NURS 6053 REVIEW OF CURRENT HEALTHCARE ISSUES
Sample Answer for NURS 6053 REVIEW OF CURRENT HEALTHCARE ISSUES Included After Question
If you were to ask 10 people what they believe to be the most significant issue facing healthcare today, you might get 10 different answers. Escalating costs? Regulation? Technology disruption?
These and many other topics are worthy of discussion. Not surprisingly, much has been said in the research, within the profession, and in the news about these topics. Whether they are issues of finance, quality, workload, or outcomes, there is no shortage of changes to be addressed.
In this Discussion, you examine a national healthcare issue and consider how that issue may impact your work setting. You also analyze how your organization has responded to this issue.
To Prepare:
- Review the Resources and select one current national healthcare issue/stressor to focus on.
- Reflect on the current national healthcare issue/stressor you selected and think about how this issue/stressor may be addressed in your work setting.
By Day 3 of Week 1
Post a description of the national healthcare issue/stressor you selected for analysis, and explain how the healthcare issue/stressor may impact your work setting. Then, describe how your health system work setting has responded to the healthcare issue/stressor, including a description of what changes may have been implemented. Be specific and provide examples.
By Day 6 of Week 1
Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days who chose a different national healthcare issue/stressor than you selected. Explain how their chosen national healthcare issue/stressor may also impact your work setting and what (if anything) is being done to address the national healthcare issue/stressor.
Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.
A Sample Answer For the Assignment: NURS 6053 REVIEW OF CURRENT HEALTHCARE ISSUES
Title: NURS 6053 REVIEW OF CURRENT HEALTHCARE ISSUES
COVD-19 pandemic currently has greatly impact Healthcare. According to the COVID-19 In December 2019, a pneumonia caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in Wuhan, China and has rapidly spread around the world since then.
Stressor to focus on
According to the COVID-19 surges have stressed hospital systems and negatively affected health care and public health infrastructures and national critical functions. Resource limitations, such as available hospital space, staffing, and supplies led some facilities to adopt crisis standards of care, the most extreme operating condition for hospitals, in which the focus of medical decision-making shifted from achieving the best outcomes for individual patients to addressing the immediate care needs of larger groups of patients. When hospitals deviated from conventional standards of care, many preventive and elective procedures were suspended, leading to the progression of serious conditions among some persons who would have benefitted from earlier diagnosis and intervention.
The conditions of hospital strain during July 2020–July 2021, which included the presence of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant, predicted that intensive care unit bed use at 75% capacity is associated with an estimated additional 12,000 excess deaths 2 weeks later. As hospitals exceed 100% ICU bed capacity, 80,000 excess deaths would be expected 2 weeks later.
According to Vahedian-Azimi, et al., (2017) stress has anegative impact on both nurses and patient outcomes; with a greater impact to those working in critical care areas. Hospitals reported a range of strategies to address their challenges and identified areas in which further government support could help as they continue responding to the pandemic. Broadly, the areas of government support included enhancing knowledge and guidance on the prevention and treatment COVID-19, including safe means to discharge patients with COVID-19; helping to fill gaps in hospital staffing, especially for nurses and certain specialists; continuing financial relief, especially to increase care to rural and underserved communities; and, encouraging widespread vaccinations to reduce the circulation of the virus.
Beyond the immediate needs in responding to COVID-19, the pulse survey documents hospitals’ perspectives about longer-term opportunities for improvement to address challenges that existed before, and were exacerbated by, the pandemic. These include reducing disparities in access to health care and in health outcomes; building and maintaining a more robust health care workforce; and strengthening the resiliency of our health care system to respond to pandemics and other public health emergencies and disasters.
