Healthgrades Case Summary

Although the largest profession in the health care industry is nursing, a larger number of people are getting older and living longer. This means that more people will need nursing care, whether it’s in a hospital, a long-term care facility or at home. It is projected that long-term care facilities will need 66% more RNs by 2020 (Addressing the Nursing). The increase in life expectancy has amplified the complexity of health care because more people are living with chronic conditions. The American Nurses Association reported that “a large cross-sectional study of over 1,000,000 adults revealed that 82% had one or more chronic conditions” and we are seeing an increase of those age 65 and older living with multiple chronic conditions (Mion). Now, more than ever, there is a high demand for the best delivery of medical care.

Healthcare is in a constant state of change with movements that impact rates, access and quality of care. Hospitals have become more competitive due to the rising cost of care delivery and the reduction in reimbursement from payers. This causes difficulty in delivering quality care to all patients, which is being measured by mandated patient perception surveys, Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS). HCAHPS scores are part of value

By 2001 it was brutally apparent that the U.S. Health Care system was in dire need of a reform in regards to quality and patient safety. Following two separate reports issued by The Institute of Medicine (IOM), To Err is Human (1999) and Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health Care System for the 21st Century(2001) the U.S. Congress requested the IOM review quality processes across multiple government funded health care programs. And understandably, “these reports described America’s healthcare system as a tangled, highly fragmented web that often wastes resources by duplicating efforts, leaving unaccountable gaps in coverage, and failing to build on the strengths of all health professionals” (Brown J., p. I – 15, 2013). Thus, the Committee on the Quality of Health Care in America released 6 aims to address key dimensions that require improvement in our health care system. These aims propose that our system needs to strive to be more Safe, Effective, Patient-Centered, Timely, Efficient, and Equitable (STEEEP). All of which were created to help overhaul our current health care system and, more importantly, narrow the quality chasm.

It is incredible the change that can come with proper education on management for chronic illnesses. As an emergency nurse, we see patients who come to us when those steps have failed. It is frustrating to see patients deteriorate when a healthy, full life is possible if appropriate steps are taken earlier. Education has provided me this privilege to serve and educate my community as a nurse over the last two years. I am certain advancing my education will allow me the opportunity to assist in the continuing positive changes for the people of my

The role of nurse practitioner is valuable when discussing collaborative care. There are so many levels of care, so many health entities, and so many insurer criteria involved that it is instrumental to have a role that can work towards help bring all aspects together. In addition to diagnosing, treating, and managing care, the role of the nurse practitioner is to manage simple and episodic acute health issues along with chronic disease (Sangster-Gormley, Martin-Misener, & Burge, 2013). It is important to note that although this is a function of this role, nurse practitioners also practice from a holistic point of view which allows them to help manage patient conditions or wellness in a more complete fashion. This includes helping patients have access to care beyond primary and secondary care settings. This encourages nurse practitioners to work alongside other health care and allied health professions, and families to create an individualized plan for every patient (van

In the article written by Ford, (2009), the doctorate of nursing practice (DNP) has an important role to play in the current health care system which is constantly changing. As healthcare around the world is transforming, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) 2011 report mentioned that in the United States, Advanced practice nurses play a vital role in the rapid complex changes based on the full extent of their education and training. This article describes some of the positive role of the advance practice Nurse as a facilitator in the regulatory and policy developments. The Advance practice nurse participates and provide cost-effective care models that will improve the access and quality of care of the population. Another positive area for the APN in this current healthcare system is health promotion, health maintenance, and prevention. In this evolving health care system, it gives the Advance practice nurse the opportunity to set up acute and primary care settings that will positively impact health care delivery as they meet the needs of an expanding, aging, and chronically ill population. All over the world, the NP’s role has developed and is beneficial to health care systems and health care consumers. As Advance practice nurses we must use this great opportunity to advance our role and work with others to improve and transform health care globally. DNP graduate 's role is include leadership, research, practice, education, and

