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Assessing the Problem: Technology, Care Coordination, and Community Resources Considerations

Assessing the Problem: Technology, Care Coordination, and Community Resources Considerations

Depression is an ordinary mental illness that affects millions of in the world; it is defined as a state of low mood, lack of interest in activities, and reduced ability to function. Depression interferes with the function of families and communities; they experience social and financial issues, including relational conflict and monetary stress. The condition is considered a health issue that needs complex intervention since its causes and consequences generally affect the population. Patient support systems, technology, and coordination in the delivery of care services have played a central role in dealing with depression: Assessing the Problem: Technology, Care Coordination, and Community Resources Considerations.

Such aspects suggested the features that help make improvements at a larger scale based on the evidence for patients with disabilities to enhance treatment adherence and encourage the recovery process. When synthesizing the strategies mentioned above, it will be easier for healthcare professionals to break the barriers, counteract stigma, and establish positive results within the shorter- and longer-term concerning individuals and their families. This paper discusses such strategies, focusing on the empirical literature and practicum experiences to articulate workable and feasible solutions.

The Impact of Healthcare Technology

Current Technology Utilization

The use of current technology in healthcare has transformed the management of mental health, mainly in the areas of access to services and treatment. Telehealth platforms afford people access to remote mental health services, overcoming geographical barriers and allowing for timely interventions. Mobile applications like Woebot and CBT-I Coach offer guided cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) exercises to help users identify and change negative thinking patterns while supporting them between sessions.

Moreover, wearable devices track patterns in sleep, physical activity, and heart rate variability, all part of the formation of data meant to help assess patient behavior and treatment reconfiguration (Hughes et al., 2023). It is particularly essential for those in more underserved localities who cannot attend regular in-person meetings.

Advantages and Limitations

One of the benefits applies to healthcare technologies. Patients assume an active role in their treatment regime through features that include alarms, monitoring, and advice. This kind of access prevents those living in rural or underserved areas from traveling far distances. Since wearable devices provide ongoing, real-time information about patient’s health and behavior, they enhance clinicians’ decision-making.

Yet, the techniques have several drawbacks as well. Certain concerns, such as data breaches, may act as barriers to adoption when individuals are used to aging or a non-digital method. Modest levels of digital literacy associated with high treatment expenses hinder usability and generate resource disparities. Not every patient may be willing to use interventions, for example, the ones exhibiting severe symptomatology or another co-morbid illness.

Barriers

The use of different technological applications helping to handle depression has several systematic and personal challenges. Many of these limitations pertain to an inability to afford new sophisticated equipment and telehealth services, especially among the uninsured. Extra challenges are realized in regions without broadband connections through which patients can access telehealth solutions.

Anxiety about privacy and the possible invasion of health data hampers technology adoption even more. Lastly, the cultural taboo of mental health is a strong disincentive to individuals from going for or engaging in technology-enabled solutions.

Supporting Evidence

An analysis of the potential of health technology in bringing enhanced mental health outcomes has been documented. For instance, Snoswell et al. (2020) established that telehealth interventions can contribute positively to patient participation, cost reduction, and enhanced compliance with treatment regimens. Likewise, mobile applications that are used to help track symptoms and CBT-based exercises have been found to have clinically significant improvements, including a reduction of depressive symptoms and an increase in patient self-efficacy. These findings strongly stress the need for incorporating technology into the general mental healthcare strategies that address challenges and enhance results​.

Care Coordination and Community Resources

Importance of Care Coordination

Care coordination can be seen as effective in the treatment of depression since patients require customized and comprehensive care at various steps of their treatment. Integrated care management fosters working relationships between patients, therapists, primary care doctors and nurses, and social workers. It thus considers the well-being in physical, emotional, and social aspects.

This model benefits patients with depression, as it addresses essential challenges, including compliance with medications, engaging in therapy, and ways to manage it. Furthermore, patient care coordinators play pivotal roles in linking patients with required resources and guiding them through cumbersome healthcare systems to improve the continuity and effectiveness of the treatment.

Community Resources

There is a need for several community resources to support clinical care because several factors that influence depression management are embedded in social determinants. By coming together and exchanging stories, one does not feel alone in their situation, boosting emotional capital. Patients will also be assisted in overcoming logistic issues to care through counseling services, transportation, and financial support from faith-based organizations and local non-profit organizations.

