NURS FPX 6212 Assessment 2 Executive Summary

NURS FPX 6212 Assessment 2 Executive Summary

Name

Capella University

NURS-FPX 6212 Health Care Quality and Safety Management

Prof. Name

Date

Executive Summary

Enhancing healthcare quality and patient safety is a priority for healthcare facilities like Lakeland Clinic. Key initiatives include implementing a barcode scanning system, improving interdisciplinary communication, and enhancing staff training. These reduce medication errors and achieve high standards of care. Strategic measures such as staff education and patient engagement support ongoing improvements. At the same time, strong leadership, clear communication, and practical resource allocation are essential for sustaining these advancements and delivering excellent, patient-centered healthcare.

Essential Quality and Safety Outcomes

Improving medication error management at Lakeland Clinic is crucial for enhancing patient safety and care quality. Proposed interventions aim to decrease adverse drug reactions, hospital stays, and healthcare costs. The outcome measures provide clear, actionable metrics for improvement at Lakeland Clinic. The barcode scanning system’s potential to reduce medication errors by up to 80% enhances accountability and accuracy in medication administration, which is crucial for patient safety (Heikkinen, 2022). Improved interdisciplinary communication, facilitated by regular team huddles and EHR updates, aims to decrease transcription errors and enhance medication order accuracy, promoting streamlined care coordination and better patient outcomes. These communication improvements foster a shared environment, ensuring that all healthcare providers are aligned in their efforts to deliver safe and effective care (Harper, 2022).

 These outcome measures also have inherent weaknesses that must be addressed to ensure their success. The implementation of a barcode scanning system requires noteworthy upfront investment in technology and training, which can be an obstacle for some healthcare facilities. Additionally, the success of this intervention relies heavily on the consistent and correct use of the technology by all staff members. Any lapses in adherence to the new protocols can undermine the system’s effectiveness (Kirit, 2023). Similarly, while enhancing interdisciplinary communication is crucial, it requires a cultural shift within the organization. Overcoming hierarchical barriers and fostering an environment of open dialogue and mutual respect can be challenging, especially in a setting where rigid reporting lines and decision-making processes are deeply entrenched (Zajac et al., 2021).

Reflecting on these strengths and weaknesses underscores the critical need for sustained quality improvement at Lakeland Clinic. Continuous training, transparent communication, and strong leadership commitment are essential for fostering accountability and ongoing enhancement. By addressing medication errors through targeted interventions and engaging patients through tailored education initiatives. This empowers them to manage their medications actively, reducing the likelihood of errors and improving overall health outcomes (Brown, 2020). The clinic significantly enhances safety, reduces costs, and strengthens community trust, positioning itself as a leader in patient-centered care. 

Specific Outcome Measures of Strategic Value 

Defining the strategic value of specific outcome measures is pivotal for Lakeland Clinic’s ongoing efforts to elevate patient safety and care quality through robust medication error management strategies. Crucial outcome measures such as staff training and patient education play vital roles in driving organizational excellence. Strategically, investing in comprehensive staff training on medication safety protocols and evidence-based practices is paramount. Studies indicate that regular competency assessments and ongoing education programs significantly enhance healthcare providers’ ability to mitigate medication errors and improve patient outcomes (Alrabadi et al., 2021). By ensuring staff are well-prepared and updated with the latest standards, Lakeland Clinic fosters a culture of continuous improvement and ensures consistent delivery of safe and effective care.

Patient education initiatives represent a cornerstone in enhancing medication safety. Research shows that informed patients are more likely to adhere to prescribed treatments, reducing the incidence of medication errors caused by misunderstandings or non-compliance (Lively et al., 2020). Implementing tailored education programs that include potential side effects, clear explanations of medication use, and strategies for adherence empowers patients to take an active role in their healthcare. It leads to developed health outcomes and increased patient satisfaction (Lively et al., 2020). Utilizing advanced data analytics to leverage existing outcome measures at Lakeland Clinic enhances organizational value. By monitoring medication error rates and patient outcomes with technology, the clinic identifies trends, implements targeted interventions, and assesses improvement initiatives in real time. This data-driven method improves operational efficiency and evidence-based decision-making, as well as overall patient care delivery.

