1 Assessment 01 – Enhancing Quality and Safety For this assessment, you will develop a 3–5-page paper that examines a safety quality issue in a health care setting. You will analyze the issue and examine potential evidence-based and best-practice solutions from the literature as well as the role of nurses and other stakeholders in addressing the issue. Before you complete the instructions detailed in the courseroom, first select one of the safety quality issues below to analyze for this assessment. After you have selected one of the issues from the list below, return to the detailed instructions in the courseroom to complete your assessment. • Diagnostic Errors: Diagnostic errors refer to situations where a diagnosis was missed, wrong, or delayed as detected by some subsequent definitive test or finding. These errors can have significant implications for patients, as they might receive unnecessary treatments, face delays in appropriate care, or miss out on effective interventions altogether. o Patient Safety and Outcomes: A misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis can lead to inappropriate treatments, which might harm the patient or allow the actual condition to worsen. For instance, a missed diagnosis of a heart attack could lead to fatal consequences. o Trust in Healthcare: Patients rely on healthcare professionals to accurately identify and address their health concerns. Diagnostic errors can erode this trust, making patients hesitant to seek care or follow medical advice in the future. o Economic Implications: Diagnostic errors can lead to unnecessary treatments, tests, and hospital stays, resulting in increased costs for both patients and healthcare systems. o Professional Implications: For healthcare professionals, being part of a diagnostic error can have significant repercussions, including potential legal actions, damage to professional reputation, and personal feelings of guilt or inadequacy. o Systemic Issues: Frequent diagnostic errors can indicate deeper systemic problems within a healthcare institution, such as inadequate training, poor communication, or insufficient resources. o Emotional Toll on Patients: Being misdiagnosed can be emotionally distressing for patients. They might undergo treatments or procedures they didn’t need, face uncertainty about their health, or grapple with the implications of a late diagnosis. • Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs): Healthcare-Associated Infections, commonly referred to as HAIs, are infections that patients acquire while receiving treatment for other conditions within a healthcare setting. These infections can occur in 2 any healthcare setting, from hospitals to outpatient clinics. Understanding the significance of HAIs is crucial for nursing students for the following reasons: o Patient Morbidity and Mortality: HAIs can lead to severe health complications. Depending on the type of infection and the patient’s underlying health conditions, HAIs can result in prolonged illness, the need for intensive treatments, or even death. For instance, sepsis, which can arise from an HAI, is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate intervention. o Extended Hospital Stays: Patients with HAIs often require extended hospital stays for additional treatments, such as antibiotics or surgeries. This not only increases the patient’s risk of acquiring other complications but also adds to their emotional and psychological stress. o Increased Healthcare Costs: The extended hospital stays, additional treatments, and interventions associated with HAIs result in significant financial burdens. These costs are borne by healthcare systems, insurance providers, and often, the patients themselves. o Antibiotic Resistance: The overuse or misuse of antibiotics to treat HAIs can lead to the development of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. These “superbugs” are harder to treat and can spread to other patients, posing a significant public health threat. o Emotional and Psychological Impact: Acquiring an infection while seeking treatment for another condition can be distressing for patients. They may feel betrayed by the very system they trusted to heal them. This can lead to feelings of anxiety, fear, and mistrust towards healthcare providers. o Reputation and Trust: Just as with falls, repeated incidents of HAIs can impact the reputation of a healthcare facility. High rates of HAIs can lead to decreased public trust and potential legal implications. o Regulatory Implications: Healthcare facilities are held to strict standards by regulatory and accrediting bodies. High rates of HAIs can result in penalties, increased inspections, and challenges in maintaining accreditation.