Ways Nurses Can Improve Patient Care
3 min read
A patient's quality of care can directly affect their overall satisfaction, safety, and health outcomes. Nurses are the backbone of health care and typically have the most contact with patients. This one-on-one interaction positions nurses to be care providers and advocates for their patients and their loved ones, ensuring their rights, needs, and wishes are respected.
How to Deliver High-Quality Patient Care
Successful nurses know that better patient care involves more than administering treatment. To provide quality care to patients, nurses must offer emotional support and empathy. They also need to be resourceful, innovative, and collaborative with other members of the health care team. Explore practical ways to improve patient care.
Use Evidence-Based Practices
At the heart of quality patient care is clinical competence. Care must be timely, efficient, and built on evidence-based practices. These practices let nurses stay attuned to new protocols and intervention methods so they can make well-informed decisions regarding patient care. Nurse leaders and their teams should review guidelines, best practices, and current research regularly and put them to use daily.
Suppose you have a patient with a complex medical condition. Examine related medical literature, research studies, and clinical guidelines. Use these data to formulate a plan to recommend various nursing treatment options. Then share your findings and recommendations with your supervisor and colleagues to gain support for your strategy.
Facilitate Open Dialogue
Create an environment of open communication among patients, their families, and other caregivers. This collaboration helps build trust, ensures the accuracy of information, and improves patient satisfaction. Actively listen to patients and encourage them to share their concerns.
Put the Patient First
Patient-centered care considers a patient's medical needs, personal and cultural values, and their comfort and emotional health. This holistic approach allows caregivers to develop personalized treatment plans that align with the patient's needs and goals.
Promote Inclusivity and Equality
There must be zero tolerance for discrimination and inequality in any health care environment. Discrimination comes in many forms, from weight stigma to inaccurate diagnoses based on implicit bias. Speaking out against patient inequity and injustice can help your organization create a more inclusive, unbiased culture that prioritizes respect and empathy.
Empower Patients
Patients who feel empowered are likely to be more invested in their treatment. Involving them in decision-making encourages them to speak up, knowing nursing staff hear and respect their opinions. This open communication will also keep them engaged through their aftercare. Consider these four ways that nurses can help patients take an active role in their treatment and care:
- Provide patients with evidence-based information about their conditions and treatments. A well-informed patient is an empowered one.
- Engage patients in their ongoing care by coordinating and sharing relevant information about follow-up appointments, progress monitoring, and treatment assessment.
- Actively involve the patient's loved ones in discussions around care and treatment by educating them and encouraging participation.
- Encourage self-care by demonstrating proper medication administration and wound care, suggesting lifestyle modifications, and teaching self-monitoring techniques.
Make Safety a Priority
Patient safety should always be of the utmost importance. Nurses can help foster a culture of safety by following proper protocols and identifying and reporting potential risks. Take precautionary measures such as fall prevention, safe medication management, and infection control.
Streamline Efficiencies
Implementing a more efficient medical administration system is one example of how to improve patient care. Consider eliminating manual documentation to reduce errors and save valuable time. Then test out the new system with your team and ask for feedback and how to improve it. Streamlining procedures frees up more time you can allocate toward patient care.
Provide Ongoing Care
Patient care doesn't end after discharge. Work with your organization to provide a seamless transition that promotes patient recovery, prevents complications, and improves overall outcomes. Encourage patients to take advantage of support systems, such as transitional care programs, mental health resources, and remote monitoring devices.
Nursing professionals profoundly impact patient care, and their contributions can ensure positive outcomes. By implementing strategies like effective communication, collaboration, and patient advocacy and education, you can enhance the overall health care experience for your patients and their families.
Images sourced from Getty Images
