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NR 451 Week 5: Core Competencies for Nurses

NR 451 Week 5: Core Competencies for Nurses

Chamberlain University NR 451 Week 5: Core Competencies for Nurses– Step-By-Step Guide

 

This guide will demonstrate how to complete the Chamberlain University  NR 451 Week 5: Core Competencies for Nurses  assignment based on general principles of academic writing. Here, we will show you the A, B, Cs of completing an academic paper, irrespective of the instructions. After guiding you through what to do, the guide will leave one or two sample essays at the end to highlight the various sections discussed below.

 

How to Research and Prepare for NR 451 Week 5: Core Competencies for Nurses                                

 

Whether one passes or fails an academic assignment such as the Chamberlain University  NR 451 Week 5: Core Competencies for Nurses    depends on the preparation done beforehand. The first thing to do once you receive an assignment is to quickly skim through the requirements. Once that is done, start going through the instructions one by one to clearly understand what the instructor wants. The most important thing here is to understand the required format—whether it is APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.

 

After understanding the requirements of the paper, the next phase is to gather relevant materials. The first place to start the research process is the weekly resources. Go through the resources provided in the instructions to determine which ones fit the assignment. After reviewing the provided resources, use the university library to search for additional resources. After gathering sufficient and necessary resources, you are now ready to start drafting your paper.

 

How to Write the Introduction for NR 451 Week 5: Core Competencies for Nurses                                

 

The introduction for the Chamberlain University  NR 451 Week 5: Core Competencies for Nurses    is where you tell the instructor what your paper will encompass. In three to four statements, highlight the important points that will form the basis of your paper. Here, you can include statistics to show the importance of the topic you will be discussing. At the end of the introduction, write a clear purpose statement outlining what exactly will be contained in the paper. This statement will start with “The purpose of this paper…” and then proceed to outline the various sections of the instructions.

 

How to Write the Body for NR 451 Week 5: Core Competencies for Nurses                                

 

After the introduction, move into the main part of the NR 451 Week 5: Core Competencies for Nurses       assignment, which is the body. Given that the paper you will be writing is not experimental, the way you organize the headings and subheadings of your paper is critically important. In some cases, you might have to use more subheadings to properly organize the assignment. The organization will depend on the rubric provided. Carefully examine the rubric, as it will contain all the detailed requirements of the assignment. Sometimes, the rubric will have information that the normal instructions lack.

 

Another important factor to consider at this point is how to do citations. In-text citations are fundamental as they support the arguments and points you make in the paper. At this point, the resources gathered at the beginning will come in handy. Integrating the ideas of the authors with your own will ensure that you produce a comprehensive paper. Also, follow the given citation format. In most cases, APA 7 is the preferred format for nursing assignments.

 

How to Write the Conclusion for NR 451 Week 5: Core Competencies for Nurses                                

 

After completing the main sections, write the conclusion of your paper. The conclusion is a summary of the main points you made in your paper. However, you need to rewrite the points and not simply copy and paste them. By restating the points from each subheading, you will provide a nuanced overview of the assignment to the reader.

 

How to Format the References List for NR 451 Week 5: Core Competencies for Nurses                                

 

The very last part of your paper involves listing the sources used in your paper. These sources should be listed in alphabetical order and double-spaced. Additionally, use a hanging indent for each source that appears in this list. Lastly, only the sources cited within the body of the paper should appear here.

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Sample Answer for NR 451 Week 5: Core Competencies for Nurses

The QSEN has six core competencies used in nursing to include: patient-centered care, teamwork and collaboration, evidence based practice, quality improvement, safety, and informatics.“Enhanced communication along with care coordination, patientintegration, care quality, safety, and improving access are essential components that can actively integrate patients and their caretakers into the healthcare team”(Carr,2017,p.39). As nurses we use these competencies within are practice, sometimes daily. Patient-centered care should be used daily within nursing practice. My practice setting is a nursing home, and it is all about the resident. At the nursing home we center everything on the residents including activities, meals, and even our lunch break. Team work is another aspect of competencies that is used daily.

The nurses work together to achieve task that need to be done throughout the day, and coordinating care with the certified nursing assistances. With my practice I use evidence based practice often as I am a wound care nurse. When starting this position I knew very little about wounds. This led me to seek more information on how to treat and manage wounds with evidence based practice. Quality improvement is another area that is being focused on by state. With the final rule quality improvement is a huge part of nursing home regulation, and is a topic I am looking more into at this time. It is a very complicated process. Safety should be taken in every nursing practice every second of the day. We use call lights, locks on doors, alarms, and many other interventions to assure safety for out residents. Informatics is growing in healthcare. We use electronic medical records in our facility to document medication use. We also have reports that we can pull to show graphs of different area that we may need to look at.

