Introduction
There is a constant need to increase the quality of healthcare provided in all facilities. Multitude approaches have been developed to assist with this idea, although the efficiency of monitoring has been achieved through the assessment of analyzing the six domains of healthcare quality via their indicators (Nash et al., 2019). This essay will analyze two articles related to specific nurse-sensitive quality indicators and two articles related to the proper application of these measures in practice.
Analysis of Two Specific Indicators
The first indicator that will be reviewed is the responsibility of prescribing proper drugs. Fujita et al. (2018) state that “more than 50% of all medicines are prescribed, dispensed or sold inappropriately” worldwide, ushering the need to assess this field of operations (p. 1). This notion makes outcomes less favorable and severely damages the reputation of healthcare facilities in the United States, making the implementation of proper assessment tools an absolute necessity (Fujita et al., 2018).
The modern approach to this issue aligns with the early theory for measurements of structure, process, and outcome. The usage of administrative databases allows healthcare facilities to keep track of prescribed drugs, making it easier for institutions to provide quality control (Nash et al., 2019). Establishing such monitoring is vital for gathering data on errors in medication prescriptions.
The second indicator to be analyzed is the failure to rescue. There are systematic deficiencies in proper attention to each individual that accesses healthcare services (Mushta et al., 2017). Failure to rescue often occurs under improperly balanced working conditions among nursing personnel and is regularly contributed to quality indicators of outcomes (Mushta et al., 2017). However, it is necessary to view this measure as a structural flaw since analyzing it as an outcome does not produce valuable information on its prevention (Mushta et al., 2017). It is the duty of all healthcare institutions to ensure that a patient’s safety is never compromised.
Application of Nurse-sensitive Quality Indicators
Recognition of nurse-sensitive quality indicators is a vital step towards high-quality care, as they provide solid evidence regarding the current situation and potential improvements. Administration IT systems provide a solid foundation for this task. Since not all healthcare organizations collect data related to indicators in full, it is essential to promote complete documentation of nurses’ actions through databases and similar tools (Graystone, 2018). The current situation indicates that this policy may positively impact hospital-acquired infections (Graystone, 2018). In my practice, I will prioritize providing the most extensive data for hospital medication management systems.
The second quality indicator that was recognized in this paper calls for significant changes in nursing personnel scheduling. It is possible to stimulate teams to decrease the occurrence of failures to rescue by creating a common goal that indicates positive changes from shifts in approach to managing cases (Báo et al., 2019). Indicators such as this rally nurses to change their practices for better results, especially when an applied structural change gives space for future adjustments and gives momentum for positive impacts (Báo et al., 2019). In my practice, I will focus on reaching goals for improvement and encourage my team to follow my example.
Conclusion
In conclusion, researching nurse-sensitive quality indicators can highlight existing deficiencies in many healthcare institutions. The analysis of structures, processes, and outcomes enables the recognition of any underlying reasons behind long-standing issues in established practices. Generating evidence through collecting crucial data via modern tools and constant reviews of unsatisfactory performances are significant points for consideration. Nurse-sensitive indicators of quality can be used to set new goals for continuous improvement of the existing and new practices.
References
Báo, A. C., Amestoy, S. C., Moura, G. M., & Trindade, L. D. (2019). Quality indicators: Tools for the management of best practices in health. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem, 72(2), 360-366. Web.
Fujita, K., Moles, R. J., & Chen, T. F. (2018). Quality indicators for responsible use of medicines: A systematic review. BMJ Open, 8(7). Web.
Graystone, R. (2018). The importance of nurse-sensitive outcome measurements. JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 48(11), 533-534. Web.
Mushta, J., L. Rush, K., & Andersen, E. (2017). Failure to rescue as a nurse-sensitive indicator. Nursing Forum, 53(1), 84-92. Web.
Nash, D. B., Joshi, M. S., Ransom, E. R., & Ransom, S. B. (2019). The healthcare quality book: Vision, strategy, and tools (4th ed.). Health Administration Press.