Community mental health involves patients and their families. It may incorporate psychoeducation to help patients and their families learn knowledge and techniques on how to cope or deal with depression (Castillo, 2020). Such resources are of the essence to low-income families or individuals who cannot afford to access regular health facilities.

Barriers and Challenges

Notably, the low use of community resources continues to be attributed to stigma, lack of knowledge, and lack of available means of transport. Cultural norms regarding mental illnesses are that one should not seek help, especially when one comes from a conservative or rural background, where discussing mental health problems is rare.

There is also a lack of awareness regarding the available resources in the community. Other barriers that hinder participation in community-based activities include lack of transport and irregular working hours. It will also involve targeted campaigns, culture-friendly awareness creation, and policy advocacy for improving these resources.

Supporting Evidence

Recent empirical literature has indicated that community resources are crucial in supporting mental health. In a current study by Chellappan et al. (2022), family psychoeducation was noted to help enhance treatment plan compliance and lessen caregiver stress, emphasizing the role of the family in managing depression. Also, expanding mental health services into primary care settings improves access, decreases disparities, and improves outcomes. Hence, these results suggest systematic approaches necessary to ensure proper utilization of community resources in a holistic therapeutic process​.

Analysis of Standards and Policies

Nursing Practice Standards

Nursing practice standards can help give the necessary guidance in managing depression. The American Nurses Association (ANA) emphasizes holistic, patient-centered care, including mental health assessment and evidence-based intervention (American Nurses Association, 2022). Nurses are educated in consideration of the psychological, emotional, and social dimensions of health, where treatment plans must be tailored accordingly to the individual’s needs. For patients with depression, these guidelines encourage early screening, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the use of culturally sensitive approaches for a diverse patient population.

Policies Supporting Technology and Coordination

In terms of guiding healthcare practices for managing depression using health technology and care coordination, state board nursing practice standards, as well as organizational and governmental policies, are exercised in their roles. According to the American Nurses Association, holistic, patient-centered care includes mental health assessments and evidence-based interventions based on the needs of individual patients. They promote early screening of depression, interdisciplinary interaction, and the use of culturally sensitive approaches. Moreover, federal policies, including the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, have increased access to mental health services, which have incorporated technology and care coordination to achieve continuity of care and associated better outcomes for patients with depression.

Impact on Nursing Scope

These policies have expanded the practice domain of professionalism and authorized responsibilities to the nurses earlier out of their reach. Often, nurses collaborate with other professionals treating various aspects of patients who have depression. ACA expansions of Medicaid have also created many avenues for nurses to offer community-based services as they play a crucial role in closing gaps in insurance disparities and mental health.

Application of Ethics in Nursing Practice

Ethical principles are elements of nursing practice, mainly when dealing with depressive disorders. Haddad and Geiger (2023) describe beneficence as the moral imperative that guarantees all the interventions for patients are beneficial, while nonmaleficence is the divider that establishes a situation where the negative impacts or harms are the least.

The principle of respect for a patient’s autonomy means that a patient should only consent to a treatment or experimental procedure after being fully informed. This is particularly so with technology-based interventions where privacy violations can have catastrophic implications for the patient. Through these principles, nurses can provide patients with equally merited and efficient quality care while upholding the rights and values of the patients.

Notably, when using technology-based interventions for depression treatment, HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) regulations are essential to protect patient privacy. HIPAA guidelines need to be adhered to by nurses in order to protect patient data using telehealth, mobile apps, and wearable devices. HIPAA states that patient data is private and must be secured, and nurses have to ask patients’ permission to join digital health solutions. In telehealth settings, where privacy and data security are fundamental to trust and meeting legal and ethical requirements, nurses must handle sensitive information carefully.

Part 2

Practicum Reflection and Documentation

In the final two hours of the practicum, I incorporated healthcare technology, care coordination, and community resources for a family diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). The family included a female diagnosed with MDD, her husband, and two teenage children, who experienced extreme difficulties like social isolation, financial problems, and poor knowledge about the support systems available. The family was directed to telehealth services to help decrease transportation challenges and enable ongoing therapy.