Relationships Between Quality and Safety Outcomes and Systemic Problems

Exploring the relationships between systemic medication errors and safety outcomes and specific quality at Lakeland Clinic reveals critical insights into the profound impact of these errors on patient care and organizational effectiveness. The documented medication error at Lakeland Clinic highlights a significant systemic issue that directly correlates with adverse quality and safety outcomes. These errors, including prescribing inaccuracies, transcription discrepancies, dispensing errors, and administration lapses, contribute to adverse drug reactions, prolonged hospital stays, and increased healthcare costs. To improve an expanded consideration of the problem, specific data points could be collected. Firstly, conducting a detailed analysis of incident reports over a defined period would help identify patterns and trends in medication errors. This data could reveal whether specific types of errors are more prevalent during certain shifts or in particular departments, guiding targeted interventions and resource allocation to improve patient safety (Hodkinson et al., 2020).

Implementing patient safety indicators within the electronic health record (EHR) system would provide real-time data on medication error rates and their severity. Metrics such as the frequency of errors per medication type, their impact on patient outcomes, and associated costs could offer quantitative insights into the clinical and financial implications of medication errors at Lakeland Clinic. Tracking these indicators over time would facilitate continuous quality progress efforts and support evidence-based decision-making (Pereira et al., 2024). Collecting structured feedback from healthcare providers and patients through surveys would provide valuable qualitative insights. Insights into workflow challenges, communication barriers, and training adequacy in medication administration could uncover systemic issues contributing to errors (Fernholm et al., 2020). Patient feedback on medication education, adherence support, and perceptions of clinic safety measures would enhance patient-centered care.

Support of Strategic Initiatives by Outcome Measures

Determining how specific outcome procedures support strategic initiatives associated with quality and safety culture is pivotal for Lakeland Clinic’s operational success. One critical measure is implementing evidence-based medication safety protocols to standardize prescribing practices and improve medication reconciliation processes. This initiative involves deploying computerized physician order entry (CPOE) systems to minimize prescribing errors and integrating decision support tools in electronic health records (EHR) to ensure adherence to clinical guidelines (Sutton et al., 2020).

Patient engagement through education and enabling initiatives is crucial. By offering thorough medication counseling and modified educational resources, Lakeland Clinic ensures patient comprehension of treatment plans and active participation in health management. This strategy enhances medication adherence, lowers adverse drug event risks, and aligns with the clinic’s goal of improving patient outcomes and satisfaction (Newman et al., 2021). Enhancing clinical staff training and capability assessment is crucial, with regular sessions focusing on medication safety best practices and updates, ensuring proficiency and promoting continuous improvement at the Clinic (Alrabadi et al., 2021). 

In the context of Lakeland Clinic’s strategic plan, these initiatives are crucial amid a healthcare environment emphasizing value-based care and patient-centered outcomes. Adding outcome measures like patient education effectiveness and medication adherence rates validates commitment to high-quality, personalized care (Newman et al., 2021). This alignment enhances organizational efficiency and builds patient trust, which is vital for long-term sustainability and growth in healthcare competition. As healthcare evolves with technology and regulatory shifts, Lakeland Clinic’s strategic plan stays agile. Leveraging data-driven outcome measures optimizes clinical practices, meeting current standards and anticipating future challenges. This proactive approach keeps Lakeland Clinic leading in quality and safety initiatives, ensuring exceptional care and positive health outcomes for patients.

Leadership Support for Practice Changes

To support practice changes, Lakeland Clinic’s leadership must prioritize clear communication, strategic resource allocation, and robust interprofessional collaboration. Firstly, leadership should champion changes by aligning with the clinic’s mission of patient-centered care and quality improvement, engaging frontline staff, physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals in decision-making to foster ownership and commitment. Resource allocation is critical in facilitating practice changes, with leadership ensuring adequate funding for technology upgrades like a comprehensive EHR system with decision-support functionalities to enhance medication safety protocols (Pereira et al., 2024).

Ongoing staff training programs should focus on medication safety best practices and interdisciplinary teamwork, enhancing staff competency and empowering them to embrace new practices confidently. Regular town hall meetings, departmental huddles, and electronic communication platforms facilitate open dialogue and transparency, ensuring all stakeholders are informed and engaged. Effective communication strategies disseminate information, address concerns, and celebrate successes in the application phase. Leadership promoting team-based care models enhances interprofessional collaboration, streamlining workflows and sharing best practices.