Reducing Stress on Healthcare
According to the ANA The balance of safety and efficacy and the perception of personal risk versus overall benefit are at the core of acceptability of immunization practices. The known and potential benefits of a COVID-19 vaccine must outweigh the known and potential risks. ANA strongly recommends that registered nurses be vaccinated against COVID-19. All health care personnel (HCP), including registered nurses (RNs), should be vaccinated according to current recommendations for immunization of HCP by the CDC and Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). ANA also believes that it is imperative for everyone to receive immunizations for vaccine-preventable diseases as vaccines are critical to infectious disease control and prevention. Moreover, nurses have a professional and ethical obligation to model the same health care standards they prescribe to their patients. There is now significant clinical evidence on the safety and effectiveness with approved COVID-19 vaccines being administered under the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Emergency Use Authorization process.
Annals of Internal Medicine stated We need to be more aggressive about respiratory hygiene and placing restrictions on patients, visitors, and health care workers with even mild symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection. Potential policies to consider include the following: 1) screening all visitors for any respiratory symptoms that may be related to a virus, including fever, myalgias, pharyngitis, rhinorrhea, and cough, and excluding them from visiting until they are better; 2) restricting health care workers from working if they have any upper respiratory tract symptoms, even in the absence of fever; and 3) screening all patients, testing for all respiratory viruses (including SARS-CoV-2) in those with positive screening results regardless of illness severity, and using precautions (single rooms, contact precautions, droplet precautions, and eye protection) for patients with respiratory syndromes for the duration of their symptoms regardless of viral test results. A collateral benefit is that if a patient is subsequently diagnosed with COVID-19, staff who used these precautions will be considered minimally exposed and will be able to continue working.
Conclusion
Laureate education (2015) states, that one thing that individuals and leaders can do to be prepared for healthcare challenges of the future is to develop cultural competency, gain skills to view multiple perspectives, and develop greater understanding the survival side of any healthcare organization. Having Beyond the immediate needs in responding to COVID-19, the pulse survey documents hospitals’ perspectives about longer-term opportunities for improvement to address challenges that existed before, and were exacerbated by, the pandemic. These include reducing disparities in access to health care and in health outcomes; building and maintaining a more robust health care workforce; and strengthening the resiliency of our health care system to respond to pandemics and other public health emergencies and disasters.
References
ANA Board of Directors September 2020 www.NursingWorld.org/COVID19Vaccines/
Annals of Internal Medicine https://doi.org/10.7326/M20-0751
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Daily updates of totals by week and state. Retrieved June 2, 2020 from, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/index.htm
Vahedian-Azimi, A., Hajiesmaeili, M., Kangasniemi, M., Fornes-Vives, J., Hunsucker, R. L., Rahimibashar, F., … Miller, A. C. (2017). Effects of Stress on Critical Care Nurses: A National Cross-Sectional Study. Journal of Intensive Care Medicine, 34(4), 311–322. doi: 10.1177/0885066617696853
A Sample Answer 2 For the Assignment: NURS 6053 REVIEW OF CURRENT HEALTHCARE ISSUES
Title: NURS 6053 REVIEW OF CURRENT HEALTHCARE ISSUES
Great post Ayeshia. Coronavirus COVID-19 is caused by a novel coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. It was first discovered in China and within 4month spread worldwide with over 3.5million confirmed cases as of May,2020. COVID 19 is an infectious disease that is transmitted through droplet of saliva or nasal discharge from person -to-person contact. (WHO,2021). The Virus can remain dormant in a host carrier for up to 14days, making a contagious for weeks without showing symptoms. This created a situation where mass quarantine was implemented to stop the spread of the virus. COVID-19 affects individuals of all ages and those with preexisting conditions like respiratory, heart disease and diabetes. Covid 19 as a current national healthcare affected most healthcare with unsafe level of nurse staffing. It has impacted my work setting whereby nurses are having huge workloads to contend with because of the increasing volume of patients who are seeking health care services leading to shortage of nurses and the increasing volume of patient’s ratio to nurses which in turn lead to burnout among nurses and high staffing turnover (Scibilia et al, 2022). In my workplace, staffing shortage negatively impacts the quality of nursing outcomes and jeopardizes patients’ safety.
