DNP 850 Module 3 Assignment Policy and Ethics

DNP 850 Module 3 Assignment Policy and Ethics

Student Name

Aspen University

DNP-850

Professor Name

Date

Policy and Ethics

Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are one of the major causes of complications and deaths among hospitalized patients, more so in critical care settings, such as the ICUs. These infections develop when bacteria or viruses are introduced into the bloodstream through a central line, which is a hose that is inserted into a large vein for infusing medication, drawing blood, or measuring blood pressure.

In my role as a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) student, my project plan is to decrease CLABSIs in the ICU at Roseland Community Hospital. This assessment aims to discuss nursing ethics for my project, the areas of nursing ethics that are relevant, adhering to ethical principles, and showing the beneficence of others about my DNP project.

Ethical Principles Guiding My DNP Project

Nursing ethics can be defined as a body of norms, rules, principles, and values that govern practice in the field of nursing. They include self-determination, doing good, avoiding harm, fairness, honesty and integrity, and truthfulness. The following guidelines are ethical principles that are essential in the course of my DNP project in addressing the issue of CLABSIs.

• Autonomy

It is critical to respect patients’ right to self-determination by allowing them to make choices concerning their treatment. This involves educating patients and families about the dangers of central lines and engaging them in decisions regarding the placement and utilization of those lines.

• Beneficence

This principle entails making decisions and taking actions that will have a positive impact on patients’ lives (Selby et al., 2021). In my project, CLABSIs will be decreased, and as a result, patient’s lives will be saved, and their quality of care will be increased.

• Non-maleficence

This principle aims at the non-harm of patents. In other words, it will aim at preventing harm by lowering the incidences of CLABSIs through the adoption of evidence-based practices.

• Justice

All patients must be given fair treatment that is free of discrimination. The purpose of the intervention proposed within the project is to ensure that all ICU patients will receive the same high-quality care no matter who they are and what their situation is.

• Fidelity

This principle entails honoring commitments and promises. That is why, by committing to reduce CLABSIs, I work to fulfill the promise of safe and effective care.

• Veracity

This entails being honest with patients and with other medical professionals. It is important to emphasize real infection rates and inform about protective measures in the framework of the project (Selby et al., 2021).

Nursing Ethics for My DNP Practice Problem

Adopting and maintaining ethical principles in my DNP project involves several key strategies:

• Education and Training

All the ICU staff members need to understand the danger of CLABSIs and measures that have to be taken to prevent them. These are in the form of training drills and creating awareness of the current policies and procedures.

• Evidence-Based Practice

Managing practices backed by research is crucial for the prevention of CLABSIs. This can be achieved by following the latest studies and guidelines from the CDC, WHO, and any other reputable health authorities (Buetti et al., 2022).

• Patient and Family Involvement

The care process requires the involvement of the patients and their families to preserve ethical standards. This involves informing them on the advantages and disadvantages of having central lines and engaging them in the process of decision-making rights.

• Interdisciplinary Collaboration

A doctor, nurses, and other healthcare practitioners, as well as an infection control team, will have to work together to make the project successful. All team members possess individual specializations and can demonstrate different points of view on how to decrease CLABSIs.

• Monitoring and Evaluation

Further awareness of infection rates and the assessment of the practices adopted is vital to work on the enhancements constantly (Buetti et al., 2022). This is a process of gathering information, identifying patterns, and making changes as necessary.

• Transparency and Communication

The use of open and effective communication with the staff, patients’ families, and patients themselves is crucial. This refers to reporting on infection rates as well as deliberation on the steps that are being taken to combat them.

The Beneficence of Others Within My DNP Project

The first principle of medical decision-making is beneficence, which entails performing actions that would benefit the patient.

• Improved Patient Outcomes

To minimize CLABSIs, the project is designed to enhance the patient’s outlook. This includes shortening hospital stays (Toor et al., 2022), decreasing the requirements for other forms of therapy, and decreasing mortality.

