NRS 440 Reflection Paper

Grand Canyon University NRS 440 Reflection Paper– Step-By-Step Guide

This guide will demonstrate how to complete the Grand Canyon University  NRS 440 Reflection Paper  assignment based on general principles of academic writing. Here, we will show you the A, B, Cs of completing an academic paper, irrespective of the instructions. After guiding you through what to do, the guide will leave one or two sample essays at the end to highlight the various sections discussed below.

How to Research and Prepare for NRS 440 Reflection Paper                        

Whether one passes or fails an academic assignment such as the Grand Canyon University  NRS 440 Reflection Paper  depends on the preparation done beforehand. The first thing to do once you receive an assignment is to quickly skim through the requirements. Once that is done, start going through the instructions one by one to clearly understand what the instructor wants. The most important thing here is to understand the required format—whether it is APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.

After understanding the requirements of the paper, the next phase is to gather relevant materials. The first place to start the research process is the weekly resources. Go through the resources provided in the instructions to determine which ones fit the assignment. After reviewing the provided resources, use the university library to search for additional resources. After gathering sufficient and necessary resources, you are now ready to start drafting your paper.

How to Write the Introduction for NRS 440 Reflection Paper                        

The introduction for the Grand Canyon University  NRS 440 Reflection Paper is where you tell the instructor what your paper will encompass. In three to four statements, highlight the important points that will form the basis of your paper. Here, you can include statistics to show the importance of the topic you will be discussing. At the end of the introduction, write a clear purpose statement outlining what exactly will be contained in the paper. This statement will start with “The purpose of this paper…” and then proceed to outline the various sections of the instructions.

How to Write the Body for NRS 440 Reflection Paper                        

After the introduction, move into the main part of the NRS 440 Reflection Paper assignment, which is the body. Given that the paper you will be writing is not experimental, the way you organize the headings and subheadings of your paper is critically important. In some cases, you might have to use more subheadings to properly organize the assignment. The organization will depend on the rubric provided. Carefully examine the rubric, as it will contain all the detailed requirements of the assignment. Sometimes, the rubric will have information that the normal instructions lack.

Another important factor to consider at this point is how to do citations. In-text citations are fundamental as they support the arguments and points you make in the paper. At this point, the resources gathered at the beginning will come in handy. Integrating the ideas of the authors with your own will ensure that you produce a comprehensive paper. Also, follow the given citation format. In most cases, APA 7 is the preferred format for nursing assignments.

How to Write the Conclusion for NRS 440 Reflection Paper                        

After completing the main sections, write the conclusion of your paper. The conclusion is a summary of the main points you made in your paper. However, you need to rewrite the points and not simply copy and paste them. By restating the points from each subheading, you will provide a nuanced overview of the assignment to the reader.

How to Format the References List for NRS 440 Reflection Paper                        

The very last part of your paper involves listing the sources used in your paper. These sources should be listed in alphabetical order and double-spaced. Additionally, use a hanging indent for each source that appears in this list. Lastly, only the sources cited within the body of the paper should appear here.

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Sample Answer for NRS 440 Reflection Paper

Nurses are a critical part of the healthcare sector with advanced education and competencies to practice alongside other healthcare professionals like physicians. The National Academy of Medicine Committee on the Future of Nursing 2020-2030 asserts that the decade ahead will provide a challenging environment for close to 4 million nurses due to their critical role in care delivery. The report, “The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity,” opines that nurses will work in different settings and practices to help the health system reduce health disparities and enhance equity for all people in the United States (Wakefield et al., 2022). The purpose of this reflection paper is to assess the significance of nursing education and my overall educational progress based on the report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Options in the Job Market based on Educational Level

Associate degree in nursing (ADN) graduates are entry-level registered nurses (RNs) who work in different care settings primarily as caregivers and under close supervision of physicians. The outlook for registered nurses (RNs) based on the Occupational Handbook (2020) illustrates that the demand for this cadre of healthcare providers will rise by 7% by 2029 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023). Many facilities hire RNs with a bachelor’s degree (BSN) in nursing. The job market for RNs with an associate degree in nursing continues to drop, implying that my options in the market are few.  I can work in many settings and facilities based on my qualifications. Organizations can hire me based on my experience and not my education level. Registered nurses (RNs) with ADN qualifications can work as school nurses, hospice and palliative care nurses, and critical care nurses. They also work as occupational health nurses, certified nurse midwifes, and travel nurses. As such, my educational level as an RN allows me to work in several settings with limited specialization based on organizational demands.

Advancing my Education and Professional Certification

According to the recommendations by the NAM report, nurses can only help the U.S. healthcare system reduce and prevent health disparities through advancing their education and professional certification. Advanced degrees like Master of Science in Nursing (MS) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) will help nurses better their competencies and skills to enhance patient care. Professional certification through training will ensure that nurses get relevant knowledge and expertise in certain healthcare areas to enhance patient outcomes (Booth et al., 2021). Current evidence-based practice and integration of health technologies implore nurses to advance their education and be better positioned to offer better care for positive patient outcomes.

