What does the research indicate?
Research indicates that health care providers are particularly vulnerable to emotional distress during the pandemic (Pfefferbaum, 2020). Providers are vulnerable to emotional distress due to their high risk of exposure to COVID-19, concern for spreading the virus to their family and friends, staffing shortages, shortage of protective equipment, and being tasked with making ethically difficult decisions (Pfefferbaum, 2020). A physician survey from 2021 found that 6% experienced depression and 7% experienced suicidal ideation (Emergency Care Research Institute, 2022).
How do you see it impacting your practice?
The effects of COVID-19 on mental health impact my practice as a nurse practitioner (NP) because it is difficult to take care of others unless you take care of yourself. Providers who are experiencing mental health issues because of the pandemic need to be provided the tools and opportunity for self-care to be effective health care providers.
Do you see it relating to the core competencies for your chosen field of study?
Some of the core competencies for NPs such as risk assessment, ethical decision-making, clinical management, and leadership are difficult to embody if the provider is struggling with mental health issues (Chan et al., 2020).
Does it promote interprofessional practice (IPP)?
Providers struggling with mental health issues as a result of COVID-19 do not promote interprofessional practice (IPP) but providers would benefit from IPP. Shared education and training for providers can help ease the burden of patient care which can have a positive impact on psychosocial issues (Pfefferbaum, 2020). This was seen during the pandemic, with providers of different areas of practice working together to deliver high-quality patient care.
From your chosen field of study perspective how can we improve interprofessional practice (IPP) to deliver the highest level of care?
NPs can improve IPP to deliver the highest level of care by being granted the ability to work to the full extent of their training. Allowing NPs to work independently can increase their contribution to the health care team which can improve patient outcomes, quality of care, and patient safety (Hurlock-Chorotecki, 2014).
References
Chan, T. E., Lockhart, J. S., Thomas, A., Kronk, R., & Schreiber, J. B. (2020). An integrative review of nurse practitioner practice and its relationship to the core competencies. Journal of Professional Nursing, 36(4), 189-199. 10.1016/j.profnurs.2019.11.003
Emergency Care Research Institute. (2022). Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns 2022. www.ecri.org/patientsafetytop10
Hurlock‐Chorostecki, C., Forchuk, C., Orchard, C., van Soeren, M., & Reeves, S. (2014). Hospital‐based nurse practitioner roles and interprofessional practice: A scoping review. Nursing & Health Sciences, 16(3), 403-410.
Pfefferbaum, B., & North, C. S. (2020). Mental Health and the Covid-19 Pandemic. N Engl J Med, 383(6), 510-512. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp2008017
Please based on above post aswer following queions .
What do you think will be the obstacles?
How would you get other coworkers to actively participate in the CQI initiatives?
Do you see any additional gaps or issues not mentioned in the post?
How would you get other professions to value the initiative?