Week 1 Flashcards
(32 cards)
What are the roles and responsibilities of various healthcare professionals in patient care, and how do they contribute to inter-professional collaboration?
Healthcare professionals: Nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, pharmacists, dietitians, and social workers each have unique roles in patient care.
Nurses: Provide direct patient care, assess needs, manage treatments, and advocate for patient well-being.
Doctors: Diagnose and treat medical conditions, develop care plans, and make clinical decisions.
Other professionals: Each contributes through specialized knowledge and skills (e.g., physiotherapists for mobility, dietitians for nutrition, social workers for discharge planning).
Inter-professional collaboration: Effective teamwork enhances communication, ensures comprehensive care, and improves patient outcomes.
How do you demonstrate understanding of the patient journey throughout the acute care setting?
Patient journey: Understanding the patient’s progression through the hospital, from admission to discharge, including all clinical assessments, treatments, and interactions with various healthcare providers.
Key moments: Admission, assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring, and discharge.
Clinical pathways: Standardized care plans that guide clinical decision-making based on the patient’s condition.
Inter-professional interactions: Coordination between different healthcare professionals ensures continuity of care, reducing errors and improving patient outcomes.
What is the ISBAR handover, and why is it important for effective communication in healthcare?
ISBAR:
I: Introduction – Introduce yourself and your role.
S: Situation – Explain the current situation or issue.
B: Background – Provide relevant background information (e.g., medical history, treatments).
A: Assessment – Share your clinical assessment of the situation.
R: Recommendation – Offer recommendations for further action.
Importance: Ensures clear, concise, and accurate communication during transitions of care, improving patient safety and continuity of care.
What comprehensive patient assessments are required, and how does evidence-based data collection optimize patient outcomes?
Comprehensive assessments: Includes physical assessments (vital signs, pain levels, mobility), psychological assessments, and monitoring laboratory and diagnostic test results.
Evidence-based data: Collecting data using validated tools and guidelines ensures accurate and up-to-date information, which informs clinical decision-making.
Optimizing outcomes: Early identification of issues and appropriate interventions improve patient outcomes and reduce complications.
What is involved in performing thorough bed safety checks, and why are they important?
Bed safety checks: Ensure the patient’s environment is safe, including checking bed rails, call bell accessibility, patient positioning, proper bed height, and the surrounding environment and make sure the emergencylife support box is appropriate for patient (e.g., obstacles or hazards).
Importance: Reduces the risk of patient falls, ensures comfort, and promotes a safe environment for healing and recovery.
How do you recognise signs of patient deterioration and respond appropriately?
Signs of deterioration: Include changes in vital signs (e.g., blood pressure, heart rate), altered mental status, decreased urine output, or changes in respiratory function.
Response: Use clinical judgment to assess the situation, escalate care to senior staff if necessary, and implement timely interventions based on evidence-based protocols (e.g., early warning scores, rapid response teams).
What are the NHSQS (National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards), and why are they important?
NHSQS: A set of standards that ensure high-quality care, focusing on safety, clinical effectiveness, patient-centeredness, and continuous improvement.
Importance: These standards guide healthcare providers in delivering consistent, high-quality care and promote patient safety by reducing risks and improving outcomes.
How do inter-professional collaborations improve patient care in an acute care setting?
Improved communication: Sharing patient information and treatment plans among various healthcare professionals leads to better-coordinated care.
Comprehensive care: Each professional’s expertise contributes to all aspects of patient care, enhancing treatment outcomes and minimizing errors.
Team-based decision-making: Multiple viewpoints and skills allow for more informed, balanced decisions, addressing all of the patient’s needs.
Why is understanding clinical pathways essential for nursing practice in an acute care setting?
Clinical pathways: Standardized, evidence-based guidelines that outline the best course of action for specific conditions.
Essential for nursing: Helps nurses follow structured care plans, ensures consistency, and reduces the risk of neglecting important aspects of care.
Improved outcomes: By adhering to clinical pathways, nurses ensure that care is timely, appropriate, and effective for the patient’s condition.
How do you incorporate evidence-based practices into patient assessments to inform clinical decision-making?
Use of validated tools: Implementing standardized assessment tools (e.g., pain scales, mental health screenings, Glasgow Coma Scale) ensures that evaluations are accurate and consistent.
Research-informed decisions: Clinical guidelines and research findings help inform the best course of action for patient care.
Data integration: Incorporating patient history, lab results, and physical assessments with evidence-based guidelines optimizes decision-making and care planning.
What are some examples of interventions when recognizing patient deterioration?
Early warning signs: Use of early warning systems to detect changes in vital signs that may indicate deterioration (e.g., drop in blood pressure, oxygen saturation).
Escalating care: Notifying the healthcare team, such as physicians or rapid response teams, for prompt evaluation and action.
