NRS 493 Benchmark – Professional Capstone and Practicum Reflective Week 5: Practices of Culturally Sensitive Care and Integrity of Human Dignity for Patients

Week 5: Practices of Culturally Sensitive Care and Integrity of Human Dignity for Patients

The increased diversity of health populations in the U.S. implies that nurses and other providers should be culturally sensitive with inherent respect for the dignity of patients as human beings irrespective of their socioeconomic backgrounds (McGonigle et al., 2021). Through the practicum, I realized this aspect and the need for culturally competent care training and practice for nurses and all healthcare providers. I also realized practically that human dignity is essential, especially when handling patients in critical care who are not only delicate but also in deep reflections about their lives (Dittborn et al., 2020). Therefore, providers should consider the concerns and needs that these patients present and respect them to attain patient-centered care.

My strengths in this area include embracing diversity, showing respect for patients, and increasing implementation of patient-centered care interventions. However, dealing with patients who may not respect the provider’s divergent opinions and suggestions, and biases as well as stereotypes are my greatest weaknesses (McGonigle et al., 2021). The additional resources that I recommend comprise training and integration of culturally sensitive care approaches in different settings. The implementation of such interventions would lead to better interactions among providers and patients and their families as well as reduce incivility.

Week 6: Population Health Concerns and Health Disparities

Through this topic, I realized the critical role that nurses will play in helping more populations and groups access healthcare services and also reduce the inherent disparities that impact quality care. Reports on nursing and its importance in helping the nation deal with disparities also emerged during this conversation (Schroeder et al., 2022). Initiatives like the Healthy People 2030 and NAM report on ways that nurses can address the gaps in care delivery also emerged. Discrimination, systematic racism, and classism are at the core of the disparities in healthcare access (Ellis et al., 2021). Nurses through advanced education, training, and specializing can help address these challenges and improve primary care provision. My strengths about this topic include the use of EBP, participation in policy-making, and lobbying for sufficient resource allocation as well as advocacy for cost-effective insurance premiums and medical coverage for the vulnerable populations. However, my core weakness is a limited network and increased collaboration with other stakeholders. Additional resources to address these issues include the promotion of primary care, having more human resources to cater to different health populations, and enrollment of more individuals in nursing schools.

Week 7: Role of Technology in Improving Health Care Outcomes

Technological development and applications in healthcare have become the hallmark of quality care delivery, improved accessibility, and reduced cost of care. From telehealth to artificial intelligence and clinical decision support as well as machine learning, providers and organizations are leveraging technologies to manage patients with chronic conditions like hypertension and delivering care to meet their conditions and needs (Ciccone et al., 2019). The use of electronic health records (EHRs) allows providers to seamlessly share patient information and develop a common plan of care to enhance outcomes. However, leveraging these technologies can also present ethical and legal issues concerning compliance with legal mandates like HIPAA and HITECH as well as the Affordable Care Act.  Therefore, leveraging these technologies improves overall care provision and outcomes among different populations.

My strengths in this area include an effective understanding of informatics, increased learning to apply different approaches, and access to a wide range of resources to improve care delivery. My weaknesses may include compliance with regulatory mandates and, an increased need for ethical compliance. Therefore, offering training and resources will be critical to improving the overall use of technology in healthcare settings.

Week 8: Health Policy

The healthcare system operates through policies developed at different levels, from organizational to state and federal levels. As such, the practicum allowed me to get an in-depth understanding and appreciation of health policies aimed at improving care delivery and accessibility. The practicum also demonstrated the role of nurses in policy development and implementation to improve accessibility to care, reduce costs, and enhance overall quality (Reddy et al., 2020). Therefore, nurses should be change agents and champion patients’ needs and c