Write a 1-2 page paper about some of the Best Practices you have learned about during this course (medical-surgical). How will these practices improve a patient’s outcomes? You must use APA and have at least three references less than three years old to support your choices.
Best Practices for Improving Patient Outcomes in Medical-Surgical Care
Introduction
Medical-surgical care plays a crucial role in patient outcomes, as it involves the management of a wide range of medical conditions and post-operative care. Implementing evidence-based best practices in medical-surgical settings is essential for ensuring positive patient outcomes. This paper aims to discuss some of the best practices that have been identified through recent research and their potential to improve patient outcomes. The chosen practices include early mobilization, surgical site infection prevention, and comprehensive pain management.
Best Practice 1: Early Mobilization
Early mobilization refers to the prompt initiation of physical activity and mobility in patients following surgery or hospitalization. Research consistently demonstrates the significant benefits of early mobilization in medical-surgical care. According to Hoyer et al. (2021), early mobilization reduces the risk of complications such as deep vein thrombosis, pneumonia, and pressure ulcers. Additionally, it helps prevent muscle atrophy, improves respiratory function, enhances cardiovascular health, and decreases the length of hospital stays.
Implementing early mobilization in medical-surgical care requires a multidisciplinary approach. Physical therapists, nurses, and physicians collaborate to create individualized mobility plans based on the patient’s condition and surgical procedure. By incorporating early mobilization as a standard of care, healthcare providers can significantly improve patient outcomes, decrease complications, and enhance overall recovery.
Best Practice 2: Surgical Site Infection Prevention
Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a common and preventable complication in medical-surgical care. Adhering to evidence-based guidelines for SSI prevention can substantially reduce the incidence of these infections and improve patient outcomes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2021) provides comprehensive guidelines for the prevention of SSIs, including preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative strategies.
Key measures for SSI prevention involve strict adherence to hand hygiene, appropriate skin antisepsis, proper sterile techniques, and administration of prophylactic antibiotics. Additionally, maintaining normothermia, optimizing glycemic control, and promoting smoking cessation contribute to reducing the risk of SSIs. Implementing these preventive measures consistently in medical-surgical settings can significantly reduce healthcare-associated infections, minimize patient morbidity and mortality, and enhance the quality of care.
Best Practice 3: Comprehensive Pain Management
Effective pain management is crucial in medical-surgical care to improve patient outcomes, promote early mobilization, and enhance overall patient satisfaction. Multimodal analgesia, which combines different analgesic techniques, is considered a best practice in managing acute postoperative pain. According to Brennan et al. (2018), multimodal analgesia provides superior pain control, reduces opioid requirements, and minimizes opioid-related adverse effects.
Multimodal analgesia may include non-opioid medications (e.g., acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), local anesthetics, regional analgesia techniques (e.g., epidural or peripheral nerve blocks), and patient-controlled analgesia. By employing a multimodal approach, healthcare providers can effectively manage pain, enhance patient comfort, facilitate early mobilization, and minimize opioid-related complications such as respiratory depression and opioid dependence.
Conclusion
Incorporating evidence-based best practices in medical-surgical care significantly contributes to improved patient outcomes. Early mobilization, surgical site infection prevention, and comprehensive pain management are three essential practices that have shown substantial benefits. By implementing these practices, healthcare providers can reduce complications, enhance recovery, and increase patient satisfaction. It is crucial for healthcare professionals to stay updated with the latest research and guidelines to ensure the delivery of high-quality care in medical-surgical settings.
References
Brennan, T. J., Gan, T. J., Green, C. J., & Liu, S. S. (2018). Multimodal analgesia for postoperative pain management. Anesthesia & Analgesia, 127(2), 387-393. https://doi.org/10.1213/ANE.0000000000003455
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2021). Guideline for prevention of surgical site infection, 2017. JAMA Surgery, 152(8), 784-791. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamasurg.2017.0904
Hoyer, E. H., Friedman, M., Lavezza, A., et al. (2021). Promoting early mobility and safe hospital discharge: Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Hospital Medicine, 16(4), 239-242. https://doi.org/10.12788/jhm.3604