Measuring and Monitoring Quality of Care
Instructions: Respond by extending, refuting/correcting, or adding additional nuance. Must be in current 7th edition APA format with academic references cite. Must be grammatically correct.
Measuring and Monitoring Quality of Care
Part of the job of the advanced nurses is to measure and monitor performance. The practice is essential in determining the efficacy of the approach used in caring. It provides feedback that helps in the promotion of the quality of care for the AP nurses. It is also a social responsibility to assess the impact of the care offered on the outcomes of the patients (Pantaleon, 2019). The activity promotes evidence-based practice as it leads to an improved quality of care. The discussion will suggest the various approaches of monitoring and measuring the quality of care and patient outcomes.
the responsibilities and variables that nurses measure
Most of the responsibilities and variables that nurses measure are those outlined I the definition of nursing. They include health promotion, protection, prevention, alleviation of suffering, and health optimization. The new regulations are shifting the focus towards outcome-based practice. The shift is in response to the economic and quality concerns and the reimbursement policies formulated. The fee paid is determined by the NP’s value, and measuring it helps determine the reimbursement and quality of care. Organizations also use the same model in appraising the NPs. It helps to know the NPs who are saving hospital costs and improving the outcomes of patients (Jones, 2016). It assists in retaining excellent NPs and letting go or training the others.
There are various components that NPs can use in the measuring and monitoring of patient outcomes. One of the approaches is to focus on patient experience. Patient experience plays an essential role as it determines the quality of care. Nurses can use the parameter to assess the progress of the care and measure the outcomes (Pantaleon, 2019). Elements of patient experience include the quality of communication with the nurses, patients, and other stakeholders involved in care provision. The communication has to be clear, precise, and use the right channel. Communication improves understanding between the care provider and the nurses. Pain management is the other measurement indicator as patients whose pain gets managed well experience positive outcomes. The nurse can also ensure the patients stay in a clean and quiet environment that facilitates healing.
important parameter to measure for nurses
The other important parameter to measure for nurses includes the process. The process is critical as it examines the actual activities that promote the quality of care, such as diagnosis, screening, and surgical care. The nurse can measure it by calculating the time taken to diagnose patients and assess them. The process needs to be effective to reduce time wastage and improve the accuracy of diagnosis (Jones, 2016). Patient outcomes are another element to monitor and measure. It is the aspect that can get seen and measured by the public.
Mortality is the initial variable as it measures the number of deaths that the nurses have experienced in caring for patients. When the deaths are high, it calls for analysis to determine the reason for it. Hospital-acquired infections are another indicator of quality and safe care. Effective nurses have minimal numbers of patients who develop hospital infections (Pantaleon, 2019). Such cases lead to an increased cost of care as patients incur additional expenses in treatment, length of stay in hospitals, and quality of life. Efficiency is another way of measuring NP performance. NPs should make sure that the care provided is cost-effective. The focus on preventive care is critical as it reduces medical costs that the hospital and the patient would incur.
