarities of the model. Thus, to meet future demands and face challenges that might appear in the course of the sectors evolution, specialists should also be able to use innovations in term of the model. Considering all these facts, the authors come to the conclusion that the implementation of the new model could be promoted to improve the work of the healthcare sector.
Current Models implementation
Besides, revolving around the above-mentioned models, the way the first approach is implemented to real life conditions could be discussed. The fact is, the Total Patient Care approach presupposes that the patient care is organized by a registered nurse who is t the moment responsible for the accomplishment of this task. Besides, in this very care unit, 8-hour shifts are explored to guarantee the appropriate delivery of care to patients who have specific needs. However, very often problem appeared because of the misunderstandings between nurses who created their own plans and delivered care in different ways. The absence of the unified approach deteriorates the outcomes of treatment and often results in the appearance of conflicts between nurses and patients.
New model
In this regard, the model of Functional Nursing could be recommended as a possible alternative to the approach that is used in the unit at the moment. First of all, it will help to reduce the number of nurses involved in the process. This will improve the cooperation between health workers and result in the absence of misunderstandings that appear because of the divergences in approaches to the creation of treatment plan (Dearholt & Dang, 2012). Moreover, the Functional Nursing will also help to increase the speed of care delivery and enhance the overall efficiency of the unit. According to Kuk et al. (2017), medical units that managed to implement the given model into their functioning demonstrate the improved results. For this reason, the usage of the given model could be recommended as an appropriate alternative for this very care unit as it might enhance its functioning significantly.
Conclusion
Altogether, at the moment there are different care models that explored in the health care sector by caregivers The diversity of approaches exists to satisfy all patients needs and guarantee efficient care delivery. Besides, Total Patient Care and Functional Nursing could be considered one of these models. The investigation of the first approach promoted the improved comprehending of its strong and weak points as well as its impact on the functioning of the care unit. It might be efficient enough; however, several drawbacks might precondition the usage of another approach, and functional nursing could be considered an appropriate alternative.
References
Dearholt, S., & Dang, D. (2012). Johns Hopkins nursing evidence based practice model and guidelines. Indiannapolis, IN: Sigma Theta Tau International
Klasen, K., Groenwegen, T., Mitchell, L., & Wilson, S. (2016). From primary nurse to collaborative nursing care team. Healthcare Management Forum, 29(3), 121-125. doi:10.1177/0840470416633234
Kuk, N., Zijlstra, G., Bours, G., Hamers, J., Tan, F., & Kempen, G. (2017). Promoting functional activity among nursing home residents. Journal of Aging and Health. doi:10.1177/0898264316687407
Walter, F., Webster, A., Scott, S., & Emery,J. (2012). The Andersen model of total patient delay: A systematic review of its application in cancer diagnosis. Journal of Health Services Research & Policy, 17(2), 110-118. doi:10.1258/jhsrp.2011.010113
Winge, M., Johannesson, P., Perjons, E., & Wangler, B. (2015). The coordination hub: Toward patient-centered and collaborative care processes. Health Informatics Journal, 21(4), 284-305. doi:10.1177/1460458214528822