 

Carr, D. D. (2017). Motivational Interviewing Supports Patient Centered-Care and Communication. Journal OfThe New York State Nurses Association, 45(1), 39-43.

 

QSEN competencies. (2014). Definitions and pre-licensure KSAs. Retrieved from (http://qsen.org/competencies/pre-licensure-ksas/ (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)

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Sample Answer 2 for NR 451 Week 5: Core Competencies for Nurses

Wound care involves patient-centered care, teamwork and collaboration, evidence based practice, quality improvement, and safety. Hospital-acquired pressure wounds are a hot topic right now. Per the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services, “With respect to progression of pressure ulcers to Stage III or IV during the hospitalization, coding guidelines direct that the Stage III or IV pressure ulcer be confirmed as POA if a lower stage ulcer was recognized on admission and progressed to a higher stage ulcer during the admission” (Overview, 2016). With this ruling, if no pressure ulcer is documented on admission, it is assumed that the pressure ulcer is obtained during inpatient care and the facility is responsible for treatment of the wound without reimbursement. This is a financial burden for the facility because the “[c]ost of individual patient care ranges from $20,900 to $151,700 per pressure ulcer [and they] are the second most common claim after wrongful death” (Preventing Pressure Ulcers in Hospitals, 2014).

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References:

Overview. (2016, September 23). Retrieved September 20, 2017, from

https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/HospitalAcqCond/index.html?redirect =%2FHospitalAcqCond%2F05_Coding.asp

Preventing Pressure Ulcers in Hospitals: Are we ready for this change? (2014, October 02). Retrieved September 13, 2017, from https://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/systems/hospitalpressureulcertoolkit/putool1.html

Sample Answer 3 for NR 451 Week 5: Core Competencies for Nurses

QSEN competencies are the core safety measures we as nurses should all aspire to.  Patient falls, infections, patient centered care and medication errors are all included in the competencies.  When I took boards, QSEN competencies were not formulated yet, but when I looked at a question, safety was first, always, I tell my undergraduates this, when looking at a question on your boards, the first thing to look at is safety, that is your first priority, which is part of the patient centered care paradigm.  QSEN competencies are nursing centered and nursing can solve these challenges to meet competencies.

As a current practicing nurse, how do you include the QSEN competencies into your practice?

What do you think is the most important part of the competencies?

What other competencies should be added, if any, to QSEN?

I feel like I have been unconsciously including the QSEN competencies in my practice for years. As you stated safety is always first priority. Also, patient-centered care is key to good outcomes. I try to involve all my patients in their care as much as possible. I let them know that they have a choice and input about everything that we do for them. I believe this helps me develop a personal connection with my patients which allows for a trusting relationship and leads to better outcomes. I try to use teamwork and collaboration in my daily practice to help the department as a whole which in turn provides better care for the patients. The other competencies I need to consciously work on integrating into my practice is better use of evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and informatics. I do utilize it, but not at the extent that I feel that I should.

I think all the competencies are important, but the one that I feel is most important is teamwork and collaboration. QSEN defines teamwork and collaboration as functioning effectively with nursing and other interdisciplinary teams to foster open communication, mutual respect, and shared decision making to achieve optimal patient outcomes (Teamwork and Collaboration, n.d.). I feel one of the biggest keys in this competencies is communication. It is vital to have effective communication between team members and with patients and their families. Misunderstandings can lead to costly mistakes. It can also lead to loss of trust and increase anxiety. Making sure everyone is on the same page and realizes the plan makes giving patient care easier and increases quality outcomes.

I can’t think of any other competencies that need to be added. The QSEN competencies cover a broad variety of knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to be successful. Each one appears to be broken down well. The only competencies that might be beneficial to add would be self-care. As nurses, we are always concerned about everyone else, but ourselves. We put our own needs on the back burner to make sure others are cared for. We neglect ourselves. We push ourselves to exhaustion. I think it would be important to learn the importance of making ourselves a priority. We need to better care for ourselves, so we can better care for others.

Reference

Teamwork and Collaboration. (n.d.). Retrieved September 26, 2017, from http://qsen.org/competencies/pre-licensure-ksas/#teamwork_collaboration

Sample Answer 4 for NR 451 Week 5: Core Competencies for Nurses

According to Lesson 5 Week 5: Evaluating Quality Change, “There may be some similarities between a quality improvement project and a formal research study (e.g., choosing patients to participate, developing instruments to measure the outcomes, or calculating descriptive statistics); however, they are not the same. An evidence-based practice project using the ACE Star Model aims to determine the effectiveness of a change in structure or process, known as practice integration, thereby achieving an anticipated outcome in the real world. This type of project usually gives little attention to control of extraneous variables.”

