Write a one-page Peer Review
The Education and Training for Health Professionals portion of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) website contains a few different tools intended for nurses and other healthcare professionals to utilize to bolster safe, quality patient care. The tool that I chose to review, and address is the Shared Decision-making Toolkit. I chose this topic because it seemed like it could be universally applied and that it could be a useful method within my own unit. This topic involves a process of five different steps that form the acronym “SHARE” with the goal of planning in partnership with the patient (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2017). The first step is to actively “seek” the patient’s participation, followed by an effort to “help” the patient compares and contrast each of his or her options for treatment. Next, the healthcare provider would “assess” the patient’s beliefs, morals, and preferred options, followed by efforts to “reach” a decision in conjunction with the patient. Finally, the nurse can “evaluate” the choice made by the patient (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2017). In addition to a description of the process, site also offers videos, a facilitator’s guide available for download on the website, and other supplemental resources.
The steps outlined in this process seem to place emphasis upon a dialogue and back-and-forth engagement between the patient and the healthcare team. This could serve to help empower patients to make not only educated choices, but choices that work for them and meet their individual needs. In fostering that type of relationship and trust throughout the decision-making process for the patient and healthcare team, nurses can best gauge the patient’s needs, goals, and things that are important to him or her. Furthermore, this process encourages the patient to serve actively as his or her own advocate at all times, which could really help patient safety. Involving patients to this extent would certainly improve communication and could also help to identify or stop adverse events as well as provide important insight throughout the diagnosis and treatment process. According to Kearney-Nunnery, some of the most crucial components to a culture of patient safety include communication, just culture, patient-centered care, and teamwork (2020). The toolkit process addresses each of these particular elements, which would greatly improve the likelihood that nursing staff could provide high quality, safe care.
References
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2017). Education and training for health professionals. Retrieved
from, http://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/education/index.html
Kearney-Nunnery, R. (2020). Advancing your career: Concepts of professional nursing (6th ed.). F. A. Davis.
Direction for Peer Responses:
Peer responses must be specific and not simply restate what your peer has said. You do not need to assess the quality of your peer’s work (e.g., good job with your post). Give your peer authentic feedback to engage in a scholarly discussion. Expand on Ideas: Instead of simply rephrasing what your peer said, aim to expand on their ideas. Add depth to the discussion by providing additional information, perspectives, or examples related to the topic. For instance, “Building on your point about [topic], I would like to add…” Offer a Counter Argument: If you have any critiques or suggestions for improvement, provide them in a constructive manner. Be specific about what aspects of their argument or reasoning could be enhanced. For example, “While I agree with your analysis of [topic], I believe considering [alternative perspective or evidence] could strengthen your argument.” Share Personal Experiences or Examples: Draw from your own experiences or clinical practice to illustrate or support your points. This adds authenticity and relevance to your response. For instance, “In my clinical experience, I encountered a similar situation where [describe situation]. This relates to your point about [topic] because…” Pose Thoughtful Questions: Encourage further discussion by posing thoughtful questions to your peer. These questions can help deepen their understanding of the topic or prompt them to consider alternative viewpoints. For example, “I’m curious about your thoughts on [related aspect of the topic]. How do you think [specific factor] influences [topic] in the context of [setting]?” Provide Evidence or References: If applicable, support your points with evidence from scholarly sources or relevant literature. This demonstrates academic rigor and enhances the credibility of your response. For example, “Research by [author] suggests that [fact or finding], which aligns with your argument about [topic].” Encourage Dialogue and Collaboration: Conclude your response by inviting your peer to continue the discussion or collaborate on future projects. This fosters a sense of community and engagement within the academic environment. For instance, “I look forward to hearing your thoughts on [related topic]