Enhancing Advanced Nursing Practice Through Advocacy for Positive Health Outcomes-A Reflective Journey

Question one

Readings, exercises, exams, and clinical experiences in this course have all contributed considerably to my attainment of Program Outcome 5. Leadership skills and crisis management enhance knowledge and abilities, allowing one to take on complex tasks, create cooperation, and effectively drive change in healthcare settings (Heydari et al., 2022). For example, learning about crisis management and stress management, as well as team leadership principles, improved my ability to advocate for better access, quality, and cost-effective healthcare. Another example was emphasizing evidence-based practice and integrating research, theory, and practice knowledge, which equipped me to critically examine data, make educated decisions, and contribute to beneficial health outcomes.

Question Two

In this course, I received significant insights and skills linked to the AACN Essentials Domain 3, notably competency 3.1j: Assess the efficacy of a system’s capabilities to serve the healthcare needs of a target subpopulation. I have gained the ability to examine primary and secondary population health data for multiple groups against relevant benchmarks through targeted learning activities. For example, in our coursework, we evaluated the healthcare needs of certain subpopulations, analyzed existing system capacities, and identified gaps in healthcare supply through case studies. In addition, I worked on a collaborative project that required me to assess the performance of a community health effort aimed at a disadvantaged group.

Question Three

Throughout the course, I actively interacted with and applied the competencies given in NP Domain 5: Quality and Safety, with a particular emphasis on NP 5.1p: Using Quality Improvement concepts to systematically examine the quality and outcomes of care. Using quality improvement principles aids in developing skills for methodically examining the quality and outcomes of care, ensuring a thorough evaluation and improvement of healthcare procedures (Robinson et al., 2022). For example, through case studies and practical exercises, I learned how to systematically analyze and improve the quality of treatment by implementing quality improvement principles. Furthermore, I worked on a project that required evaluating clinical outcomes in a hospital context, identifying areas for improvement, and putting evidence-based interventions in place to improve patient care. The course content aided my understanding of NP 5.1q and NP 5.1r, allowing me to critically evaluate the complex relationships in healthcare between access, populations, cost, quality, and safety, as well as the impact of organizational systems on care processes, financing, marketing, and policy.

References

Heydari, M., Lai, K. K., Fan, Y., & Li, X. (2022). A Review of Emergency and Disaster Management in the Process of Healthcare Operation Management for Improving Hospital Surgical Intake Capacity. Mathematics, 10(15), 2784. https://doi.org/10.3390/math10152784

Robinson, C. H., Thompto, A. J., Lima, E. N., & Damschroder, L. J. (2022). Continuous quality improvement at the frontline: One interdisciplinary clinical team’s four‐year journey after completing a virtual learning program. Learning Health Systems, 6(4). https://doi.org/10.1002/