Implications and Consequences of an Ethical Approach to Care NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 3

Implications and Consequences of an Ethical Approach to Care

Ethical approaches to care have significant implications on coordinated care. One of the implications is the promotion of patients’ rights. Ethical approaches ensure the protection of the patients’ rights to safe, effective, high quality and cost-effective care. Ethical approaches also minimize costs incurred in health organizations. The approaches minimize the risks of insurance reimbursement claims due to violation of rights of the patients (Schuchter & Heller, 2018). Ethical approaches to care also promote the primary commitment of nurses to patient care. Nurses understand the importance of prioritizing the needs, values, and preferences of the patients. Nurses also understand the need for shared interventions in addressing conflicts to promote safe, effective, and high-quality patient care (Haddad & Geiger, 2020). Therefore, ethical approaches to care improve the performance in health organizations and transform the behaviors of healthcare providers.

Impact of Specific Healthcare Policy Provisions on Outcomes and Patient Experiences

Health organizations utilize different healthcare policies to improve outcomes of care and patient experiences. An example of such policy is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). The adoption of ACA in America aimed at increasing the population’s access to health insurance. An expanded access to health insurance implies that the majority of the American citizens can utilize the available healthcare services to address their health needs (Kominski et al., 2017). ACA also improves the patient experiences and outcomes of care by addressing the social determinants of health that most of the ethnic minorities in America experience (French et al., 2016). The other policy provision that influences patient experiences and outcomes in the US and coordination of care is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). According to HIPA, health organizations and providers must develop guidelines and protocols for utilization of private and confidential patient data. Standardization of processes and protocols in use of patient data should be encouraged to safeguard patient’s rights, hence, enhanced outcomes in care and patient experiences (Cohen & Mello, 2018).

Roles of Nurses in Coordination and Continuum of Care

Nurses play critical roles in the coordination and continuum of care. Nurses act as patient advocates. They advocate the adoption of care interventions that respect the rights and diversity of different patient populations. Nurses also act as health promoters. Nurses equip patients with vital knowledge and skills needed in achieving their health-related goals. They mentor patients on embracing positive lifestyle and behavioral interventions that will promote their health and wellbeing. Nurses also play the role of health innovation in coordination of care. They explore evidence-based interventions that are effective in promoting goals of care for their patients. The last role of nurses in care coordination is working collaboratively with other healthcare professionals (Steaban, 2016). Nurses work together with other professionals in identifying effective, high quality, and efficient interventions to improve quality, safety, and efficiency of care.

Overall, coordination of care is a critical role played by the nurses. Coordination of care promotes the provision of patient-centered care. Patient and family-centered care is achievable with the use of interventions that prioritize the needs of families and their patients. Therefore, health organizations should recognize the critical roles that registered nurses play in coordination of care and the influence of different policy provisions in health.

References

Cohen, I. G., & Mello, M. M. (2018). HIPAA and Protecting Health Information in the 21st Century. JAMA, 320(3), 231. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2018.5630

French, M. T., Homer, J., Gumus, G., & Hickling, L. (2016). Key Provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA): A Systematic Review and Presentation of Early Research Findings. Health Services Research, 51(5), 1735–1771. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6773.12511

Goodridge, D., Henry, C., Watson, E., McDonald, M., New, L., Harrison, E. L., Scharf, M., Penz, E., Campbell, S., & Rotter, T. (2018). Structured approaches to promote patient and family engagement in treatment in acute care hospital settings: Protocol for a systematic scoping review. Systematic Reviews, 7.