Discussion: Clinical Decision Support

Discussion: Clinical Decision Support

Discussion: Clinical Decision Support

Assignment: Clinical Decision Support and Evidence-Based Practice

Just as global positioning systems (GPS) provide drivers with directions, detours, alternative routes, and alerts, clinical decision support (CDS) systems provide health care professionals with guidance for important decisions related to patient care. CDS systems have many capabilities, such as synthesizing patient information, recommending diagnostic tests, presenting alerts for life-threatening conditions, suggesting options for treatment, and offering relevant evidence and best practices. However, like GPSs, CDS systems are not always perfect, and many of their design specifications and functionalities are still evolving. In particular, issues such as alert fatigue and the integration of evidence-based practice (EBP) resources and clinical guidelines are still developing for CDS systems.

In this Assignment (due this Thursday), you identify the established EBP databases and clinical guidelines for your specialization area. You also consider how to integrate these elements into a CDS system specific to your specialization area. In addition, you analyze the benefits and drawbacks of integrating EBP and clinical guidelines within specialized CDS systems.

To prepare:

Review this week’s Learning Resources on CDS systems, EBP, and clinical guidelines. Focus on the Hammond, Jaffe, and Kush article, “Healthcare Standards Development: The Value of Nurturing Collaboration”(http://library.ahima.org/xpedio/groups/public/documents/ahima/bok1_043995.hcsp?dDocName=bok1_043995) and consider how CDS systems could be used to achieve integration of standards, guidelines, and EBP within your specialization area.
Identify at least two databases that can be considered “gold standards” for current research and EBP recommendations within your specialization area (Cardiology, I’m a cardiac nurse).
Identify at least two condition-specific clinical guidelines that are applicable to your specialization area. One possible resource for locating clinical guidelines is http://www.guidelines.gov
Consider how the databases and guidelines you identified could be integrated into a CDS system. For example, would you recommend an alert system, a side panel within an electronic health record (EHR) system, a separate computer or device for health care professionals to consult at their discretion, or an alternative system?
Reflect on the benefits and disadvantages of the type of CDS system you selected to integrate your EBP databases and clinical guidelines.

To complete:

Write a 3-page paper in APA format, due on Thursday 9/15/16, that addresses the following:

Identify the two databases you selected as “gold standards” for EBP within your specialization area ( My specialization is Cardiac nursing ). Justify your selections.

Identify the two condition-specific clinical guidelines you selected, and explain their significance within your specialization area. (http://www.guidelines.gov)

Explain how the databases and guidelines you identified could be integrated into a CDS system. Describe the type of system you would recommend, and justify your recommendation.

Identify at least two benefits and at least two challenges of the CDS system you recommended.

Cite at least 4 references using APA style.

This Assignment is due by Thursday 9/15/2016 by 12 noon

Required Readings

Bredemeyer, J., & Androwich, I. (2012). Transitional research: Generating evidence for practice. In D. McGonigle & K. G. Mastrian (Eds.), Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (pp. 471–485). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett.

This chapter describes information gathering and application processes of translational research. The authors also identify the importance of self-critique and persistent answer-seeking in evidence-based practice.

McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2015). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (3rd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning.

Chapter 25, “Translational Research: Generating Evidence for Practice”
Chapter 16, “Informatics Tools to Promote Patient Safety and Clinical Outcomes”

Ensuring the safety of patients is the responsibility of everyone within a health care organization. This chapter analyzes the role that technological advancements in information storage and delivery plays in supporting safety practices.

Brokel, J. M. (2009). Infusing clinical decision support interventions into electronic health records. Urologic Nursing, 29(5), 345–352.

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

This article describes a variety of decision support systems interventions that are available to nurses while using electronic health records. The author suggests how these interventions can be used by nurses for assessments, for diagnosing problems and identifying preferences, for performing interventions, and for evaluating outcomes.

Glaser, J. (2008). Clinical decision support: The power behind the electronic health record. Healthcare Financial Management, 62(7), 46–48, 50–51.

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

In this article, the author considers the impact that clinical decision support has on patient care by establishing the relationship between EHR-based patient care and CDS-based applications.

Kesselheim, A. S., Cressweel, K., Phansalkar, S., Bates, D. W., & Shiekh, A. (2011). Clinical decision support systems could be modified to reduce “alert fatigue” while still minimizing the risk of litigation. Health Affairs, 30(12), 2310–2317.

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

Clinical decision support (CDS) systems implemented to assist health care personnel with decision making help health care organizations use their resources most effectively. This article deals specifically with the ways CDSSs can help health care organizations save money.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (n.d.). National Guideline Clearinghouse. Retrieved January 2, 2014, from http://www.guideline.gov/

NGC is a public resource for evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. Provided by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) a part of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

Hammond, W. E., Jaffe, C., & Kush, R. D. (2009). Healthcare standards development: The value of nurturing collaboration. Journal of AHIMA, 80(7), 44–52. Retrieved from http://library.ahima.org/xpedio/groups/public/documents/ahima/bok1_043995.hcsp?dDocName=bok1_043995

The authors examine how standards developing organizations (SDOs) collaborate to create technical standards. Those standards clarify communication between health care personnel and improve patient care.

