NURS 6052 Assignment: Evidence-Based Practice and the Quadruple Aim

NURS 6052 Assignment Evidence-Based Practice and the Quadruple Aim

With rising healthcare demand, the healthcare system has advanced dramatically in recent years, with the implementation of Evidence-based Practice (EBP) for the delivery of safe and high-quality care. Several models, including the triple aim, which has evolved to the quadruple aim, have also been established to promote population health with improved patient experiences at a lower cost (Bowles et al., 2018). Healthcare experts believe that incorporating EBP into current clinical practice will aid in the achievement of the Quadruple Aim. As a result, the purpose of this paper is to talk about the quadruple aim and its role in evidence-based practice.

EBP and the Quadruple Aim on Patient Experience

The is focused on the creation of better care output among patients, at a reduced cost, with an improved experience for both the patient and the healthcare provider. With EBP, all the four measures of the quadruple aim can be achieved. For instance, utilization of EBP in the delivery of care and decision-making process on the most appropriate intervention promotes the experience of the patient, with improved care outcome (Haverfield et al., 2020). Patients tend to feel safe when clinicians utilize evidence-based treatment approaches when taking care of them.

Concerning population health, EBP promotes the utilization of research in better understanding the characteristics, values, needs, and preferences of a certain population, which are key elements in care delivery. For instance, common chronic illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular conditions have posed great challenges over the years, with increasing morbidity and mortality rates (Wagner et al., 2018). However, EBP, through research has led to the introduction of novel approaches which are time efficient and easily accessible helping populations with the highest prevalence of these comorbidities hence promoting the achievement of the quadruple aim.

EBP and the Quadruple Aim on Healthcare Cost

Additionally, with the introduction of EBP, clinicians have reported improved prognosis of several health complications with has reduced hospitalization rate hence reduced healthcare costs. Consequently, the use of proven diagnostic tools and treatment approaches has led to a reduced treatment period, hence reducing the costs associated with diagnostic tests and medication (Haverfield et al., 2020). Clinicians have also been trained to utilize cost-effective care approaches and avoid unnecessary procedures to help reach the quadruple aim.

EBP and the Quadruple Aim on Work-Life of Healthcare Providers

Lastly, despite EBP promoting patient-centered care, the experience of the healthcare workforce has also been considered for optimal care benefits. As the fourth element of the quadruple aim, EBP has ensured that clinicians are adequately trained to utilize time-saving and effective medical tools, to improve the efficiency of the care process (Haverfield et al., 2020). The current healthcare system has introduced several interventions through EBP to decrease provider burnouts, stress, and depression which would otherwise lead to poor health outcomes and decreased patient satisfaction.

Conclusion

            The healthcare system has evolved over the years towards the provision of safe and quality services. Currently, clinicians are encouraged to utilize EBP in care provision to improve the quality and efficiency of care provided at a reduced cost (Wagner et al., 2018). In the same line, the quadruple aim which evolved recently from the triple aim focuses on four main elements which can be achieved with the incorporation of EBP into current clinical practice.

The Connection between EBP and the Quadruple Aim

Evidence based practice plays an instrumental role in enabling health care facilities to achieve the quadruple aim. The concept of translating research findings into clinical practice activities has been forming the foundations of evidence based practice stratagems. Indeed, the EBP allows nurses to possess sufficient literature searching skills as well as the application of existing knowledge from literature on a

patient. The Triple Aim, later known as the Quadruple Aim, was intended to be targeted by providers so as to enhance patient experience, cut heath care costs, improve patient experience and population outcomes, as well as ensuring that clinicians’ wellbeing was not negatively impacted by their jobs. In NURS 6052 Assignment Evidence-Based Practice and the Quadruple Aim, Evidence reveals that the EBP plays a crucial role in ensuring that all the above Quadruple Aims happen.

