ANSWER
Talk about DNP-prepared nurses and their practice communities.
Community of Practice Selection
A community health clinic that treats senior outpatients is the community of practice I have chosen. Given the high prevalence of diabetes in the aging population and the difficulties in managing this chronic condition, diabetes education for senior outpatients has been identified as a major need in this group. In order to help older individuals better manage their diabetes, avoid complications, and improve their general quality of life, diabetes education is essential.
Importance of the Problem
I understand the significance of diabetes education for senior outpatients as a prospective DNP-prepared nurse for a number of reasons:
High Prevalence of Diabetes: One of the most common chronic illnesses in people 65 and older is diabetes, which affects more than 25% of people in this age group, according to the CDC (2022).
Costs and Difficulties: The burden on patients and healthcare systems might increase as a result of consequences including cardiovascular disease, neuropathy, and eyesight loss brought on by poorly managed diabetes.
For instance, elderly people with poorly managed diabetes are more likely to require hospitalization because of diabetic ketoacidosis or hyperglycemia.
Particular Difficulties for the Elderly:
Cognitive impairment may make it more difficult to comprehend complicated treatment plans.
Self-care activities like administering insulin can be difficult if you have physical restrictions.
Their capacity to pay for nutritious food or attend educational sessions may be impacted by social determinants of health, such as poor income or restricted access to transportation.
Reducing diabetes-related complications, improving quality of life, and easing the financial burden on patients and the healthcare system all depend on addressing this issue.
Suggested Modifications to Practice
I suggest the following practice adjustments in light of the identified need:
Put in place customized diabetes education initiatives:
Create educational programs especially for senior citizens that include interactive elements, simplified language, and visual assistance.
Scholarly Support: Christie et al. (2020) claim that customized diabetes education greatly enhances older people’ self-management practices and information retention.
For instance, programs can involve training on meal planning for diabetes management and practical experience with insulin pens or glucose monitors.
Multidisciplinary Support Teams should be integrated:
To meet the entire requirements of older diabetic patients, assemble a team comprising a social worker, a pharmacist, a dietician, and a nurse with a DNP.
Academic Assistance: Multidisciplinary care improves diabetes outcomes by addressing both the medical and psychosocial elements of care, according to research by Powers et al. (2021).
For instance, a social worker can help with transportation or access to local resources for nutritious food, while a pharmacist can offer comprehensive prescription counseling.
Conformity to the Fundamentals
The following Domains from The Essentials (AACN, 2021) are in line with the suggested practice modifications:
Person-Centered Care (Domain 2):
A dedication to person-centered care is demonstrated by the specialized educational programs and interdisciplinary teams that guarantee care is customized to match the unique requirements of older diabetic patients.
Domain 5: Safety & Quality:
By enabling patients to properly manage their disease, diabetes education increases safety and lowers avoidable consequences, such as hospitalizations brought on by inadequate glucose control.
Domain 7: Collaborations Among Professionals:
A multidisciplinary team’s integration promotes interprofessional teamwork and guarantees that the patient’s condition is fully handled on all fronts, including medical, nutritional, and social.
In conclusion
Given the high prevalence of diabetes, the particular difficulties this population faces, and the potential for substantial improvement via focused interventions, diabetes education for senior outpatients at community health clinics is an urgent need that deserves attention. Multidisciplinary teams and the implementation of specialized educational programs are two evidence-based, successful practice modifications. These suggestions, which place a strong emphasis on interprofessional collaboration, quality and safety, and person-centered treatment, are in line with important Domains from The Essentials. My responsibilities as a DNP-prepared nurse will include promoting and spearheading such programs to enhance health outcomes and spur constructive social change within this practice community.
Citations
Christie, D., Taylor, P., and Costa, R. (2020). the function of customized diabetes education initiatives for type 2 diabetics in their latter years. Diabetes Nursing Journal, 24(2), 98-105. .2020.01.004 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdn
Bardsley, J. K., Powers, M. A., & Cypress, M. (2021). A consensus report on diabetic self-management education and assistance for persons with type 2 diabetes. 54–65 in The Diabetes Educator, 47(1). tde20210105 https://doi.org/10.2337
CDC stands for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Estimates of diabetes and its prevalence in the US are provided in the National Diabetes Statistics Report. Data/statistics-report/index.html (https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes) was retrieved.
Colleges of Nursing’s American Association (AACN). (2021). The Fundamentals: Fundamental skills for training skilled nurses. taken from the website https://www.aacnnursing.org
QUESTION
Discussion: The DNP-Prepared Nurse and Their Communities of practice
· The need for vaccine and immunization clinics for school age children with a school district
· The need for nutritional assistance programs pre-K students in a state-funded early childhood education program
· The need for diabetes education for elderly outpatients in a community health clinic
· The need to reduce the number of re-admits of patients who have had outpatient procedures in freestanding outpatient clinics
· The need to reduce the number of post-operative patient falls on an acute care in-patient hospital unit
These are just a few examples of the needs, challenges, and issues that may exist within a community of practice, and that merit the attention and require the knowledge, experience, and advocacy of a DNP-prepared nurse.
As a DNP-prepared nurse, you will likely belong to multiple communities of practice related to the various contexts and populations with which you are involved. Within each, you may work in a variety of ways to improve health outcomes and catalyze positive social change—at the individual patient level, as well as on increasingly larger scales within your organization, and potentially even at the national or global level.
Resources
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity. Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
To prepare:
· Review this week’s Learning Resources, paying special attention to the various examples communities of practice you encounter.
· Use the Communities of Practice template, located in this week’s Learning Resources, to help you identify the various communities of practice with which you are currently involved and those you may want to become involved with in the future.
· Select one of these communities of practice on which to focus for this Discussion.
· Consider the most important needs, challenges, or issues facing the community of practice you selected.
· Select one of these needs, challenges, or issues on which to focus for this Discussion.
· Using Walden Library and the internet, search for and identify three scholarly, peer-reviewed articles (within the last 5 years) that address the need, challenge, or issue you selected.
· Consider the kinds of practice changes you might recommend to address this need, challenge, or issue.
· Consider how your recommendations align with specific Domains from The Essentials.
By Day 3 of Week 7
Post the following:
· Describe the community of practice and associated need, challenge, or issue you selected for this Discussion.
· From your perspective as a future DNP-prepared nurse, explain why this need, challenge, or issue is important and merits attention. Be specific and provide examples.
· Citing the three scholarly articles you identified, describe at least two practice changes you recommend to address the need, challenge, or issue facing the community of practice you selected.
· Explain how your recommendations align with at least three specific Domains from The Essentials
Note: Your posts should be substantial (500 words minimum), supported with scholarly evidence from your research and/or the Learning Resources, and properly cited using APA Style. Personal anecdotes are acceptable as part of a meaningful post but cannot stand alone as the entire post