Evolving Practice of Nursing and Patient Care Delivery Method

Evolving Practice of Nursing and Patient Care Delivery Method Student Name: Professor: Course Title: Date: Evolving Practice of Nursing and Patient Care Delivery Method There are transformative changes taking place in the healthcare in the United States for which registered nurses (RNs), owing to their education and their role, are properly positioned to contribute to and lead. The role of nurses is changing gradually thanks to the healthcare reform (Salmond & Echevarria, 2017). This paper provides a summary of the feedback shared by three nurse colleagues after making an informal presentation to them that was aimed at educating them regarding how the nursing practice is anticipated to grow and change. Concepts of nurse-managed health clinics, medical homes, Accountable Care Organizations, and continuity or continuum of care were covered in the presentation. This paper also discusses whether the impressions of the nurses are in agreement with what I researched regarding health reform. Continuity/Continuum of Care The face of healthcare in the United States is changing thanks to the healthcare reform, which is also known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Care is growingly shifting from skilled nursing facilities and the hospital to the home. The roles of nurses are expanding and evolving to deliver care across many settings for people through the continuum. Continuum mainly comprises services from various organizations and providers; from birth to death; and from wellness to illness (Salmond & Echevarria, 2017). The nurse colleagues stated that nurses play an essential role in providing leadership and being important contributing members of inter-professional teams in the current shift from provider-based care to and team-based, patient-centred care across the continuum which delivers quality, affordable, and seamless care. What they said is actually true. Also, in this newest health paradigm, nurses are required to be an important partner in unrelenting efforts aimed at achieving the triple objective of a decrease in the per capita cost of healthcare, improved health/outcomes of populations, as well as improved patient experience of care including satisfaction and quality (Salmond & Echevarria, 2017). However, it is not just the roles of nurses that are changing with the health care reform. Actually, the role of everybody is changing across the entire continuum. The roles of patients, doctors and other healthcare personnel are also changing. Success would be attained if all the healthcare personnel collaborate in transforming and leveraging the contribution of every health care provider working at full scope of practice. Inter-professional collaboration is critical to attaining patient-centred coordinated care, and provides a chance for nursing to shine (Salmond & Echevarria, 2017). Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) The ACO refers to a network of healthcare providers and organizations which take collective accountability for both the quality and cost for a certain patient population over time (Macfarlane, 2014). As Accountable Care Organizations continue to spread and develop, the role of nurses would evolve. RNs play a vital role in assisting Accountable Care Organizations to deliver top quality care to patient populations at chea...