As the country focuses on the restructuring of the U.S. health care delivery system, nurses will continue to play an important role. It is expected that more and more nursing jobs will become available out in the community, and fewer will be available in acute care hospitals.
- Write an informal presentation (500-700 words) to educate nurses about how the practice of nursing is expected to grow and change. Include the concepts of continuity or continuum of care, accountable care organizations (ACO), medical homes, and nurse-managed health clinics.
- Share your presentation with nurse colleagues on your unit or department and ask them to offer their impressions of the anticipated changes to health care delivery and the new role of nurses in hospital settings, communities, clinics, and medical homes.
- In 800-1,000 words summarize the feedback shared by three nurse colleagues and discuss whether their impressions are consistent with what you have researched about health reform.
- A minimum of three scholarly references are required for this assignment.
APA STYLE REQUIRED BOTH IN TEXT CITATIONS & REFERENCE PAGE
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
As the health care industry in the United States undergoes significant restructuring, nursing practitioners are set to play an increasingly important role. With the emergence of new care models and trends, nursing practitioners must be up to date with the latest developments and technologies to provide effective health care delivery services. This informal presentation is designed to educate nursing practitioners about the changes in the practice of nursing, with an emphasis on continuity or continuum of care, accountable care organizations (ACO), medical homes, and nurse-managed health clinics.
Informal Presentation:
The health care industry of the United States is changing. With the introduction of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the trend towards preventative and community-based care has been established. Nurses will become key players in the delivery of health care, especially in non-acute care settings. Continuity of care is an essential concept in the new industry; patients will be cared for in a coordinated, connected, and consistent manner.
Accountable care organizations (ACOs) are groups of health care providers who work together to deliver integrated care to patients. The primary goal of ACOs is to provide high-quality, coordinated care while reducing health care costs. Nurses will play a critical role in these organizations by providing high-quality care to patients while collaborating with other healthcare providers.
Medical homes are another emerging trend in the health care industry of the United States. Medical homes are first-contact, comprehensive, personalized primary care centers that provide holistic health care to individuals, families, and communities. Nurses will have a central role in medical homes by providing care coordination, population health management, and patient education.
Nurse-managed health clinics are another emerging trend in nursing practice. The establishment of these clinics has created a new avenue for nurses to provide comprehensive health care to particular populations. These clinics are usually nurse-led and focus on providing preventive and primary care services to underserved communities.
Feedback Shared by Three Nurse Colleagues:
The nurse colleagues seemed to have an accurate understanding of the changes in the healthcare industry. They articulated that nurses would be playing a more central role in delivering healthcare. The colleagues emphasized the importance of continuity of care and how it would change the industry for the better. They also expressed their reservations about the increased accountability of nurses in accountable care organizations. They mentioned that it would require them to enhance their collaboration skills with other healthcare providers.
The colleagues were optimistic about the potential of medical homes and how they would provide comprehensive health care to patients. They felt that nurses would have a central role in these medical homes, given their expertise in providing integrated and personal care to patients. The colleagues stated that nurse-managed health clinics would offer an excellent opportunity for underserved populations to receive health care services.
Consistency with Research About Health Reform:
The feedback from the colleagues about the anticipated changes in health care delivery was consistent with research about health reform. The changes that they mentioned were the same as those that researchers have predicted. The increase in nursing jobs in the community, and fewer positions in hospitals, has been documented. The shift towards continuity of care, the establishment of medical homes, and nurse-managed health clinics are consistent with the changes that we can expect in the healthcare industry.
Conclusion:
The presentation has effectively educated nursing practitioners about the changes in the practice of nursing, emphasizing continuum of care, accountable care organizations (ACO), medical homes, and nurse-managed health clinics. The feedback from the nursing colleagues on the anticipated changes to health care delivery and the new role of nurses in hospital settings, communities, clinics, and medical homes was consistent with what research shows about health reform. Overall, nursing experts should continue to be proactive in keeping pace with technological advancements and new models of care delivery in the healthcare industry of the United States.
