NURS 4005 – Week 4 Discussion – Nurse-Patient Empowerment

NURS 4005 – Week 4 Discussion – Nurse-Patient Empowerment

The best strategy that nurses can employ to empower patients starts with education. Educating patients about their disease, treatment options, and rights goes a long way in the progress of their condition. Nurses can empower patients by allowing them to participate in active decision-making about their health. Developing a two-way relationship between nurses and patients will shift power from nurses to patients.

Nurses need to encourage patients to participate in making informed decision-making about their own care and which can directly impact their safety and quality. This can lead to positive outcomes. If patients know their plan for treatment and diagnosis, they can have an active participation in how their care is delivered treatments (Piper, 2014). They will also be able to recognize and prevent the signs and symptoms of progressing disease/illness. In turn, this will give a chance for healthcare providers to intervene earlier.

Healthcare providers should always strive to provide patient-centered care and not what is best for the hospitals. Healthcare providers should take into consideration what is best for the patients and their families by asking them what their preference is (Laureate Education, 2009). Patient engagement strategies have been shown to improve care delivery and translate into better outcomes related to patient satisfaction and recovery (Guglielmi et al., 2014). Inform patients of their rights, providing patients with information so that they can make an informed decision, and supporting patients in their decision are the best strategies for empowering patients.

NURS 4005 – Week 4 Discussion – Nurse-Patient Empowerment

The National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI) is a national nursing database developed by the American Nurse Association that provides quarterly and annual reporting of structure, process, and outcome indicators to evaluate nursing care at the unit level (Associates, 2016). It is a tool that holds nurses accountable for their practice and sets benchmarks for a particular practice area. These are national benchmarks that give nurses a way to measure and set goals specific to their unit compared to other hospitals of their size. As a result, this gives nurses a voice and allows them to develop an action plan. These action plans are implemented in areas where there are opportunities for improvement. The end result is improved quality for the patients (Laureate Education, 2009).

I currently work in long-term care, and we have quality measures as well. Our quality measure comes from the Nursing Home Quality Initiative (NHQI). The quality measures still pertain to staff safety, patient ratios, pressure sores, falls, etc..… With patients, I always try to provide them with information about resources within the community that will help them physically, emotionally, and financially. If I don’t know the answers, I will always try to find them the answers or direct them to someone more knowledgeable. I have always encouraged my coworkers to strive to be the best person they can be and to set goals so that they can advance themselves in their careers. I encourage them to be active in committees so that they can have a voice and be active in change within the health system. I’ve set an example by being involved in several committees both at work and outside of work.

Resources

Associates, P. G. (2016). NDNQI – National Database of nursing quality indicators. Retrieved March 21, 2018, from http://www.pressganey.com/solutions/clinical-quality/nursing-quality Guglielmi, C. L., Stratton, M., Healy, G. B., Shapiro, D., Duffy, W. J., Dean, B. L., &

Groah, L. K. (2014). The growing role of patient engagement: Relationship-based care in a changing health care system. AORN Journal, 99(4), 517-528. doi:10.1016/j.aorn.2014.02.007

Laureate Education. (Producer). (2009). Topics in clinical nursing: Accountability and nursing practice [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Piper, S. (2014). How to empower patients and involve the public. Nursing Standard, 29(4), 37 -doi:10.7748/ns.29.4.37.e8665

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NURS 4005 – Week 4 Discussion – Nurse-Patient Empowerment

What are the best strategies the nurse can employ to empower patients and support patients’ rights to improve the quality of care? (Some considerations to keep in mind may include: providing information on the effectiveness, risks, and benefits of alternatives)

In what ways can NDNQI data from dashboards or quality improvement data be used to support nurse empowerment in practice?

How has your institution empowered the nursing staff through the use of quality improvement data?

Provide an example of how you have personally empowered either a patient or a fellow nurse.