How Can an Online Class Help Me in Communication?
Name
Capella University
NURS-FPX 4900 Capstone project for Nursing
Prof. Name
Date
Hypertension (HTN) is a significant health problem that impacts approximately 120 million adults in the United States (CDC, 2023). In this evaluation, I continue my capstone project for Claudia Lara, a 38-year-old female diagnosed with HTN. She is facing several issues in effective disease alleviation. Thus, this paper identifies the impact of technological advancements, coordinated care, and the use of available community resources to benefit patients and improve health outcomes.
Several technological advancements have influenced the management of chronic health conditions like hypertension. These include blood pressure monitoring devices and telemedicine. These technologies have several benefits in managing Claudia’s condition. However, they also pose disadvantages.
These devices empower patients to track their blood pressure regularly. According to Costa and Aguiar (2021), these devices are essential in promoting better self-management and early identification of contributing aspects in chronic patients. However, an opposing view exists regarding its improper usage, which may lead to incorrect readings. For example, using an inaccurate blood pressure cuff may result in wrong readings, leading to misdiagnosis (AHA, 2022). Thus, nurses need to provide effective patient education related to the proper use of these devices to avoid disadvantages for Claudia.
Telemedicine provides convenient access to healthcare, allowing patients like Claudia to receive remote consultations and monitoring without frequent in-person hospital visits (Haleem et al., 2021). Despite its benefits, telemedicine can present challenges, such as a lack of telemedicine training among healthcare providers. Moreover, an opposing view of telemedicine includes its inability to provide physical consultations, which can lead to diagnostic inaccuracy (Habib et al., 2023). Telemedicine can be used to remind Claudia of medication and remotely monitor her blood pressure readings. Yet, adequate resource allocation and follow-up visits are essential to prevent inaccuracies.
In my nursing practice, the use of home blood pressure monitoring and telemedicine aligns with the evidence. Nurses educate patients on the accurate usage of self-monitoring devices for daily blood pressure tracking. Additionally, telemedicine has proven effective in providing continuous care and support, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, enhancing patient engagement and reducing hospital visits (Haleem et al., 2021). Nurses mitigate technical issues and access disparities by advocating for technical support, adequate training, and resource allocation.
Several barriers impede the implementation of these technologies, such as high costs of devices, limited insurance coverage, technical difficulties, and lack of internet access. According to a cohort pilot study, blood pressure cuffs and home health hubs to store pressure results to remote devices cost more than $100 per patient (Makutonin et al., 2023). Telemedicine, compared to in-person visits, is cost-effective. However, for patients with financial constraints like Claudia and limited healthcare accessibility, installing devices and their ongoing maintenance can aggravate the economic burden. It is vital to secure financial assistance, provide patient education on device use, improve internet access, and leverage community health resources to ensure effective technology adoption for HTN management in Claudia’s case.
Coordinated care and the use of community resources are equally crucial for the management of HTN in Claudia’s case. Khatri et al. (2023) mention that care coordination involves the systematic organization of patient care and effective communication of patient information among interprofessional team members. This approach is beneficial in streamlining healthcare services, diminishing errors, enhancing patient engagement, and reducing hospitalizations (Albertson et al., 2021). For Claudia, a coordinated approach will ensure that her primary care team is aligned and that they provide consistent and comprehensive care. These care approaches will reduce her chances of hospital visits due to hypertensive emergencies, providing holistic care related to medication adherence and lifestyle improvements.
Similarly, utilizing community resources can provide essential support for Claudia’s disease management. For instance, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) provides educational materials and community health initiatives aimed at improving heart health and managing hypertension through behavioral modifications (NHLBI, n.d.). Additionally, the American Heart Association (AHA) provides resources, support groups, and community-based programs that help hypertensive and high-risk patients, resulting in improved blood pressure control (AHA, 2023). Both the community resources can enhance Claudia’s knowledge, improve self-management skills, and provide access to essential support, leading to better blood pressure control and overall health outcomes.
In my nursing practice, collaborative care and community resources play crucial roles in managing chronic conditions like hypertension. We regularly use multidisciplinary teams to ensure comprehensive care, reflecting the positive outcomes highlighted in the literature (Khatri et al., 2023). Community resources, such as local health workshops and support groups, are utilized to enhance patient education and support, aligning with evidence that these interventions improve health outcomes and patient engagement.
Nevertheless, several hindrances exist, including a lack of awareness among patients and inadequate funding. Patients like Claudia may face financial constraints that prevent them from attending community programs. To overcome these barriers, increasing funding for community programs and enhancing patient education about available resources is crucial. Additionally, communication breakdowns among healthcare providers lead to inconsistent care. Thus, improving communication channels among healthcare providers is an essential step (Khatri et al., 2023).
The practice standards developed by the American Nurses Association (ANA) emphasize the importance of a coordinated care approach. According to the ANA (2021), patient-focused care coordination is a crucial practice standard for registered nurses. Nurses must provide holistic care to the patients, integrating interventions from several disciplines into conventional healthcare services. These standards will guide my actions by advocating for the integration of Claudia’s care across various healthcare providers. By coordinating with dietitians, pharmacists, and community health workers, I will create a comprehensive care plan that reduces hospital visits, prevents adverse events, and improves her quality of care.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) allows healthcare providers to coordinate care and provide preventive care services to improve patient outcomes and reduce costs (Isola & Reddivari, 2023). These ACA postulates support care coordination with multidisciplinary teams and the use of community resources to deliver preventive care. These provisions for patient-centered chronic disease management programs will guide my actions in coordinating Claudia’s care. These programs promote comprehensive care management, including regular follow-ups and monitoring. Additionally, the ACA encourages the use of community resources, providing Claudia access to prevention education workshops and support groups.