Without a doubt, one of the most important aspects of health care services is the patient experience. Evidence-based practice has ensured that health care professionals understand the significance of various aspects of their work to the patient experience. One way to improve patient experience is to improve the public image and thus patient perception created by clinicians and nurses. According to an EBP study conducted by West et al. (2016), professional nursing attributes such as empathy, attentiveness, caring nature, knowledgeability, competence, and approachability significantly contribute to a positive patient experience. In fact, nurses’ professional image plays a significant role in ensuring the existence of positive patient experiences. Evidence-Based Practice and the Quadruple Aim NURS 6052 Assignment Furthermore, Skaggs, Daniels, Hodge, and DeCamp (2018) contend that patient perceptions of their care are linked to aspects such as hourly rounding, bedside shift report updates by nurses, which entail updating these reports and then explaining the events that occur when a patient visits the facility, and service nursing bundles that create a positive patient experience. As a result, evidence-based practice contributes to the achievement of positive patient experiences in hospitals.

NURS 6052 Assignment Evidence-Based Practice and the Quadruple Aim: Population Health

            The improvement of population health is closely associated with the experience that patients get from health care facilities and the services that they offer. Indeed, the execution of strategies such as hourly visits and bedside rounding reduce instances of patient falls, which leads to improved patient outcomes. In addition, evidence-based practice provides an avenue for the implementation of empirical evidence related to certain interventionary measures regarding a certain condition. Indeed, evidence based practice entails the adoption of the best available evidence, for purposes of making the best clinical decisions, so as to achieve the most excellent clinical outcomes (Skaggs, Daniels, Hodge, & DeCamp, 2018). Moreover, NURS 6052 Assignment: Evidence-Based Practice and the Quadruple Aim EBP provides clinicians with information regarding the best interventions that may reduce adverse effects such as determining which drug to use in a certain situation based on side effects.

Costs

Evidence-based practice has made several suggestions regarding how facilities may reduce health care costs. One of the ways that this could occur relates to the leveraging of valuable data in order to make decisions that lead to cutting costs. Indeed, studies have offered strategies such as cost caps and universal premiums as two important strategies that can lead to cost reduction (Sander et al., 2017).  In addition, evidence based practice offers information regarding an intervention, which is likely to reduce the length of hospital stay, a phenomenon that is directly correlated to reduced cots. However, the capitalist nature of the United States makes it impossible for the execution of such EBP solutions. Indeed, most hospitals are motivated by profit maximization hence, they will not even attempt to put into practice those solutions (Klaic, McDermott, & Haines, 2019). Therefore, it is difficult for EBP to reduce hospital costs.

NURS 6052 Assignment Evidence-Based Practice and the Quadruple Aim: Work Life of Health Care Providers

            The application of evidence-based practice in health care is premised on the fact that a happy workforce leads to happy patrons due to improved quality outcomes. Evidence-based practice studies have focused on how to improve burnout rates among the nursing staff. One of the ways in which burnout can be avoided is through the reduction of working hours from twelve to eight. Moreover, the adoption of EBP practices empower clinicians with knowledge, leading to higher job satisfaction. As such, EBP has the capacity to improve the work life of providers of health care such as nurses and clinicians.

Conclusion

             Therefore, EBP plays an integral role in the realization of the Quadruple Aim. Certain strategies such as nurse rounds, bedside shift reporting, and usage of best available evidence share the effect of influencing more than one aspects of the Quadruple Aim. However, it is clear that whereas EBP provides stratagems that can be employed to reduce health care costs, external forces make it difficult for the actualization of the same.

References

Klaic, M., McDermott, F., & Haines, T. (2019). How soon do allied health professionals lose confidence to perform EBP activities? A cross‐sectional study. Journal of evaluation in clinical practice, 25(4), 603-612.

Sanders, T., Grove, A., Salway, S., Hampshaw, S., & Goyder, E. (2017). Incorporation of a health economic modelling tool into public health commissioning: evidence use in a politicised context. Social Science & Medicine, 186, 122-129.

Skaggs, M. K. D., Daniels, J. F., Hodge, A. J., & DeCamp, V. L. (2018). Using the evidence-based practice service nursing bundle to increase patient satisfaction. Journal of Emergency Nursing, 44(1), 37-45.

West, M., Wantz, D., Campbell, P., Rosler, G., Troutman, D., & Muthler, C. (2016). Contributing to a quality patient experience: Applying evidence based practice to support changes in nursing dress code policies. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 21(1).