DISCUSS GAPS IN PRACTICE
Read a selection of your colleagues’ posts, and respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days by supporting or expanding on the practice focused question identified by your colleague or sharing additional perspectives on the issue described by your colleague.
Peer # 2
Collapse SubdiscussionVashawn Mosley
WednesdayMay 29 at 1:18pm
Main Post- Discussion 1
Practice Question:
In mental health professions at a rural mental health organization, what is the impact of a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) staff education program, compared to current practice, on staff knowledge of the identification, understanding, and response to mental health crises?
Specific issue to the organization:
This topic aims to determine the benefits of receiving MHFA training, compared to current practice, for recognition and intervention during a mental health crisis. Mental illness is a common but often underserved aspect of our country. Mental health stigma plays a key role in the delay in treatment for mental illness (Evans, Chang, Streb, Bruce, Clark, and Handal, 2023). The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) projected that approximately 20.6% of adults in the United States (US), which is nearly 51.5 million Americans, meet the criteria for a mental illness each year (Evans et al., 2023). However, only 43.3% of adults in the US with mental illness receive the necessary treatment for mental health stability (Evans et al., 2023). This statistical data estimates the yearly cost of mental health services in the US to be approximately $300 billion per year, leaving a huge financial strain on the economy and families caring for loved ones with mental illness (Evans et al., 2023).
Many mental health professionals working in direct patient care have no prior experience or knowledge of mental health disorders. My organization trains its employees by the guidelines of the State of Georgia, but no in-depth education is required for being hired. Mental health first aid training will not only provide a description on multiple mental health disorders, such as Bipolar disorder, Schizophrenia, Major Depressive Disorder, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. MHFA also trains on how to respond to individuals who are having suicidal behaviors (ideations and/or attempts) and psychosis. A recent study recommended that the government strengthen mental health to promote a better life for it’s citizens (Zeng, Zhong, Li, and Tian, 2022). Increased knowledge and response to mental health is essential for improvement in quality of life for patients suffering from mental illness (Zeng, et al., 2022).
Management at the organization that I am employed is very supportive of my DNP project topic. They understand that on the job training on de-escalation can be better reinforced if the employees have a thorough understanding of the mental health disorders that they are encountering.
References:
Evans, L., Chang, A., Dehon, J., Streb, M., Bruce, M., Clark, E., & Handal, P. (2024). The relationships between perceived mental illness prevalence, mental illness stigma, and attitudes toward help-seeking.
Current Psychology,
43(2), 1806–1815.
to an external site.
Zeng, F., Zhong, D., Chen, X., Li, H., & Tian, X. (2022). Impact of Mental Health First Aid Training Courses on Patients’ Mental Health.
Computational Intelligence & Neuroscience, 1–6.
Peer #1
FridayMay 31 at 4pm
Main Post
Practice Gap
Practice question: How does the advanced triage protocol contribute to reducing overcrowding in emergency departments while maintaining quality patient care?
One of the prevalent problems in emergency medicine is overcrowding in the emergency departments. Overcrowding is a significant issue experienced across healthcare settings. Overcrowding creates other issues like increased patient times, delayed care provision, and compromised patient safety. In addition, it leads to nurses experiencing occupational stress and burnout, leading to a decline in performance and satisfaction, thus compromising patient safety. Therefore, overcrowding threatens patient safety and the welfare of the nurses and medical providers working in the ED.
The ED has implemented various strategies to address the issue of overcrowding. The measure includes implementing advanced triage protocols. These are standardized techniques customized for specific patients, where medical professionals initiate diagnosis or therapy before the patients see the physician. According to Sosteret al. (2022), the advanced triage approach helps reduce the length of stay in the ED without compromising the care quality and patient safety. Additionally, it improves the management of patients in the ED and provides other indirect benefits like reducing costs. Another strategy is a fast-track system. These are specialized procedures designed to prioritize the care of patients with less medical needs (Chrusciel et al., 2019). The system aims to reduce wait times, enhance efficiency, and improve patient satisfaction by evaluating and prioritizing care of low-acuity cases. A fast-track system facilitates rapid patient assessment and helps track patients with urgent needs.
In my organization, the problem of overcrowding in the ED is addressed by triage optimization, whereby the management has implemented triage protocols to ensure effective assessment and prioritization of patients depending on the severity of their conditions. This helps ensure that patients who are critically ill receive timely care. Another strategy is the implementation of quality improvement initiatives, which help identify gaps in care in the ED, facilitating the development of protocols that enable better care and reduce overcrowding.
References
Chrusciel, J., Fontaine, X., Devillard, A., Cordonnier, A., Kanagaratnam, L., Laplanche, D., & Sanchez, S. (2019). Impact of the implementation of a fast-track on emergency department length of stay and quality of care indicators in the Champagne-Ardenne region: a before–after study.
BMJ open,
9(6), e026200.
Soster, C. B., Anschau, F., Rodrigues, N. H., Silva, L. G. A. D., & Klafke, A. (2022). Advanced triage protocols in the emergency department: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Protocolos de triagem avançada no serviço de emergência: revisão sistemática e metanálise.
Revista latino-americana de enfermagem,
30, e3511.
to an external site.
