Sample Paper on Nursing Role and Functions in the Improvement of the Quality of Care in Rehabilitation Patients

Rehabilitation is a vital healthcare component. The role of rehabilitation nursing needs to be well defined. Nurses Play a critical role in the in the improvement of the quality of care in rehabilitation patients. Nurses have found themselves to be undervalued in the rehabilitative process. The lack of well-defined nursing roles and functions has diminished the quality outcomes that are expected in the process. The quality of care patients receive especially in transitional rehabilitation is inadequate. The purpose of this paper is to discuss specific articles provided for each of the Student Learning Outcomes in relation to the problem statement. The problem statement in this paper is listed as the main topic above.

Rehabilitation nursing needs to Integrate theories and evidence, clinical judgment, research, and interprofessional requirements using translational processes to improve practice and the health outcomes.One of the ways improve the nurses’ role, and functions in the improvement of the quality of care in rehabilitation patients are through Enhanced Medical Rehabilitation. In theory, enhanced Medical rehabilitation is likely to improve the quality of care that patients receive. Enhanced medical rehabilitation entails a program that provides a structured and innovative approach to therapy for older adults. The program requires therapists to engage patients more in rehabilitation. Most ERM patients have a better understanding and appreciation for the therapy. They respond to it willingly and with a lot of motivation. The Journal of the American Doctors Association recently posted a report about the findings of a medical trial concerning enhanced medical rehabilitation (Lanze, et al. 2012). The research sought to investigate whether Enhanced medical rehabilitation increases therapy intensity and engagement and improves functional outcomes in the post-acute rehabilitation of older adults. The trial had a dual design where randomly controlled Enhanced Medical Rehabilitation was compared against Standard-care Rehabilitation. The Research was carried among twenty-six who had been admitted for post-acute rehabilitation. The results of the experiment were that the randomly controlled Enhanced Medical Rehabilitation recorded showed better signs of improvement in gait speed compared to those who were randomized to standard-of-care rehabilitation. The research concluded that it is possible to achieve higher intensity and patient engagement in nursing rehabilitation. The High intensity and enhanced engagement improve the performance of the patients drastically.

Nurses in the rehabilitation process must engage in the ethical conduct of research and translational scholarship a pay special attention to the protection of the patient as participants of the research. The ethical conduct of research and translational scholarship is another way to determine and improve the role and functions of nursing in the improvement of the quality of care. Objective documentation of rehabilitation procedures is a very important issue to consider. This can be achieved through scientific means of standardization. Nurses and therapists must endeavor to use evidence-based treatment. The treatment and referral of Patients should be based on an objective value based criteria. The criterion provides a means for selecting and administering tests and measurements to establish the initial status of a patient. This provides an objective and reliable assessment of the patient’s strengths and weaknesses. The objective assessment is also vital in determining the effectiveness of treatment. The Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) published research finding on a clinical study on the factors associated with utilization of preoperative and postoperative rehabilitation services by patients with amputation in the VA system (Resnik, & Borgia, 2013). The study found great variations in the provision of preoperative operations that were associated with geographic regions of the country. The research shows that Patients from Northeast had the least possibility of receiving any preoperative rehabilitation services. On the other hand, patients in the West were lucky to have the highest possibility of receiving any preoperative rehabilitation services. The research further indicated that the decision maker needs to have the adequate information to make the right decisions for the wellbeing of the patient. Research shows that in order to Determine the best setting for the patient to have successful patient-centered goals, one requires a thorough understanding of rehabilitation nursing. This will help to maximize the success of evidence-based quality outcomes. The current models have failed to utilize the role and functions of nursing rehabilitation to its full potential. In conclusion, the research found that nurses with proper training and a deep understanding of the rehabilitation process are best able to coordinate activities to achieve the best outcomes for an evidence-based system.

Nurses also need to articulate several audiences the evidence-based practice for decisions, including the reliability of the sources of information. The rehabilitation nursing area lacks the required consistency and continuity that a proper evidence based system provides. This is because the role and perception of the nurses in this area are not properly defined. Research shows that rehabilitation nurses have an integral role in the rehabilitation process. Furthermore, there is an opportunity to develop their potential, role and boundaries in order to make them feel more valued. The very definition and boundaries of rehabilitation are not conclusively defined. Research defines rehabilitation as “Rehabilitation is described as an active, dynamic, continuous process which has physical, social and psychological aspect” (Burke, & Doody, 2012). Kathleen G Burke and Owen Doody both agree that “the essential components of rehabilitation were patient participation, family participation and a team approach” (Burke, & Doody, 2012). Their research sought to find an in-depth analysis of the nurse's perception of the rehabilitation process. This research adopted the Heideggerian phenomenological approach because the purpose was to investigate the nurse’s perception and not their description. Nine nurses from two separate hospitals in Ireland were the subjects of the research. The data was collected and analyzed using the Colaizzi’s guide framework. The analysis revealed three thematic areas in the nurse’s perception of the rehabilitation process. These themes are nursing care delivery, collaboration, and autonomy.