The local community organizations were also approached to offer psychoeducation, counseling services, and transportation support. Practicum hours for these activities were logged in the Capella Academic Portal Volunteer Experience Form with a focus on interdisciplinary collaboration, patient teaching, and resource usage within communities.

Conclusion

Healthcare technology, integrated care, and community service and support all function in the global approach to handling depression. The described measures lead to improved care quality, increased patient safety, and decreased costs on the system and individual levels. Telemedicine availability, community resources, and cultural misconceptions are key movements toward improving mental health.

This change involves nurses using their knowledge to support the integration, implementation, and promotion of research findings in practice, fair access to care, and patient and family support. Accordingly, healthcare systems need to adopt the above approaches to ensure sensitive and helpful frameworks for efficient treatment, recovery, and general resiliency within depressed persons or groups.

References

American Nurses Association. (2022). What is nursing? American Nurses Association. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/workforce/what-is-nursing/

Castillo, E. G. (2020). Community interventions to promote mental health and social equity. Current Psychiatry Reports, 21(5), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-019-1017-0

Chellappan, X., Bhawana, K., & Rohilla, J. (2022). Efficacy of family psychoeducation on drug compliance, self-esteem and caregivers’ burden among selected psychiatric inpatients from a tertiary care centre, North India. Industrial Psychiatry Journal, 31(1), 89. https://doi.org/10.4103/ipj.ipj_190_20

Haddad, L. M., & Geiger, R. A. (2023, August 14). Nursing ethical considerations. National Library of Medicine; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526054/

Hughes, A., Shandhi, M. M. H., Master, H., Dunn, J., & Brittain, E. (2023). Wearable devices in cardiovascular medicine. Circulation Research, 132(5), 652–670. https://doi.org/10.1161/circresaha.122.322389

Snoswell, C. L., Taylor, M. L., Comans, T. A., Smith, A. C., Gray, L. C., & Caffery, L. J. (2020). Determining if telehealth can reduce health system costs: Scoping review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(10). https://doi.org/10.2196/17298

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Question

In a 5–7 page written assessment, determine how health care technology, coordination of care, and community resources can be applied to address the patient, family, or population problem you’ve defined. In addition, plan to spend approximately 2 direct practicum hours exploring these aspects of the problem with the patient, family, or group you’ve chosen to work with and, if desired, consulting with subject matter and industry experts. Document the time spent (your practicum hours) with these individuals or group in the Capella Academic Portal Volunteer Experience Form. Report on your experiences during the second 2 hours of your practicum.

Introduction
As a baccalaureate-prepared nurse, you’ll be positioned to maximize the use of technology to achieve positive patient outcomes and improve organizational effectiveness. Providing holistic coordination of patient care across the entire health care continuum and leveraging community resource services can lead both to positive patient outcomes and to organizational improvements.

Preparation
In this assessment, you’ll determine how health care technology, coordination of care, and community resources can be applied to address the health problem you’ve defined. Plan to spend at least 2 direct practicum hours working with the same patient, family, or group. During this time, you may also choose to consult with subject matter and industry experts.

To prepare for the assessment:

  • Review the assessment instructions and scoring guide to ensure that you understand the work you will be asked to complete and how it will be assessed.
  • Conduct sufficient research of the scholarly and professional literature to inform your assessment and meet scholarly expectations for supporting evidence.
  • Review the Practicum Focus Sheet: Assessment 3 [PDF], Download Practicum Focus Sheet: Assessment 3 [PDF],which provides guidance for conducting this portion of your practicum.

Note: As you revise your writing, check out the resources listed on the Writing Center’s Writing Support page.

Instructions
Complete this assessment in two parts.

Part 1

  • Determine how health care technology, the coordination of care, and the use of community resources can be applied to address the patient, family, or population problem you’ve defined. Plan to spend at least 2 practicum hours exploring these aspects of the problem with the patient, family, or group. During this time, you may also consult with subject matter and industry experts of your choice.
    Document the time spent (your practicum hours) with these individuals or group in the Capella Academic Portal Volunteer Experience Form. Use the Practicum Focus Sheet: Assessment 3 [PDF] Download Practicum Focus Sheet: Assessment 3 [PDF]provided for this assessment to guide your work and interpersonal interactions.

