NURS FPX 4900 Assessment 2 Assessing the Problem Quality Safety and Cost Considerations  NURS-FPX 4900 Capstone project for Nursing

Assessing the Problem: Quality, Safety, and Cost Considerations Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a condition of consuming alcohol excessively over some time. It is responsible for approximately three million deaths and 130 million disability-adjusted lives annually (Boschuetz & German, 2023). No particular factors are accountable for its prevalence among adults, but few factors are known to be responsible for AUD. The factors include living environment (family), social relations (with friends and others), inherited predisposition, cognitive functioning, and personality disorders (Nehring & Freeman, 2020). This paper details how AUD impacts Mr. Paul, a 36-year-old male (our concerned patient), regarding life quality, safety, and cost. The two practicum hours spent with Mr. Paul allowed for the development of targeted strategies to improve health and monetary outcomes.  Problem’s Effect on Care Quality, Patient Safety, and Care Costs AUD is not an exclusive concern that impacts an individual, family, or society; it impacts multiple aspects of life at the individual and societal levels. Mr. Paul’s life is affected by associated issues like strained relations with family (wife and children), high health risk factors, and poor productivity. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes the detrimental impact of alcoholism on individuals and society by being the cause of 200 diseases, mental and behavioral issues, and economic loss (WHO, 2022). The problem impacts a person’s health by affecting the liver, making it vulnerable to infections due to a weakened immune system, and becoming a reason for several diseases like cardiovascular issues, reducing life quality. It also impacted psychosocial life due to impaired neuron function and the central nervous system, causing dementia and strained relations at home with family, with friends, and at the workplace with colleagues. Eventually, it consumes excessive money to fulfill addiction, address health concerns, and create further complexities (Varghese & Dakhode, 2022).  Effect on Care Quality AUD can significantly impact a patient’s behavior toward the intervention. Considering Paul’s physical, psychological, and social health concerns due to AUD demands evidence-based and patient-centered interventions. For instance, due to AUD, Mr. Paul struggles to access interventions like pharmacotherapies and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Without these interventions, his quality of care is compromised, leading to challenges in managing his addiction effectively (Wolfe et al., 2023). AUD also affects an individual’s behavior, so a patient’s inability to engage in a collaborative care plan can impact the quality of care (Maharjan et al., 2022). Mr. Paul may miss appointments, disregard treatment recommendations, or struggle to communicate. It influences his decision-making abilities and preferences regarding the care plan. These factors can hinder a patient’s recovery journey due to inconsistency, non-adherence, and gaps in treatment, leading to compromised quality of care (Macmurdo et al., 2021).  Effect on Patient Safety AUD can be due to various factors, and it could require a multifaceted approach to treat health’s physical and psychological aspects. As excessive alcohol consumption can cause neurological dysfunction, a person can have depression, hormonal imbalance, sleep deprivation, and poor productivity, so there are several patient risk-associated (Ahn et al., 2021). For instance, medication management risks, risk of relapse or harm, and social/environmental safety concerns. Mr. Paul’s AUD increases the mentioned risks due to non-adherence or mixing medications with alcohol, leading to adverse events. The chances of relapsing or harm due to triggering situations or strained relationships have the potential to increase the likelihood of accidents and broken family ties (Kurihara et al., 2023). These factors can jeopardize the patient’s (Mr. Paul’s) well-being and potentially cause health complications. Effect on Care Costs AUD hurts cost-effectiveness in several ways. For instance, AUD increases healthcare utilization expenses, which are responsible for productivity losses and demand for long-term care and support, which takes excessive cost. Mr. Paul’s AUD contributes to increased expenses due to frequent emergency room visits, alcohol-related issues, and services for addiction treatment (Macmurdo et al., 2021). AUD also impacts Mr. Paul’s ability to work or maintain employment due to health-related challenges, absenteeism, or reduced productivity, leading to economic loss and strain for Mr. Paul and his family. If AUD is not effectively addressed, Mr. Paul will require long-term care services for rehabilitation, demanding sustained costs for healthcare providers, insurers, and individuals. Data from 2010 states that exc