Immediate interventions: Administering oxygen, adjusting medications, or initiating other measures as per clinical guidelines to stabilize the patient.
what is APINCH
-remebering high risk medications that require extra attention to ensure patient safety
What does A in APINCH stand for, and which drugs are included under Antimicrobials?
A = Antimicrobials
Drugs included:
Aminoglycosides: Gentamicin, Tobramycin, Amikacin
Vancomycin: Used for severe infections like MRSA.
Amphotericin (liposomal formulation): Used for systemic fungal infections.
Importance: These drugs are potent and can cause nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity, requiring careful monitoring of kidney function and hearing.
What does P in APINCH stand for, and which drugs are included under Potassium and other electrolytes?
P = Potassium and other electrolytes
Drugs included:
Potassium: Injections of concentrated potassium require careful dilution and slow administration to avoid cardiac complications.
Magnesium: Often used in preeclampsia or magnesium deficiency.
Calcium: Administered in emergencies like hypocalcemia.
Hypertonic sodium chloride: Used to treat hyponatremia but requires careful monitoring to prevent cerebral edema.
Importance: These drugs can cause severe complications like arrhythmias and respiratory depression if administered improperly.
What does I in APINCH stand for, and which drugs are included under Insulin?
I = Insulin
Drugs included:
All types of insulin (e.g., rapid-acting, short-acting, long-acting).
Importance: Insulin dosing must be precise, as errors can lead to hypoglycaemia or hyperglycaemia. Monitoring blood glucose levels is critical.
What does N in APINCH stand for, and which drugs are included under Narcotics (opioids) and other sedatives?
N = Narcotics (opioids) and other sedatives
Drugs included:
Opioids: Hydromorphone, Oxycodone, Morphine, Fentanyl, Alfentanil, Remifentanil, Analgesic patches.
Benzodiazepines: Diazepam, Midazolam.
Anaesthetics: Thiopentone, Propofol, and other short-term anaesthetics.
Importance: These drugs carry a high risk for respiratory depression, sedation, and overdose. Careful monitoring of respiratory rate, sedation levels, and vital signs is essential.
What does C in APINCH stand for, and which drugs are included under Chemotherapeutic agents?
C = Chemotherapeutic agents
Drugs included:
Vincristine: Used for cancers like leukemia.
Methotrexate: Used in cancers and autoimmune diseases.
Etoposide: Used for lung cancer and leukemia.
Azathioprine: An immunosuppressant used in organ transplants.
Oral chemotherapy: Other medications that may be prescribed for cancer treatments.
What does H in APINCH stand for, and which drugs are included under Heparin and other anticoagulants?
H = Heparin and other anticoagulants
Drugs included:
Heparin: Used for preventing and treating blood clots.
Low Molecular Weight Heparins (LMWH): Dalteparin, Enoxaparin.
Warfarin: An oral anticoagulant used long-term for clot prevention.
Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs): Dabigatran, Rivaroxaban, Apixaban.
Importance: These drugs increase the risk of bleeding and require careful monitoring of coagulation levels (e.g., aPTT for heparin, INR for warfarin).
What does S in APINCH stand for, and why is it important in medication safety?
Back:
S = Systems
Examples:
Medication safety systems: Independent double checks, safe administration of liquid medications, standardized order sets, medication charts.
Importance: These systems reduce the risk of medication errors, ensuring that all medications are administered safely, and proper protocols are followed to protect patient safety.
What general precautions should be taken when administering high-risk medications?
Double checks: Always verify high-risk medications (e.g., heparin, insulin) with a second nurse or clinical professional.
Patient monitoring: Regularly assess patients for side effects, monitor lab results, and vital signs.
Clear documentation: Ensure all doses, administrations, and observations are documented accurately.
Education: Provide patients with clear instructions on their medications, including potential side effects and when to seek help.
What are the roles and responsibilities of different healthcare professionals in acute care?
Healthcare professionals such as nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, and pharmacists each have specific roles. Their responsibilities include assessment, diagnosis, treatment, education, and coordination of care. They work together to provide holistic, safe, and effective care tailored to the patient’s needs.
What are the key moments and pathways in a patient’s acute care journey?
These include admission, initial assessment, diagnosis, intervention, discharge planning, and follow-up care. Each phase involves coordinated input from multiple professionals to ensure timely, evidence-based, and seamless care.
What are the components of a comprehensive patient assessment?
It includes physical examination (inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation), vital signs, patient history, psychological status, and social determinants of health. Evidence-based tools guide this process to support accurate clinical decision-making.
What are the eight NSQHS Standards and their purpose?
1.Clinical Governance
2.Partnering with Consumers
3.Preventing and Controlling Infections
4.Medication Safety
5.Comprehensive Care
6.Communicating for Safety
7.Blood Management
8.Recognising and Responding to Acute Deterioration
They set the benchmark for safety and quality in health care and support continuous improvement in patient outcomes.
