An evidence-based approach to treating a patient is fundamental in the practice of a clinician. As stated on Oncology Nursing Society (2018, para. 3), “good clinical judgment integrates our accumulated wealth of knowledge from patient care experiences as well as our educational background.” Above all, this assertion means that a specialist’s knowledge may contradict the personal values of a patient. A practitioner should take into account these differences and change their treatment accordingly.
As such, during my nursing practice, I have encountered a case where my preceptor used an evidence-based approach. Namely, while providing basic care assistance, my leader had to pay special attention to the nutrition of one patient. A Jewish lady was not satisfied with the available menu of the hospital unit where I was practicing. The ration included food that was not considered “kosher” by this person. It turned out that she was highly religious and could not consume certain kinds of meat and dairy, such as cheese and pork, since it is prohibited by Jewish tradition (Hill, 2019). As a result, my preceptor decided to change her nutrition so that to provide appropriate care.
To deliver the most proper care to this lady, my leader had to plan a new menu and implement it and evaluate the effectiveness of this action. So far, the instructor nurse consulted with the old lady as to the list of products that she could not eat. After that, the leader assembled a revised menu that excluded dairy and meat products that were not “kosher.” Next, the preceptor included new products that would be as nutritious as the prohibited ones were. These corrections were delivered to the hospital kitchen and implemented within a day. Finally, the lady was asked if the new menu satisfied her, and her health condition was evaluated. In fact, that was an example of successful evidence-based practice.
This example is demonstrative of other leader’s responsibilities use in practice. First of all, the preceptor illustrated the active participation in the policy of the hospital unit and healthcare organization as a whole. Precisely, the facility adheres to the policy of equity of the needs of its patients, which includes inclusive treatment and a client-centered approach. In this case, the leader provided exceptional care for the person whose religious beliefs were highly valued. These beliefs were accounted for during nursing practice, which reveals the organization’s policy.
The other evidence of knowledge of the nursing practice information lies in providing correct finance operations within the healthcare facility. The preceptor displayed great skill in this part of medical services. Namely, she managed to assemble a new menu for the old lady within the limitations of the hospital budget. She used the finance reports of the unit for this operation and composed a complete account of the possible expenditure for the patient. Therefore, this is an illustration of finance management in the practice of a leader in healthcare.
The next issue that I encountered in my practice was concerning the regulatory environment. For instance, the already discussed situation of the old lady was complicated by her demands for providing her additional services. However, it is known that not all medical procedures are necessary; if so, they are not covered by a patient’s insurance (Maryville University, 2020). The lady was consulted on this matter and changed her mind as a result. Clearly, the counceling of patients in the questions of the legal perplexities of the care practice attributes to a practitioner’s knowledge.
Finally, the preceptor showed an exemplary implementation of the healthcare trends in the old lady’s case. When the leader had finished the new menu for the patient, she used the local hospital data cloud to share it with the institution’s administration. The existence of such a platform and its correct use by the workers corresponds to the emerging trend on digitalization of hospitals’ databases for quicker exchange of information (Rotageek, 2021). Thus, a nurse’s responsibility includes the use of current trends in healthcare; my facility exhibited its involvement in this practice.
A client-centered plan of care is essential for providing specialized treatment that corresponds to a particular patient’s needs. It includes various elements and should be holistic to reduce the possible risks for a patient’s health. After consulting with my instructor, I have decided to create a plan for the old lady whose situation I described above. The patient had severe PTSD; yet, the nursing practice concerns daily care rather than mental disorders. The main additions to the usual care plan for this client include:
- individual nutrition plan which excludes pork and dairy products;
- providing somnifacient medications for better sleep (the patients suffers from nightmares and insomnia);
- emotional support from nurses and specialists in PTSD;
- assisting in hygiene procedures to prevent harm from cutting devices;
- organizing meetings with law consultants for helping the patient to solve her issues with insurance;
- help in managing the financial resources of the patient for inclusive social support;
- enhancing the environment to reduce the risks of depressive episodes.
References
Hill, R. A. D. (2019). Kosher food: Everything you need to know. Healthline. Web.
Maryville University. (2020). 5 important regulations in United States healthcare. Maryville Online. Web.
Oncology Nursing Society. (2018). Integrate evidence with clinical expertise and patient preferences and values. ONS Voice. Web.
Rotageek. (2021). The biggest healthcare trends in 2021. Web.