The QSEN competencies are a great tool for nurses. They have the following “Definitions and Pre-Licensure KSAS: Patient-Centered Care, Teamwork and Collaboration, Evidence-based Practice (EBP), Quality Improvement (QI), Safety, and Informatics” (QSEN, 2017). I feel that all of these items are being used in my current workplace. They hospital administrators are always interested in patient-centered care, teamwork and collaboration, EBP, QI, safety, and informatics. I cannot pick one that is higher above the rest except for maybe quality Improvement (QI). According to QSEN (2017), “Definition: Use data to monitor the outcomes of care processes and use improvement methods to design and test changes to continuously improve the quality and safety of health care systems.” The hospital I currently work for has a QI system in place for each unit, this is the GEMBA board. According to Process Excellence Network (2011), “Gemba Kaizen is a Japanese concept of continuous improvement designed for enhancing processes and reducing waste. Within a lean context, Gemba simply refers to the location where value is created, while Kaizen relates to improvements.” Our unit has a cork board that has slips that staff can fill out when there is something that needs to be fixed on the unit. This slip is then reviewed at the GEMBA meeting every weekday, and the team/unit take this and brain storms over what can be done to fix the problem. The slip is then placed into the “In Process” or “Implemented” section of the board. There is a second board where we track the previous items that have been made into slips and/or are QIs. Our current QIs are fall prevention with all bed and chair alarms on, length of time with no falls, and missed treatment time with the therapists. These each have a calendar that we place a green mark for good/no problems, and red mark for bad/with missed treatment, a fall, or not all alarms were on. This is where the QSEN is observed best in the workplace I am in currently.

References:

Process Excellence Network. (2011). Introduction to the Concept of Gemba Kaizen. Received from https://www.processexcellencenetwork.com/lean-six-sigma-business-transformation/articles/gemba-kaizen.

QSEN Institute. (2017). QSEN Competencies. Received from http://qsen.org/competencies/pre-licensure-ksas/.

Sample Answer 5 for NR 451 Week 5: Core Competencies for Nurses

Professor and Class, for this weeks’’ discussion we are looking at the QSEN competencies for nursing and the implementation of them into our daily workflow/workplace environment. These competencies were established from an initiative to improve the education on quality and safety in curriculum, (Dolansky&Moore,2013). According to the article, by Dolansky & Moore,”QSEN is a national movement that guides nurses to redesign the ‘what and how’ they deliver nursing care so that they can ensure high-quality, safe care”.  Although there is a personal responsibility to refining nursing expertise and individual growth, these initiatives suggest that improved quality of care and safety is the responsibility that is to be shared by all facets of healthcare.

According to the article, from the AACN, on incorporating quality and patient safety, “Patient centered care is the provision of care using the patients’ values as a guide for all clinical decisions”,(Cronenwett et.al,2009). It is essential to develop respect, responsive care based on the individuals’ preference. This can be integrated into workflow through development of mutual respect among staff, patients and providers. Unit council and shared governance committees can address issues between providers, staff and patients. Our organization has an anonymous “help” line that if a patient or family is not satisfied with the communication it is receiving from staff, and/or provider, they can call the number to file report. This statement and number is on every patient room wall, as well as in the common areas of cafeteria, hallways, gift shops, etc. We facilitate this competency with tings such as “rounding”, where the physician, nurse and family/patient discuss and map out plan of care. This allows patients to ask questions, voice concerns, and thoroughly discuss options of care openly. It is valuable as it facilitates everyone being on the “same page”.

Team work and collaboration is a relationship among workers that cultivates open communication, mutual respect, shared decision making in order to achieve the goal of quality care.  I feel this is as simple as asking a coworker that is experiencing a heavy patient load if you can help in anyway. Being available to assist and be used as a resource for others. Just the act of validating one another. For example, when you are ending shift and the family asked who their nurse will be for the next shift, introduce your coworker with a positive, complimentary statement, highlighting something that is a strong suit in them, such as organization, positivity, kindness, knowledge, experience level, etc. This aids in decreasing that “divide”, you know the one, between “dayshift” and “nightshift”. I know we are two teams that function very differently, yet we function as a continuum in the patient care.

We have learned that evidence based practice is providing scientific knowledge based services to those patients that can benefit. It is also the act of refraining from services to those that are not likely to benefit, (Cronenwett et. al,2009). Integrating this into our workplace can easily be done by utilizing informatics to communicate, track and evaluate the best practice. The technology in informatics that allow systems and software to communicate is saving cost in healthcare by decreasing errors through safety alerts, and guided clinical decision software. In addition, the need for duplicating tests is decreased as healthcare records are viewable and allowed to be “shard” within the healthcare systems. So, identifying problems, issues, researching peer reviewed information on such issues, being active in the advancements of informatics within your organization by becoming a super user, or just sharing your knowledge in the area of evidence based practice and informatics with coworkers are all ways to ensure progression of the healthcare system.