A nurse suffering from burnout is likely to cause medication errors, which puts the life of patients at great risk. Such nurses are also likely to be less productive. Staffing shortage forces nurses to work for longer periods. This means that they will not have adequate time to think about new ideas and integrate evidence into their practice. The nurses, therefore, become less creative (Ravens-Sieberer et al, 2022). Within the health care organization where I work, we have numerous solutions to the shortage of nurse staffing. First, the organization set aside funds to employ and train more staff to help bridge the shortage of nurses. The organization gives a very attractive salary package/ incentives to nurses. This has helped to promote retention. They hire more nurses through contracts with nursing agencies, travel nurses and this has helped to immediately replace those who are retiring or leaving for other assignments. The organization created flexible scheduling of nurses, which has enabled most of us to juggle our busy schedules. This reduces stress and the emotional demands associated with the profession.
References
Ravens-Sieberer, U., Kaman, A., Erhart, M., Devine, J., Schlack, R., & Otto, C. (2022). Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on quality of life and mental health in children and adolescents in Germany. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 31(6), 879–889. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-021-01726-5
Scibilia, S. J., Gendreau, S. K., Towbin, R. T., & Happ, M. B. (2022). Impact of COVID-19 on Patient-Provider Communication in Critical Care: Case Reports. Critical Care Nurse, 45(4), 38–46. https://doi.org/10.4037/ccn2022405
A Sample Answer 3 For the Assignment: NURS 6053 REVIEW OF CURRENT HEALTHCARE ISSUES
Title: NURS 6053 REVIEW OF CURRENT HEALTHCARE ISSUES
I enjoyed the information that you posted. I agree that COVID has caused much strain on the hospitals. There should be things in place that help with the stress COVID has caused, especially regarding staffing. Some background information, I currently work weekend options at the hospital. The weekend people are only allowed three call-ins before they lose the weekend incentive. I believe this causes nurses who work those shifts less likely to call off when they have respiratory symptoms. They may not be able to, or they may be saving their call-ins for something else. People do not constantly get tested for COVID and do not always have the “classic symptoms.” I believe that is why I got COVID this week.
That said, as long as you test through employee health, the quarantine does not count against you. Nurses who test positive through employee health get seven days of quarantine. As long as they no longer have a fever without medication and do not have any fatigue after those seven days are allowed to come back to work. We isolate our patients longer than we isolate our nurses.
Your post is detailed and well-articulated. It is true that the emergence of the Corona Virus negatively affected many health care organizations. Facilities faced patient surges, challenges with staff shortages, and a lack of sufficient resources and infrastructure to cater to the crisis. The staff members were exposed to the COVID-19 virus due to hospitals’ lack of personal protective equipment, and the pandemic adversely affected their mental health. Muller et al. (2020) Conducted a study and discovered that healthcare workers were at significant risk of facing adverse mental health complications for caring for patients diagnosed with the Corona Virus. Korkmaz et al. (2020) conducted a research study, revealing that medical practitioners had high chances of developing mental health complications such as lack of sleep and anxiety, among others.
My organization was also majorly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, and we are still recovering from our challenges. The facility faced the challenge of staff shortage, and the available staff experienced burnout, exhaustion, and their mental well-being was also affected. The staff shortages affected the facility’s ability to dispense care to other patients. Additionally, the health care organization experienced financial challenges due to the increased expenses related to responding to the public health crisis. However, the organization’s management team outlined strategies to salvage the situation and plan for the future. A recruitment strategy was introduced, and there was a significant salary increase. The two fundamental strategies help the organization recruit more health workers, and the salary increment help retains healthy employees.