The Nurse Practice Act of Illinois State is 225 ILCS 65. IL offers an APN to diagnose, interpret labs and order diagnostic tests. APNs is able to provide counseling and education for prevention of illness and promotion of health. They can provide palliative and end of life care, and can supervise and delegate to task to LPNs and RNs. APNs have prescriptive authority if they have a written collaborative agreement with a physician and are limited to 30 days (IGA, 2014). In order to practice as an APN in IL one must have a current unrestricted RN license, have a masters degree approved by the State Board of Nursing in the specialty of choice and a national certification. State Board of nursing is the regulatory authority of IL APN practice, and they accept certification from ANCC or AANP or certification from specialty agencies. APNs in IL requires 50 hours of continuing education in a 2-year license renewal period. IL is one of the States that offers versatile certification opportunities for APN in addition to advocating for the full practice authority of APNs. A systemic review done by Kuethe (2013) finds it is better for an NP to manage chronic diseases such as asthma and diabetes for their better control and healthcare cost reduction as physicians do not have enough time to provide comprehensive care (p. 5).

deficiencies that appears in the United States has placed the spotlight on the advanced practice nurses, involving nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) to make up for the insufficiency physicians (Kleinpell, Ward, Kelso, Mollenkopf, & Houghton, 2015). With the NPs and PAs coming into the for forth to provide patients with high-quality healthcare at reduce costs. The PAs and NPs continue to inform patients on new medical advancement and treatment pertaining the patients? health conditions to ensure patients continue up-to-date knowledge and to encourage

The success of NPs depends on practicing evidence-based care with competency in assessment, diagnosing, managing patients, and maintaining a caring practice. The nursing component of the NP role continues to be challenged from within nursing, as well as by large national physician organizations. NPs are extensions of nursing practice who are guided by nursing theory. The transformation from nurse to the advanced practice role of NP involves development of advanced knowledge and skills for listening, knowing, being with patients, connecting patients to their communities, promoting health,

As the young and rapidly-aging population continues to increase, the demands of primary, acute and chronic disease management will also increase. As a result, more health care professionals who provide primary care will be needed to meet these demands. Thus, the emergence of Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) evolve. APRN is a nurse who has completed a graduate degree and has acquired advanced knowledge and skills. APRNs are grounded with theory, concepts and principles that enable them to assess, diagnose, treat and manage their patients. APRNs can work in conjunction with other health care professionals or independently. APRNs improve access to health care by providing care in the rural and underserved areas. APRNs also reduce the cost to health care (Joel, 2013).

Nurses play an important role in promoting health within the patient, family, and community (Kemppainen, Tassavainen, & Turunen, 2012). The focus of patient care has been transferred from treating the illness to disease prevention (Mchugh, Robinson, & Chesters, 2010). The implementation of consultation, education, and follow up exams can increase the overall quality of life for an individual (Kemppainen et al., 2012). I will discuss the various roles of a nurse in health promotion along with the multiple work environments in which they can be implemented within. I will also reveal the maintenance plan of my own personal health regimen.

Despite technological and medical advances today, chronic disease and resultant co-morbidities are prevalent in the Australian Healthcare System. As a result, patients, especially in the acute care setting, have more complex care needs. The management and care of patients with these complex care needs present a challenge for the contemporary nursing professional. Positive patient outcomes will be dependent on a number of factors, such as the assessment of the patient’s condition, the identification of potential risks for the patient, the planning of appropriate care and the management of the subsequent interventions that may be required.

The role that nurse practitioner (NP) plays within the increasing complex health care system is a constant changing role with the Consensus Model and the introduction of the Affordable Care Act in 2010. The scope of the nurse practitioner (NP) includes the care of the young, the old, the sick and the well. The educational needs of a nurse practitioner vary greatly from that of a Registered Nurse (RN), in the amount of education as well as the focus of the education. NPs provide coordinated primary care with the use of comprehensive health histories and physical examinations, diagnosing and treating acute and chronic illnesses, the management of medications and therapies, ordering and interpreting tests results, and educating and

Often in practice, we as nurses deal with a variety of diseases and treatments and often have to react to the illness that the patient presents with upon our interaction. While this is an essential piece of our practice, we also have a duty to our patients to be proactive in preventing specific health-related consequences based on their risk factors and to promote their health and well being. Health promotion as it relates to nursing is about us empowering our patients to increase their control over their lives and well beings and includes: focusing on their health not just illness, empowering our patients, recognizing that health involves many dimensions and is also effected by factors outside of their control (Whitehead et al. 2008)..

These measurements provide feedback of a patient’s experience with the care offered at a given hospital. These measurements assess a wide range of factors including interpersonal aspects of care, clarity of - and ease of access to - information provided by the physician, speed of medical staff’s response to the patient’s urgent care needs, among other factors. These measurements are used by patients in their subjective evaluation during their process of choosing a hospital for emergency care or