Finally, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) sets standards for protecting patient information, which is crucial when implementing health technologies (Edemekong et al., 2024). HIPAA’s privacy and security rules will guide my actions in ensuring Claudia’s health data is confidential and secure during telemedicine consultations and when using home blood pressure monitoring devices. Adhering to these standards, I will use encrypted communication platforms for virtual visits and guarantee data is only accessible to authorized personnel.
Applying ANA standards, ACA provisions, and HIPAA regulations to Claudia’s hypertension management has significant ethical implications for professional nursing practice. The ANA Code of Ethics emphasizes patient advocacy, autonomy, and beneficence, guiding nurses’ approach to comprehensive patient care (Haddad & Geiger, 2023). In Claudia’s case, ethical practice involves respecting her autonomy by involving her in care decisions and providing education for informed choices. The ACA’s emphasis on equitable access to care aligns with the ethical principle of justice, ensuring Claudia receives the resources and support needed, regardless of her financial constraints.
HIPAA’s focus on confidentiality upholds the moral principle of nonmaleficence, protecting Claudia’s privacy and trust in the care process. By integrating technology, care coordination, and community resources, I can provide ethically sound, patient-centered care that addresses Claudia’s medical, financial, and social needs. For instance, technological implementation will ensure informed consent, ensuring Claudia understands and agrees to the use of these technologies. Moreover, care coordination will involve respecting her autonomy, actively involving her in decisions, and ensuring seamless communication among her healthcare providers (Albertson et al., 2021). Utilizing community resources will focus on equitable access and connecting Claudia with supportive services regardless of her financial situation.
In my two practicum hours with Claudia, I explored her use of health technology and community resources. Moreover, we discussed the potential benefits of advanced technologies for ongoing management. I also elaborated on the importance of care coordination and using community resources to prevent adverse events and ensure the holistic aspects of human health are covered. In this part of the practicum, the integration of tech advances, coordinated care, and community resources noteworthily enhance the management of hypertension for patients like Claudia.
Technologies such as home blood pressure monitors and telemedicine offer substantial benefits, though they also present challenges like device accuracy, access issues, cost barriers, and technical concerns. Care coordination, guided by ANA standards, and the use of community resources like NHLBI and AHA programs are crucial in providing comprehensive and equitable care. Ethical considerations, as informed by nursing standards and policies such as ACA and HIPAA, ensure patient-centered and secure interventions. Addressing potential barriers and leveraging these technologies, collaborative care, and community resources can improve Claudia’s health and prevent patient safety risks.
AHA. (2023, September 7). Community-based, self-measured blood pressure control programs helped at-risk patients. American Heart Association; newsroom.heart.org. https://newsroom.heart.org/news/community-based-self-measured-blood-pressure-control-programs-helped-at-risk-patients
AHA. (2022, March 1). When it comes to accurate blood pressure readings, cuff size matters. Www.heart.org. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2022/03/01/when-it-comes-to-accurate-blood-pressure-readings-cuff-size-matters
Albertson, E. M., Chuang, E., O’Masta, B., Miake-Lye, I., Haley, L. A., & Pourat, N. (2021). Systematic review of care coordination interventions linking health and social services for high-utilizing patient populations. Population Health Management, 25(1), 73–85. https://doi.org/10.1089/pop.2021.0057
ANA. (2021, February). Care coordination and registered nurses’ essential role. ANA; nursingworld.org. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/nursing-excellence/official-position-statements/id/care-coordination-and-registered-nurses-essential-role/
CDC. (2023, May 12). Hypertension Prevalence in the U.S. | Million Hearts®. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; millionhearts.hhs.gov. https://millionhearts.hhs.gov/data-reports/hypertension-prevalence.html
Costa, D., & Aguiar, F. (2021). Self-Management of blood pressure control at home in chronic kidney disease: Nursing interventions and health gains. In www.intechopen.com. IntechOpen. https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/75662
Edemekong, P. F., Haydel, M. J., & Annamaraju, P. (2024). Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Nih.gov; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK500019/
Habib, S., Alsulaim, K. B., Mobeirek, O. A., Alsaeed, A. M., Albawardi, F. A., Alqahtani, Y. K., Alsuhaibany, A. A., Habib, S., Alsulaim, K. B., Mobeirek, O. A., Alsaeed, A., Albawardi, F. A., Alqahtani, Y. K., & Alsuhaibany, A. A. (2023). Barriers and facilitators of telemedicine among physicians at a university hospital. Cureus, 15(9). https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.45078
Haddad, L. M., & Geiger, R. A. (2023). Nursing ethical considerations. National Library of Medicine; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526054/
Haleem, A., Javaid, M., Singh, R. P., & Suman, R. (2021). Telemedicine for healthcare: Capabilities, features, barriers, and applications. Sensors International, 2(2). NCBI. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sintl.2021.100117
Isola, S., & Reddivari, A. K. R. (2023). Affordable Care Act (ACA). Nih.gov; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549767/
Khatri, R., Endalamaw, A., Erku, D., Wolka, E., Nigatu, F., Zewdie, A., & Assefa, Y. (2023). Continuity and care coordination of primary health care: A scoping review. BMC Health Services Research, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-09718-8
Makutonin, M., Dare, J., Heekin, M., Salancy, A., Hood, C., & Dominguez, L. W. (2023). Remote patient monitoring for hypertension: Feasibility and outcomes of a clinic-based pilot in a minority population. Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 14, 21501319231204586. https://doi.org/10.1177/21501319231204586
NHLBI. (n.d.). Education and awareness | NHLBI, NIH. Www.nhlbi.nih.gov. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/education
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