References
Korkmaz, S., Kazgan, A., Çekiç, S., Tartar, A. S., Balcı, H. N., & Atmaca, M. (2020). The anxiety levels, quality of sleep and life, and problem-solving skills in healthcare workers employed in COVID-19 services. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 80, 131–136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocn.2020.07.073
Muller, A. E., Hafstad, E. V., Himmels, J. P. W., Smedslund, G., Flottorp, S., Stensland, S. Ø., Stroobants, S., Van de Velde, S., & Vist, G. E. (2020). The mental health impact of the covid-19 pandemic on healthcare workers, and interventions to help them: A rapid systematic review. Psychiatry Research, 293, 113441. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113441
A Sample Answer 4 For the Assignment: NURS 6053 REVIEW OF CURRENT HEALTHCARE ISSUES
Title: NURS 6053 REVIEW OF CURRENT HEALTHCARE ISSUES
Healthcare Stressor
There is a multitude of factors influencing and challenging the healthcare industry in today’s world, including legislation, public policy, and the needs of consumers (Broome & Sorenson Marshall, 2020). Veterans Administration (VA) is facing a shortage of healthcare providers as one of its national healthcare issues/stressors. Staffing shortages have plagued the VA system for years, leaving patients waiting for long periods and healthcare providers overwhelmed (Doyle & Streeter, 2017).
Impact Workplace
Healthcare provider shortages may harm the overall quality of care for our veterans. Physicians may struggle to provide high-quality care when fewer providers are available, causing veterans who require healthcare services to suffer adverse effects. There may be a delay in getting necessary care due to fewer physicians available to see patients. As a result, wait times for appointments may increase. When there are not enough physicians to meet the demand for care, those working may suffer burnout and increased stress. As a result, their job satisfaction and the quality of their patient care may be negatively affected. Healthcare costs may be affected negatively overall (Zhang et al., 2020).
Social Determinants Affected
A social determinant affecting the VA’s physician shortage is its geographical location. Attracting and retaining healthcare providers in many VA facilities in remote areas are challenging. Quality of life, career advancement opportunities, and higher salaries in urban areas may make healthcare providers prefer to practice there. A rural community’s distance and population define its social connections and cultural norms. Resources are often limited in rural areas, salaries may be lower, and it is challenging to recruit healthcare providers. As a result of a shortage of physicians in rural areas, patients may need more access to healthcare, have longer wait times for appointments, and have an increased burden on remaining healthcare providers(Doyle & Streeter, 2017).
Veterans Affairs Responds to Provider Shortage Along with Changes Implemented
As a result of the VA’s physician shortage, various measures have been put in place to address the issue. The medical education expansion program at the VA is expanding residency and fellowship programs. It also invests in research and innovation and provides funding for medical education. (Klink et al., 2022). The VA has also expanded the implementation of resident, fellowship, education, training programs, and funding for medical education. Telemedicine and telehealth services to improve access to care for remote veterans are also offered. By implementing these initiatives, the VA intends to improve the quality of care provided to veterans and address the growing demand for healthcare providers (Klink et al., 2022).
In response to the growing need for physicians, advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are providing more patient services. There is a low risk of the quality of care being compromised or costs being raised by relying more heavily on nonphysician clinicians when receiving their care (Auerbach et al., 2018).
References
Auerbach, D. I., Staiger, D. O., & Buerhaus, P. I. (2018). Growing ranks of advanced practice clinicians — implications for the physician workforce.
New England Journal of Medicine, 378(25), 2358–2360. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmp1801869
Broome, M. E., & Sorenson Marshall, E. (Eds.). (2020). Transformational leadership in nursing (3rd ed.). Springer Publishing. Links to an external site.
https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/books/9780826135056
Doyle, J., & Streeter, R. A. (2017). Veterans’ location in health professional shortage areas: Implications for access to care and workforce supply.
Health Services Research, 52, 459–480. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6773.12633
Klink, K. A., Albanese, A. P., Bope, E. T., & Sanders, K. M. (2022). Veterans affairs graduate medical education expansion addresses u.s. physician
workforce needs. Academic Medicine, 97(8), 1144–1150. https://doi.org/10.1097/acm.0000000000004545
Zhang, X., Lin, D., Pforsich, H., & Lin, V. W. (2020). Physician workforce in the united states of america: Forecasting nationwide shortages.
Human Resources for Health, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-020-0448-3