Quality improvement involves utilization of time, equipment, supplies, and energy. Improving your day to day workflow processes. This can be as simple as suggesting a product change to save money. Coming up with useful methods to design and test changes, such as questionnaires. One of our nurses made a checklist for admissions, and one for transfers that is on the top of every admission cart. Simple, yet very useful, as sometimes several people are involved in an admission, it is easy to overlook things, or duplicate what someone else has done. This worklist, is checked off, so that if you get called away and another nurse steps in, they can pick up right where you left off and continue the workflow. It allows for a systematic workflow in what in the past has been somewhat chaotic on busy nights. Also, simply recognizing that quality and safety is a continuum, in constant need of our attention, improvements and efforts.

Safety is simply preventing harm and minimizing risks to our patients and providers. This is accomplished by establishing effective individual performance, (ANA,2015). Handwashing, the simplest thing, yet one of the most important things as healthcare workers we do, ALL DAY LONG, is for the safety and well-being of our patients, and ourselves. Annual skills check offs, recertification’s, mandated continuing education, all things we dread as nurses, but that are essential to a safe environment. Anything that we put in place to avoid injury to patients from the care that is intended to benefit them. Bed alarms, two RN cosign medications, PPE, scanning barcodes, infant security bands/alarms, signs for isolation, signs for fall risks, swallow risks, whiteboards in the patients’ rooms for communication of important information, all these things we do daily, are initiated for increased safety for our workplace environment and our patients.

I feel our discussion for integration is summed up in this weeks assigned textbook reading. When discussing the scope of nursing in regards to competencies, words such as “engage”, “formulate”, “collaborate”, “generates”, “develops”, “modifies”, “documents”, “evaluates,” are used, (ANA,2015, p.57). In our daily workflow, in our various settings, anytime we are engaging in one of these “action words”, we are participating in improvement of quality and safety. Class, and Professor, would you agree?

American Nurses Association. (2015). Nursing: Scope and standards of practice (3rd Ed.) Spring, MD: Author.

Dolansky, M.A., Moore, S.M., (September 30, 2013) “Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN): The Key is Systems Thinking” OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing Vol. 18, No. 3, Manuscript 1.

Cronenwett, L., Sherwood, G., & Gelmon, S., (2009). Improving quality and safety education: The QSEN Learning Collaborative. Nursing Outlook, 57(6), 304-312

https://www.aaacn.org/enhancing-quality-and-safety-nursing-competencies-ambulatory-care-practice (Links to an external site.)

Sample Answer 6 for NR 451 Week 5: Core Competencies for Nurses

I feel like I have been unconsciously including the QSEN competencies in my practice for years. As you stated safety is always first priority. Also, patient-centered care is key to good outcomes. I try to involve all my patients in their care as much as possible. I let them know that they have a choice and input about everything that we do for them. I believe this helps me develop a personal connection with my patients which allows for a trusting relationship and leads to better outcomes. I try to use teamwork and collaboration in my daily practice to help the department as a whole which in turn provides better care for the patients. The other competencies I need to consciously work on integrating into my practice is better use of evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and informatics. I do utilize it, but not at the extent that I feel that I should.

I think all the competencies are important, but the one that I feel is most important is teamwork and collaboration. QSEN defines teamwork and collaboration as functioning effectively with nursing and other interdisciplinary teams to foster open communication, mutual respect, and shared decision making to achieve optimal patient outcomes (Teamwork and Collaboration, n.d.). I feel one of the biggest keys in this competencies is communication. It is vital to have effective communication between team members and with patients and their families. Misunderstandings can lead to costly mistakes. It can also lead to loss of trust and increase anxiety. Making sure everyone is on the same page and realizes the plan makes giving patient care easier and increases quality outcomes.

I can’t think of any other competencies that need to be added. The QSEN competencies cover a broad variety of knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to be successful. Each one appears to be broken down well. The only competencies that might be beneficial to add would be self-care. As nurses, we are always concerned about everyone else, but ourselves. We put our own needs on the back burner to make sure others are cared for. We neglect ourselves. We push ourselves to exhaustion. I think it would be important to learn the importance of making ourselves a priority. We need to better care for ourselves, so we can better care for others.

Reference

Teamwork and Collaboration. (n.d.). Retrieved September 26, 2017, from http://qsen.org/competencies/pre-licensure-ksas/#teamwork_collaboration