Nursing care delivery was considered the principle role of the nurse in the rehabilitation process. Care delivery was widely viewed to involve the assessment of the patient’s needs the assessment was required to take a patient-based approach. This helps the nurse to establish a good working relationship with the patient. The patient-based approach builds the patients’ confidence in the process. Consequently, the patient becomes more willing to participate in the process to achieve successful outcomes. Participants considered the nurse-patient relationship as being fundamental in the care delivery. This relationship allows the nurse to know the patient, their goals, and aspirations when they are most vulnerable. The patient should be involved in goal setting at all stages. This enhances the patient-centered approach to rehabilitation nursing. The collaboration was the second most important theme that was considered by the participants. The nature of modern healthcare involves numerous complexities that require the engagement of all stakeholders. These complexities and the stiff challenges facing the patient require the nurse to engage all the concerned parties to deliver outcomes. Participants identified the nurse as the central component that links the therapy and medical staff to patients and their families. Communication is central to collaboration. The nurse is in constant engagement withal the stakeholder and is, therefore, able to gather vital information that is required for the process. Furthermore, the patients require the support of all the team members. Lastly, the theme of autonomy and independent was brought up. This theme requires the nurse empowers the patients to be self-reliant and independent. Nurses acknowledge that physical inabilities do not limit the patient from being able to make self-reliant decisions. The level of vulnerability determines the level of dependency.

Nurses should participate and lead when in collaborative teams to enhance care outcomes and changes in the current policy through the generation of knowledge, planning and evaluating knowledge implementation. Interdisciplinary cooperation is a vital process as brought about by the collaboration discussed herein above. Interdisciplinary teams (IDT) are paramount to integration and successful outcomes. Collaborative procedures enhance the patient outcomes tremendously. The modern complexities of healthcare can only be solved through Interdisciplinary integration and cooperation. The nurses need to take a leading role in this cooperation. As discussed hereinabove. Nurses have the ability to engage all the stakeholders in the rehabilitation process. The research was carried out to investigate the roles and functions of nursing in the acute and sub-acute rehabilitation of patients with stroke (Dreyer, et al. 2016). This research indicated that interdisciplinary collaboration between all the involved parties assisted in patient outcomes.

Nurses should also apply practice guidelines to improve practice and the care environment. Nursing engages in evidence-based practice to bring consistency and continuity. The evidence-based process also encourages the use of Clinical Practice Guidelines. The Clinical Practice Guidelines are evidence-based facilities that allow the application of modern evidence into nursing practice. They contain recommendations that are informed by a systematic and critical review of the evidence and literature that is available. Research was carried out on Management of challenging behavior after a stroke. The research took a multidisciplinary approach (Hughes, 2012). The research indicated that the use of clinical guideline enhances the reliance on an evidence-based approach. The research also echoed the need for multidisciplinary integration in the nursing process.

Nurses should also perform a rigorous critique of evidence derived from databases to generate meaningful evidence for nursing practice. Nurses acknowledge that rehabilitation is not conclusively defined. There are various literature in the different questions of rehabilitation. Nurses need to read and research on a constant basis to maintain the best evidence-based practices that improve the outcomes. Nurses are ta vital component of the rehabilitation system. They play an even better role in review and critique of the available literature to get a glimpse of the best practices to approach (Mallinson, et al. 2011). The role of nursing is patient care. Nurses who are confident in the evidence that they rely on tend to have the best optimum results. According to research, nurses need to compare, and materials with an acute understanding of the patient needs.

References

Burke, K., & Doody, O. (2012). Nurses' perceptions of their role in rehabilitation of the older person: Kathleen G Burke and Owen Doody discuss a study that highlights the aspects of care needed to re-enable older people to maximize their quality of life. Nursing Older People, 24(2), 33 39. Retrieved September 17, 2016, from Nursing and Allied Health Collection via Gale: http://find.galegroup.com/nrcx/start.do?prodId=NRC

Dreyer, P., Angel, S., Langhorn, L., Pedersen, B., & Aadal, L. (2016). Nursing roles and functions in the acute and sub-acute rehabilitation of patients with stroke: going all in for the patient. Journal of Neuroscience Nursing, 48(2), 111 119. Retrieved September 17, 2016, from Nursing and Allied Health Collection via Gale: http://find.galegroup.com/nrcx/start.do?prodId=NRC

Hughes, L. (2012, April). Management of challenging behavior after a stroke: a co-ordinate multidisciplinary team approach helped to improve one man's condition. Mental Health Practice, 15(7), 22-25. Retrieved September 17, 2016, from Nursing and Allied Health Collection via Gale: http://find.galegroup.com/nrcx/start.do?prodId=NRC

Lanze, E.J. (2012). Enhanced medical rehabilitation increases therapy intensity and engagement and improves functional outcomes in postacute rehabilitation of older adults: a randomized-controlled trial. J Am Med Dir Assoc;13(8):7, 708-12.

Mallinson, T. , Bateman, J. , Tseng, H.-Y. , Manheim, L., Almagor, O., Deutsch, A. , & Heinemann, A. (2011, May). A Comparison of Discharge Functional Status After Rehabilitation in Skilled Nursing, Home Health, and Medical Rehabilitation Settings for Patients After Lower-Extremity Joint Replacement Surgery. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 92(5), 712 - 721. Retrieved September 21, 2016, from Nursing and Allied Health Collection via Gale: http://find.galegroup.com/nrcx/start.do?prodId=NRC

Resnik, L., & Borgia, M. (2013, Sept). Factors associated with utilization of preoperative and postoperative rehabilitation services by patients with amputation in the VA system: an observational study. Physical Therapy, 93(9), 1197-1211. Retrieved September 21, 2016, from Nursing and Allied Health Collection via Gale: http://find.galegroup.com/nrcx/start.do?prodId=NRC