For this portion of your practicum, discuss, in depth, how the problem will affect patient safety, quality of care, and costs. Consider the following questions to help guide your exploration of quality, safety, and costs and to make the most of your time: • Has the patient, family or group experienced any serious safety events because of the problem?
Evidence on Heart Disease that Describes and Guides Nursing Actions
Nurse actions in caring for heart disease patients include collaborating with other specialists, using pharmacotherapeutic options, developing care plans, advising on lifestyle changes, health promotion, caring for patients who have heart surgeries, and using technologies such as telehealth to support patients in coping with heart disease or prevent recurring of the complications after treatment.
Much of the available literature is consistent with current nurse practices and provides guidance to nurses in caring for heart disease. For instance, a study by Jin et al. (2019) provides substantial evidence of the impact of telehealth interventions in the remote delivery of care to patients under cardiac rehabilitation, with notable outcomes in preventing secondary heart disease and improving patient experiences. This study presents telehealth as an alternative to other strategies employed in heart disease rehabilitation. It also provides various modes that telehealth can be used in patient monitoring and rehabilitation for secondary prevention.
To determine the reliability of the data and evidence provided in the study, I considered the authority, relevance, and target audience of the study. I also considered the currency of the paper and the data utilized.
Despite the availability of evidence to support nursing care, nurses face various barriers during the implementation of evidence-based practices, such as the use of telehealth in healthcare when caring for heart disease patients. For instance, in a paper addressing the capabilities, features, applications, and barriers to telemedicine in the adoption of telemedicine in healthcare, Haleem et al. (2021) provide substantial evidence on the barriers to the implementation and adoption of telehealth in healthcare. The study identifies telemedicine as a new technology that is prone to confidentiality and patient privacy concerns, data accuracy issues that can lead to misdiagnosis, and fraud and abuse. Additionally, the complexity of the technology application to some users may be a barrier to the implementation of telemedicine in healthcare (Haleem et al., 2021).
There are various effective nursing standards and policies that help improve population health outcomes for heart disease. One major nursing standard for heart disease is Advance Care Planning (ACP). Available evidence shows the benefits of ACP in improving heart disease outcomes. For instance, a study by Schwerzmann et al. (2020) reviewing evidence on the benefits of and factors for patients’ preferences for ACP found that ACP supported the delivery of structured care for adult patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). The study further proved that ACP allowed the management of CHD on the basis of level and stage of disease progress with improved outcomes and patient experiences. The study also suggests approaches for the implementation of ACP in the process of CHD management.
Nurses are integral in the provision of care for heart disease patients as well as in policy formulations to improve care outcomes, prevent illness, and reduce hospital readmissions. A study by Liljeroos and Strömberg (2019) proposes how nurse-led heart failure clinics in Swedish primary have effectively reduced the need for hospitalizations and improved access to quality patient-centered care. This study highlights the role of nurses in heart disease care and the need to prioritize nurses and professional nurse associations in heart health during the development of related policies to improve outcomes, prevent illness, and reduce hospital readmissions.
A suitable nursing theory or conceptual framework that might frame and guide my nursing actions during my practicum in relation to heart disease management is Roy’s Adaptation Model. The model identifies the recipient and focus of nursing care as well as when nursing care is needed. According to Roy’s Adaptation Model, nursing is an interaction between the person, their health, the environment, and nursing (Mansouri et al., 2019). Based on the model, Mansouri et al. (2019) noted that nurses could detect stimuli and the behaviors of patients with heart failure to develop plans for the adaptation of the patient to the disease and improve their experience and health-related quality of life.