NURS-FPX4900 Assessment 1 Assessing the Problem, Leadership, Collaboration, Communication, Change Management, and Policy Considerations Example 2
Nurses, who make up the majority of the healthcare workforce, are vital to patient care. Nurses in all professional roles strive to improve organizational processes and achieve positive patient outcomes. In particular, nurses identify problems, plan interventions/strategies, and implement the strategies-skills, all of which directly impact patient outcomes and organizational effectiveness (Wakefield et al., 2021). Patient care is constantly evolving, and this evolution is due to the initial identification of a problem and the pursuit of solutions.
However, before embarking on a specific change management strategy, the best approach is to assess and review credible evidence to determine appropriate interventions. As a result, nurses must be actively involved in the entire change process, beginning with the prodromal phase of justifying the appropriateness of interventions to be implemented (Wakefield et al., 2021). Using hypertension as an example, the goal of the following discussion is to elaborate on the problem extensively, drawing on evidence from relevant databases, and to discuss the effectiveness of nursing standards/or policies in improving the patient problem, as well as the leadership strategies relevant to the problem identified.
Identification of the Patient/Family/Population Health Problem Relevant to My Practice
Summary of the Health Problem
Chronic illness management places a significant burden on patients and the healthcare system as a whole. A significant proportion of the global population is affected by hypertension, chronic disease, and the leading preventable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Hypertension is defined as high blood pressure, with a systolic blood pressure of ≥140 mm Hg and a diastolic blood pressure of ≥90 mm Hg (AHA, 2022). Also, Mills et al. (2020) define hypertension as the current use of antihypertensive medications for research purposes. In 2010, the condition affected 1.38 billion people, or 31.1% of the global population, with men having a slightly higher prevalence of 31.9% than females, who had a prevalence of 30.1% (Mills et al., 2020).
Modifiable risk factors for hypertension include obesity, alcohol, smoking, diet, and physical inactivity. In contrast, the non-modifiable risk factors include a family history of hypertension, age over 65, and comorbidities such as chronic kidney disease [CKD] (World Health Organization, WHO, 2021). Since hypertension is mostly asymptomatic, most people are unaware they have it, earning it the moniker “silent killer.” If symptoms exist, they are often nonspecific and may include headaches, fatigue, nosebleeds, irregular heartbeats, vision changes, and ear buzzing (WHO, 2022). Because of the serious damage that hypertension causes to essential body organs such as the kidney, heart, eyes, brain, and so on, it is recommended that the problem be identified and treated as soon as possible to avoid rapid progression to unwanted sequela.
Patient/Family/Group that I intend to work with
I plan to work with adult hypertensive patients during my practicum. Patients with a systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg and a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg, or those who are currently taking hypertensive medications, fall into this category. According to WHO (2021), an estimated 1.28 billion adults aged 30-79 worldwide have hypertension, with two-thirds of them living in low-to-middle-income countries.
Approximately 46% of adults with hypertension are unaware of their condition, and approximately 42% are diagnosed and treated (WHO, 2021). Furthermore, it is estimated that only one in every five adults (21%) has hypertension under control. As a result, while efforts to control hypertension have long existed, more efforts are still required to meet the global target of a 33% reduction in hypertension prevalence between 2010 and 2030 (WHO, 2021). Adult hypertensive patients would be a potentially valuable population for my practicum.
Significance and Relevance of the Problem
Hypertension contributes significantly to the global burden of CVD and premature death. In 2015, there were approximately 10.7 million all-ca