QUESTION

1.Provide examples of two nursing-sensitive patient outcomes and discuss strategies for improving care as pertains to these outcomes. You may, for instance, discuss two core measures (such as VTE prophylaxis or stroke prevention) or two hospital acquired conditions (such as MRSA).

                                                             SAMPLE SOLUTION

Nurse-sensitive outcomes are critical to understanding how the interaction between the registered nurses and patients affect the patients and their health conditions by focusing on outcome indicators (Doran, Sidani, DiPietro, 2014). The following are examples of nurse sensitive patient outcomes; symptom management related to fatigue, dyspnea, nausea and pain, and patient satisfaction with nursing care. Symptom management is a nurse sensitive patient outcome that is critical in disease management process and can significantly improve the quality of patient care. For instance, pain remains a concern for cancer patients along with fatigue and dyspnea despite advances in cancer treatment and symptom control. Therefore, improvement teams may use quality improvement strategies as a way to improve patient care. For example, training of physicians and nurses on proper pain assessment and aggressive responses to patients’ conditions characterized by intolerable pain intensity levels by developing training programs focused on pain and symptom management (Ripamonti, Bandieri, Roila, ESMO Guidelines Working Group, 2011). This strategy will equip the care givers with sufficient knowledge on symptoms management for cancer patients. Another strategy that can help improve quality care for patients through symptom management is to Set Checkpoints to Reevaluate the Treatment Plan.  This will allow patients and physicians to discuss alternative approaches to employ in managing the pain and other symptoms. Improvement teams need to document and review patient-provider discussions.

Patient satisfaction is another nurse sensitive patient outcome that is critically significant in improving patient care (Laschinger, Gilbert, Smith, 2010). This can be achieved through patient’s evaluation of care using two strategies; quantitative strategies and qualitative strategy. The quantitative strategy involves the use of standardize patient satisfaction questionnaires to evaluate patient satisfaction. The qualitative strategy involves a one on one interview with the patient to evaluate the view of the patient on the services offered (Glickman, Boulding, Manary, Staelin, Roe, Wolosin, Schulman, 2010). This would help improvement team to review the strategic framing of health plans.