Adopting the “Collaborative Care Model” facilitates interdisciplinary medication safety committees to foster continuous improvement through data review and implementation of evidence-based solutions (Abdulrhim, 2021). Fostering a culture of constant learning and improvement is vital. Leadership should encourage staff to participate in quality improvement projects and professional development focused on medication safety and patient care outcomes while also recognizing and rewarding clinical excellence.

Conclusion

By implementing a barcode scanning system, enhancing staff training, and improving interdisciplinary communication, Lakeland Clinic aims to reduce medication errors to meet national standards, enhance patient safety, and lower costs. Strategic outcome measures, staff education, and patient engagement support ongoing quality improvement efforts. Leadership commitment to clear communication, resource allocation, and a culture of continuous learning is pivotal for sustaining these improvements and delivering high-quality, patient-arranged care.

References 

Abdulrhim, S. H. (2020). Exploring the impact and value of collaborative care model in diabetes care at a primary healthcare setting in Qatar. Qspace.qu.edu.qa. http://qspace.qu.edu.qa/handle/10576/15320 

Alrabadi, N., Shawagfeh, S., Haddad, R., Mukattash, T., Abuhammad, S., Al-rabadi, D., Abu Farha, R., AlRabadi, S., & Al-Faouri, I. (2021). Medication errors: A focus on nursing practice. Journal of Pharmaceutical Health Services Research, 12(1), 78–86. https://doi.org/10.1093/jphsr/rmaa025 

Brown, A. (2020). Communication and leadership in healthcare quality governance. Journal of Health Organization and Management, 34(2), 144–161. https://doi.org/10.1108/jhom-07-2019-0194 

Fernholm, R., Holzmann, M. J., Willadsen, K. M., Härenstam, K. P., Carlsson, A. C., Nilsson, G. H., & Wachtler, C. (2020). Patient and provider perspectives on reducing risk of harm in primary health care: A qualitative questionnaire study in Sweden. Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care, 38(1), 66–74. https://doi.org/10.1080/02813432.2020.1717095 

Harper, A. (2022). Nursing leadership perceptions of clinical pathways after transitioning to an electronic health record in the acute care setting. Ruor.uottawa.ca. https://ruor.uottawa.ca/handle/10393/44154 

NURS FPX 6212 Assessment 2 Executive Summary

Heikkinen, I. (2022). Barcode medication administration and patient safety: A narrative literature review. Www.theseus.fi. https://www.theseus.fi/handle/10024/745259 

Hodkinson, A., Tyler, N., Ashcroft, D. M., Keers, R. N., Khan, K., Phipps, D., Abuzour, A., Bower, P., Avery, A., Campbell, S., & Panagioti, M. (2020). Preventable medication harm across health care settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Medicine, 18(1), 313. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-020-01774-9 

Kirit, I. (2023). Improving patient safety and emergency department staff efficiency in barcode medication administration by using the rovertm mobile application. DNP Scholarly Projects. https://scholars.unh.edu/scholarly_projects/94/ 

Lively, A., Minard, L. V., Scott, S., Deal, H., Lambourne, T., & Giffin, J. (2020). Exploring the perspectives of healthcare professionals in delivering optimal oncology medication education. PLOS ONE, 15(2), e0228571. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0228571 

Newman, B., Joseph, K., Chauhan, A., Seale, H., Li, J., Manias, E., Walton, M., Mears, S., Jones, B., & Harrison, R. (2021). Do patient engagement interventions work for all patients? A systematic review and realist synthesis of interventions to enhance patient safety. Health Expectations, 24(6), 1905–1923. https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.13343 

Pereira, N., Duff, J. P., Hayward, T., Kherani, T., Moniz, N., Champigny, C., Carson-Stevens, A., Bowie, P., & Egan, R. (2024). Methods for studying medication safety following electronic health record implementation in acute care: A scoping review. Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association: JAMIA, 31(2), 499–508.  https://doi.org/10.1093/jamia/ocad231 

NURS FPX 6212 Assessment 2 Executive Summary

Sutton, R., Pincock, D., Baumgart, D., Sadowski, D., Fedorak, R., & Kroeker, K. (2020). An overview of clinical decision support systems: Benefits, risks, and strategies for success. NPJ Digital Medicine, 3(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-020-0221-y 

Zajac, S., Woods, A., Tannenbaum, S., Salas, E., & Holladay, C. L. (2021). Overcoming challenges to teamwork in healthcare: A team effectiveness framework and evidence-based guidance. Frontiers in Communication, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2021.606445