Part 2
Report on your experiences during the second 2 hours of your practicum.

  • Whom did you meet with?
  • What did you learn from them?
  • Comment on the evidence-based practice (EBP) documents or websites you reviewed.
  • What did you learn from that review?
  • Share the process and experience of exploring the effect of the problem on the quality of care, patient safety, and costs to the system and individual.
  • Did your plan to address the problem change, based upon your experiences?
  • What surprised you, or was of particular interest to you, and why?

    Assessing the Problem: Technology, Care Coordination, and Community Resources Considerations

    Assessing the Problem: Technology, Care Coordination, and Community Resources Considerations

Requirements
The assessment requirements, outlined below, correspond to the scoring guide criteria, so be sure to address each main point. Read the performance-level descriptions for each criterion to see how your work will be assessed. In addition, note the additional requirements for document format and length and for supporting evidence.

  • Analyze the impact of health care technology on the patient, family, or population problem.
    • Cite evidence from the literature that addresses the advantages and disadvantages of specific technologies, including research studies that present opposing views.
    • Determine whether the evidence is consistent with technology use you see in your nursing practice.
    • Identify potential barriers and costs associated with the use of specific technologies and how those technologies are applied within the context of this problem.
  • Explain how care coordination and the utilization of community resources can be used to address the patient, family, or population problem.
    • Cite evidence from the literature that addresses the benefits of care coordination and the utilization of community resources, including research studies that present opposing views.
    • Determine whether the evidence is consistent with how you see care coordination and community resources used in your nursing practice.
    • Identify barriers to the use of care coordination and community resources in the context of this problem.
  • Analyze state board nursing practice standards and/or organizational or governmental policies associated with health care technology, care coordination, and community resources and document the practicum hours spent with these individuals or group in the Capella Academic Portal Volunteer Experience Form.
    • Explain how these standards or policies will guide your actions in applying technology, care coordination, and community resources to address care quality, patient safety, and costs to the system and individual.
    • Describe the effects of local, state, and federal policies or legislation on your nursing scope of practice, within the context of technology, care coordination, and community resources.
    • Explain how nursing ethics will inform your approach to addressing the problem through the use of applied technology, care coordination, and community resources.
    • Document the time spent (your practicum hours) with these individuals or group in the Capella Academic Portal Volunteer Experience Form.
  • Support main points, assertions, arguments, conclusions, or recommendations with relevant and credible evidence.
  • Apply APA style and formatting to scholarly writing.

Additional Requirements

  • Format: Format your paper using APA style. APA Style Paper Tutorial [DOCX] is provided to help you in writing and formatting your paper. Be sure to include:
    • A title page and reference page. An abstract is not required.
    • Appropriate section headings.
  • Length: Your paper should be approximately 5–7 pages in length, not including the reference page.
  • Supporting evidence: Cite at least five sources of scholarly or professional evidence that support your central ideas. Resources should be no more than five years old. Provide in-text citations and references in APA format.
  • Proofreading: Proofread your paper, before you submit it, to minimize errors that could distract readers and make it more difficult for them to focus on its substance.

Capella Academic Portal

  • Update the total number of hours on the NURS-FPX4900 Volunteer Experience Form in BSN Practicum Campus page for more information and instructions on how to log your hours.

Competencies Measured
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:

  • Competency 4: Apply health information and patient care technology to improve patient and systems outcomes.
    • Analyze the impact of health care technology on a patient, family, or population problem.
  • Competency 5: Analyze the impact of health policy on quality and cost of care.
    • Analyze state board nursing practice standards and/or organizational or governmental policies associated with health technology, care coordination, and community resources and document the practicum hours spent with these individuals or group in the Capella Academic Portal Volunteer Experience Form.
  • Competency 6: Collaborate interprofessionally to improve patient and population outcomes.
    • Explain how care coordination and the utilization of community resources can be used to address a patient, family, or population problem.
  • Competency 8: Integrate professional standards and values into practice.
    • Support main points, assertions, arguments, conclusions, or recommendations with relevant and credible evidence.
    • Apply APA style and formatting to scholarly writing