• Enhanced Quality of Care

Adhering to the standards of CLABSI prevention has a positive effect on improving the quality of care in the ICU. This ensures that patients are offered the best care that is available so that they can be in their best health.

• Staff Empowerment and Education

Education and training of ICU staff make them knowledgeable and equipped with the necessary skills that can help in avoiding infections. This is not only a good thing for the patient but also leads to professional growth and satisfaction among the staff.

• Cost Savings

Preventing CLABSIs would benefit the hospital in terms of cutting expenses. This includes cutting costs related to infection treatment, shortening the patients’ stay at healthcare facilities, and not facing fines for increased infection rates from the relevant authorities (Dube et al., 2020). These savings can be carried forward to enhance the care being offered to patients.

• Community Trust

Decreasing infection rates as a result would contribute towards the promotion of the Roseland Community Hospital within the community. These can go a long way in boosting confidence in the hospital and its capability to deliver safe and effective health care.

• Ethical Climate

Embracing and following the principles of an ethical culture including patient safety, patient care and accountability in the ICU enhances the environment of work. This also enhances morale among staff and leads to low turnover, which is healthy for patient care.

Patient safety is the area of ethics that is most related to my project out of all the options available. Safety means doing everything to avoid any harm falling the patients in a health care setting. In the ICU, patients are acutely ill, and any additional complications such as CLABSIs should be prevented with great vigor. One other area that can be mentioned is the issue of quality of care. High-quality care means using the finest mechanisms and techniques all along the care delivery process in a bid to offer the finest results. Thus, by focusing on decreasing CLABSIs, we can ensure the populace receives the best quality of care (Dube et al., 2020).

Accountability is also key. The patient must protect their rights and be informed about the care that they are receiving and from whom. This should encompass things such as wearing personal protective gear to reduce instances of getting infected and reporting the truth regarding cases of infection and the measures being taken to curb their spread. Finally, there is integration and cooperation, which should be pursued as an essential goal due to their importance. By engaging all members of the team, including doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers, you make sure that everyone is aware of the plan and dedicated to avoiding CLABSIs.

It is essential to ensure that the ICU staff receives updates on some of the new best practices and guidelines aimed at minimizing CLABSIs. Having training sessions helps give proper knowledge of how to insert, manage, and assess central lines. Using evidence-based practice is an essential practice in any organization. This may involve the use of particular and precise hand-washing techniques, the utilization of antiseptic agents, and the constant evaluation of the necessity of having central lines to prevent over-reliance on them (Patel et al., 2020). Teaching patients and their families about the central line and its significance pays for itself in that patient compliance is encouraged. This can result in improved effects as well as higher levels of compliance with safety measures.

It is necessary to promote the concept of a team approach among healthcare workers. Weekly meetings to review infection rates, problems encountered, and changes made contribute significantly to the stability of the care rendered. Thus, when reviewing the above daily infection data and giving feedback to the staff, the following deficiencies are addressed (Wei et al., 2021). This makes it possible to guarantee the effectiveness of the strategies that have been put into practice while making corrections if the need arises. Stemming transparency and disclosure of infection rate and prevention measures among staff, patient, and their families fosters credibility and emphasizes safety.

Conclusion

The elimination of CLABSIs in the ICU of Roseland Community Hospital is a noble intervention, which directly addresses the principles of the nursing profession. In this perspective, since patient safety, quality of care, and accountability are prioritized, the main goal of the project is to ensure that patients receive the best possible treatment to improve the quality of care and outcomes.

Some of the significant activities that should be implemented for the successful development of the project include the following: Educating and practicing ethical principles, involving patients, interdisciplinary collaboration, monitoring, and reporting are helpful in the successful implementation of the projects. Finally, the project relies on the idea of beneficence, meaning that all undertaken actions are good for patients, staff, and the community. By doing so, this project is expected to promote the notion of a safer and more efficient healthcare setting for everyone.