Nurse Practitioner Performance-Follow-up after Emergency Department Visit
As an Advanced Practice Nurse, productivity will be an important measurement for the practice to determine reimbursement and salary. Fee-for-service practices will require a set number of patients per day to maintain productivity. A capitated practice will require the APN to have a large panel of patients but also will focus on controlling costs. This can be accomplished through effective primary care that is accessible, convenient for the patients and has a method of measuring quality of care.
Write a formal paper in APA format with title page, introduction, the three required elements below, conclusion and reference page.
You are now employed as a Nurse Practitioner(NP) in primary care. Your paper will focus on the following Performance topic:
Follow-up after Emergency Department visit for Alcohol and Other drug abuse or Dependence
1. Develop three different patient interventions for that one performance measure and how you would specifically implement the intervention and measure the outcomes for that particular performance measure in clinical practice.
2. How would these primary care interventions result in improved patient outcomes and health care cost savings?
3. How can these interventions result in improved Nurse Practitioner patient ratings?
Sample Answer
Follow-Up After Emergency Department Visit for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse or Dependence
Excessive alcohol use has short and long-term effects that can lead to visits to the emergency room and hospitalization. Alcohol dependence is usually characterized by prolonged use of alcohol, course of alcohol-related problems, and increased vulnerability to relapse. It is a chronic relapsing disorder characterized by craving, preoccupation with alcohol, tolerance, and continued drinking despite knowledge of harmful effects. The discussion of the paper will focus on patient interventions for one chosen measure, the impact of the interventions on patient outcomes and health care costs, and how they can result in improved patient outcomes for nurse practitioners.
Different Patient Interventions for That One Performance Measure
The performance measure to be used for the topic provided is relapse. Most studies that have examined outcomes of individuals being treated for alcohol dependence indicate that 70-80% of patients are likely to relapse within the first year, with the majority of individuals experiencing the relapse in the first three months (Nagaich et al., 2015). Individuals that abstain from alcohol for one year after treatment have a lower risk of relapse afterward. Patient interventions to be used include self-help groups, family collaboration and support, and case management. Self-help groups refer to peer-operated and non-professional organizations devoted to helping individuals with addiction-related issues (Bekkering, et al., 2016). Individuals participating in self-help groups receive advice, support, share experiences, and encouragement. The intervention does not require payment of fees. Case management, on the other hand, refers to a collaborative process that plans, assesses, coordinates, implements, monitors, and evaluates services and options that are required and available to meet the human service needs and the health of the client. The intervention is based on the philosophy that everyone benefits when a patient can achieve self-management and optimum levels of functional capability and level of wellness (Commission for Case Manager Certification, 2021). Family support is critical to the recovery of the patient. Family support increases adherence of the patient to treatment plans, including adherence to medication, therapies, and other interventions. Moral support from family members acts as a motivation to the patient.
How to Specifically Implement the Intervention and Measure the Outcomes for That Particular Performance Measure in Clinical Practice
For effective measurement of outcomes associated with the implementation of the three interventions, the interventions will be tailored to meet the specific needs of the patient. The client will be connected with a case manager with the capacity to provide effective care. Case management focuses on offering a comprehensive continuum of care and services to facilitate the integration of the individual back into society as a substance-free and healthy individual (Commission for Case Manager Certification, 021). Effective communication with the case manager and other professionals involved will be key to ensuring that the patient receives individualized care and services. The self-help group that the patient will be enrolled in will suit their needs based on their age, alcohol dependence, and other factors that promote alcoholism, including social and economic factors. This will ensure that the client can access information in terms of advice and experience that they can easily identify with to improve outcomes of the intervention, which is preventing relapse. Close contact with the family will be crucial in monitoring changes in the patient. Effective communication with the family members can be effective in identifying the underlying factors. Based on the factors identified, care can be extended to the family to ensure that the outcomes produced will be long-lasting as the solutions will address the root causes of alcoholism in the patient.
The outcomes will be measured using self-report tools. The tools enable a participant report directly on their attitudes, behavior, intentions, and beliefs. Self-report questionnaires and interviews will be conducted to assess the progress of the patient based on their perspective. According to existing evidence, the tool is convenient in tapping into the psychological health of the patient (Vlot-van Anrooij, et al., 2018). The tool will be effective in enhancing patient satisfaction as the patient will have an opportunity to highlight areas that require improvement based on their expectations. Outcomes to be measured include a change in attitude, behavior, willingness to make changes, coping skills of the patient, adherence to treatment, and future goals.