McMaster University. (2012). Evidence-based practice resources. Retrieved from http://hsl.mcmaster.ca/resources/topic/eb/

This collection of resources on evidence-based practice (EBP) covers basic information about its methodologies. This includes a list of useful references, charts, and definitions pertaining to different facets of EBP application in health care organizations.

Discussion: Clinical Decision Support

Discussion: Clinical Decision Support

You must proofread your paper. But do not strictly rely on your computer’s spell-checker and grammar-checker; failure to do so indicates a lack of effort on your part and you can expect your grade to suffer accordingly. Papers with numerous misspelled words and grammatical mistakes will be penalized. Read over your paper – in silence and then aloud – before handing it in and make corrections as necessary. Often it is advantageous to have a friend proofread your paper for obvious errors. Handwritten corrections are preferable to uncorrected mistakes.

Use a standard 10 to 12 point (10 to 12 characters per inch) typeface. Smaller or compressed type and papers with small margins or single-spacing are hard to read. It is better to let your essay run over the recommended number of pages than to try to compress it into fewer pages.

Likewise, large type, large margins, large indentations, triple-spacing, increased leading (space between lines), increased kerning (space between letters), and any other such attempts at “padding” to increase the length of a paper are unacceptable, wasteful of trees, and will not fool your professor.

The paper must be neatly formatted, double-spaced with a one-inch margin on the top, bottom, and sides of each page. When submitting hard copy, be sure to use white paper and print out using dark ink. If it is hard to read your essay, it will also be hard to follow your argument.

ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CLASS

Discussion Questions (DQ)

Initial responses to the DQ should address all components of the questions asked, include a minimum of one scholarly source, and be at least 250 words.
Successful responses are substantive (i.e., add something new to the discussion, engage others in the discussion, well-developed idea) and include at least one scholarly source.
One or two sentence responses, simple statements of agreement or “good post,” and responses that are off-topic will not count as substantive. Substantive responses should be at least 150 words.
I encourage you to incorporate the readings from the week (as applicable) into your responses.
Weekly Participation

Your initial responses to the mandatory DQ do not count toward participation and are graded separately.
In addition to the DQ responses, you must post at least one reply to peers (or me) on three separate days, for a total of three replies.
Participation posts do not require a scholarly source/citation (unless you cite someone else’s work).
Part of your weekly participation includes viewing the weekly announcement and attesting to watching it in the comments. These announcements are made to ensure you understand everything that is due during the week.
APA Format and Writing Quality

Familiarize yourself with APA format and practice using it correctly. It is used for most writing assignments for your degree. Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in LoudCloud for APA paper templates, citation examples, tips, etc. Points will be deducted for poor use of APA format or absence of APA format (if required).
Cite all sources of information! When in doubt, cite the source. Paraphrasing also requires a citation.
I highly recommend using the APA Publication Manual, 6th edition.
Use of Direct Quotes

I discourage overutilization of direct quotes in DQs and assignments at the Masters’ level and deduct points accordingly.
As Masters’ level students, it is important that you be able to critically analyze and interpret information from journal articles and other resources. Simply restating someone else’s words does not demonstrate an understanding of the content or critical analysis of the content.
It is best to paraphrase content and cite your source.
LopesWrite Policy

For assignments that need to be submitted to LopesWrite, please be sure you have received your report and Similarity Index (SI) percentage BEFORE you do a “final submit” to me.
Once you have received your report, please review it. This report will show you grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors that can easily be fixed. Take the extra few minutes to review instead of getting counted off for these mistakes.
Review your similarities. Did you forget to cite something? Did you not paraphrase well enough? Is your paper made up of someone else’s thoughts more than your own?
Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in LoudCloud for tips on improving your paper and SI score.
Late Policy

The university’s policy on late assignments is 10% penalty PER DAY LATE. This also applies to late DQ replies.
Please communicate with me if you anticipate having to submit an assignment late. I am happy to be flexible, with advance notice. We may be able to work out an extension based on extenuating circumstances.
If you do not communicate with me before submitting an assignment late, the GCU late policy will be in effect.
I do not accept assignments that are two or more weeks late unless we have worked out an extension.
As per policy, no assignments are accepted after the last day of class. Any assignment submitted after midnight on the last day of class will not be accepted for grading.
Communication

Communication is so very important. There are multiple ways to communicate with me:
Questions to Instructor Forum: This is a great place to ask course content or assignment questions. If you have a question, there is a good chance one of your peers does as well. This is a public forum for the class.
Individual Forum: This is a private forum to ask me questions or send me messages. This will be checked at least once every 24 hours.