Introduction
The healthcare industry is focused on promoting patient safety and improving the health and well-being of the overall population. The outcomes are approached from a variety of perspectives, including research-based interventions, socioeconomic considerations, and inclusivity promotion. Nonetheless, as the world is dynamic and new technologies and findings arise, it is important to employ unique approaches to ensure that the health system does not miss opportunities to improve.
The semi-direct nursing framework that will be discussed is the employment of telehealth practices to improve communication between patients and nurses and minimize the burden experienced by individuals and healthcare providers regarding in-person doctor visits. King’s Goal Attainment Theory is the nursing theory that can be successfully applied to follow through with the plan. It is argued that addressing telehealth allows nurses to efficiently manage their time, prioritize certain activities over others, and increase patient satisfaction while decreasing risks.
Overview
The healthcare industry does not operate in a vacuum. Hence, as technology becomes more prominent on all levels, nurses and physicians implement it to benefit from its advances. The healthcare environment has become more innovative, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the government restrictions being implemented, patients were less likely to be able to easily access medical services. Hence, telehealth became the alternative in which patient satisfaction was maximized as the doctor visits did not entail the danger of becoming COVID-19 positive (Haimi & Gesser-Edelsburg, 2022).
While the lockdown has ended, the environment has not changed from the perspective of not considering remote health services. Instead, it was determined that such initiatives are cost-effective, safe, and beneficial for patients and healthcare providers. Currently, the problem is that the nurse shortage and the flow of patients generate problems for the nursing community.
Demanding workloads and inefficient staffing are among the main reasons for high burnout in nurses (Shah et al., 2021). Telehealth has the potential to address the problematic areas. The change theory that can be implemented is Imogene King’s Goal Attainment Theory (Cherry & Jacob, 2023). It will assist in introducing and efficiently maintaining the effectiveness of telehealth.
Plan
The goal is to implement telehealth, which helps patients communicate with nurses via technology. Specifically, individuals with minor inquiries, people with chronic conditions, and those in need of consultations will be able to access a qualified nurse to provide advice and treatment recommendations. On the contrary, the healthcare provider will recommend an in-person doctor visit if the condition or symptoms appear more severe and cannot be addressed remotely. The intervention is predicted to last one month, during which telehealth will be implemented, staff members will be trained, and the training results will be assessed.
Training medical providers is key when it comes to new implementations. Researchers highlight that it is critical as it mitigates risks (De Simone et al., 2022). The training will include a variety of concepts that are required for health provision. Specifically, healthcare providers will learn about the legal aspects of providing care remotely, how communication can be managed without direct contact, and cases in which in-person care is required. For example, individuals with chronic conditions can be assisted via remote measures (Bezerra et al., 2022).
Acute symptoms, on the other hand, are likely to require a hands-on approach. The first aspect of the plan correlates with King’s theory as it exemplifies the importance of nurse-patient communication and highlights that each patient’s goals are different and can be addressed through interpersonal aspects (Fronczek, 2021). As a result, health outcomes will be achieved since telehealth training teaches nurses how to approach each case differently.
Another element within the plan is the technical implementation. The platform used for data management and secure information storage, collected as a result of telehealth, will be efficiently managed. Currently, it is one of the main focuses within the healthcare industry (Xiang & Cai, 2021). After the training (10 days) and the simultaneous technological implementation (20 days) are addressed, the healthcare providers will participate in a test to determine whether information retention was achieved. Completing the earlier stages will allow the intervention to be practically employed with patients.
Evaluation and Effects
As highlighted previously, the change is predicted to last for 30 days. The transition will later be evaluated in terms of efficiency. Both healthcare providers and patients will be asked for feedback regarding potential changes in satisfaction levels.
Additionally, the number of patients seeking in-person doctor visits will be compared with the variable before and after the intervention. The number of patients seeking online assistance will similarly be examined since a high number would highlight success. The change will affect the nursing profession as a whole, as communication will be more efficient, and inconveniences and safety risks will be minimized.
Conclusion
Implementing telehealth correlates with King’s theory as it relates to the importance of communication and evidence-based approaches toward goal attainment. It is argued that the implementation will address low patient satisfaction, nurse burnout, and a lack of time management. The plan will divide the intervention into three steps: staff training, technological implementations, and examination. After the initiative is addressed practically, evaluation can include assessments of satisfaction levels and the number of patients using the service instead of opting for in-person doctor visits.
References
Cherry, B., & Jacob, S. R. (2023). Contemporary nursing: Issues, trends, & Management (9th ed.). Elsevier.
Bezerra, G. M., de Lucena Feitosa, E. S., Vale Catunda, J. G., Nogueira Sales Graça, C., Lucena de Aquino, P., Bezerra Neto, A. G., & Bezerra da Silva Junior, G. (2022). Telemedicine application and assessment during the COVID-19 pandemic. MEDINFO 2021: One World, One Health – Global Partnership for Digital Innovation. Web.
De Simone, S., Franco, M., Servillo, G., & Vargas, M. (2022). Implementations and strategies of telehealth during the COVID-19 outbreak: A systematic review. BMC Health Services Research, 22(1). Web.
Fronczek, A. E. (2021). Ushering in a new era for King’s conceptual system and theory of goal attainment. Nursing Science Quarterly, 35(1), 89–91. Web.
Haimi, M., & Gesser-Edelsburg, A. (2022). Application and implementation of telehealth services designed for the elderly population during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review. Health Informatics Journal, 28(1), 146045822210755. Web.
Shah, M. K., Gandrakota, N., Cimiotti, J. P., Ghose, N., Moore, M., & Ali, M. K. (2021). Prevalence of and factors associated with nurse burnout in the US. JAMA Network Open, 4(2). Web.
Xiang, D., & Cai, W. (2021). Privacy protection and secondary use of health data: Strategies and methods. BioMed Research International, 2021, 1–11. Web.