Advancing my education is crucial to attaining improved competencies and skills for healthcare delivery. As such, my enrollment in the RN to BSN program at Grand Canyon University will help to attain better skills and continue with advanced education at the MSN level and later on, a DNP qualification. I intend to complete the BSN and enroll for the MSN within one year. Upon completion of the MSN in 2027, I will enroll in the DNP program with increased specialty in clinical practice as an advanced clinical nurse practitioner who can practice independently. The professional certification I intend to get includes a certificate in executive nurse practitioner and leader, managerial competencies, getting better clinical outcomes for patients. Higher education is necessary for nurses, especially in clinical settings, to implement the best practices, and adhere to the standards of practice and code of ethics (Mlambo et al., 2021). Therefore, the pursuit of both professional certification and advanced education is aimed at enhancing my job options in the market and improving care quality.

Effects of Level of Education on Competitiveness in the Job Market

The increasing demand for care and diversity in the nursing workforce and patients implores healthcare organizations to demand nurses with advanced education and qualifications. As such, the demand for BSN-prepared nurses continues to rise with more care demands from the population (Bulto et al., 2024). Increasing my level of education means that I will have a BSN qualification and can work in more facilities across the healthcare industry. The expected shortage of nurses and even physicians as projected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics means that by getting a higher education, I will be competitive in the job market, including independent practice in states that allow nurse practitioners (NPs) to practice to the full level of their education and training. Therefore, getting an advanced education like a post-graduate degree and specializing in certain areas like critical care will enhance my job options and opportunities. Through these opportunities, I will meet the care demands of many patients, health populations, and vulnerable and marginalized groups.

My future role in nursing is to help reduce the current health disparities by expanding access to care for different populations. Through these efforts and collaborative work, the health system will attain equity for patients and health populations. Nurse practitioners working as independent providers will enhance access to care, help integrate primary healthcare, and work alongside other providers to attain quality care among the population. As noted by the NAM report (2022), nurses will advance health equity and enhance health outcomes by helping people navigate the healthcare system. They will also advance health by offering close monitoring and follow-up, offering holistic care, and providing culturally sensitive care based on patients’ cultural practices and needs.  

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Competency, Attitudes, Knowledge and Scope and Standards for Practice & Code of Ethics

Continuing nursing education (CNE) plays an essential role in maintaining and improving competency, attitudes, and knowledge among nurses. Continuing education also helps nurses to meet and adhere to the Standards for Practice and Code of Ethics developed by the American Nurses Association (ANA). Firstly, through continuing nursing education, nurses maintain their competency as they get up-to-date skills and knowledge on care delivery. Through CNE, nurses become aware of the latest developments in the profession, and this improves patient outcomes. Through continuing education, nurses get opportunities to specialize in certain areas leading to better competencies.

Continuing education improves nurses’ attitudes toward the profession, colleagues, and patients. For instance, it affords the nurse more knowledge of cultural diversity and its effects on nursing and patient care delivery. Nurses get to nurture a learning culture, especially lifelong learning, to maintain professionalism (Mlambo et al., 2021). They also improve their attitudes towards patients based on the teaching of aspects like culturally competent care, patient-centered care, and evidence-based practice (EBP).

Learning is a source of knowledge and continuing nursing education will offer nurses new knowledge and approaches to disease and care situations by providing the latest information. Through advanced education, nurses will get new theoretical foundations for their practice and enhance their clinical decision-making attributes or skills. Nurses also leverage higher education to align their practice with the Scope of Standards for Practice by ANA (ANA, 2022). Through continuing education, they get the knowledge and skills they require to meet practice standards (Harper et al., 2022). Through better education, nurses also adhere to the code of ethics as they learn critical ethical principles and make decisions in dilemma situations (Bulto et al., 2024). The implication is that will lifelong learning and education, nurses should be permitted to practice to the full level of their education and competency.

Continuing Nursing Education

Continuing nursing education is an important part of enhancing better quality patient care. Nurses can only enhance their competencies when they focus on lifelong learning to acquire better skills, knowledge, and competencies. The current health environment requires nurses who are prepared and can practice independently to reduce health disparities. The demand for BSN-prepared nurses and advanced practice nurses (APNs) continues due to the expanding healthcare needs as a result of an aging population and diversity (Uchendu et al., 2021). Despite these factors, continuing nursing education should be the standard for better practice. However, it should not be mandatory since all nurses have different professional and career development priorities. Nursing credentialing bodies, state Boards of nursing, and professional entities like ANA should develop policies on minimal and entry levels so that nurses acquire the requirements that include advanced nursing education, including continuing nursing education.

Conclusion

Nurses play a critical role in healthcare delivery, including being primary care providers in certain areas. The job market and options for nurses based on their level of education will continue to expand or decline due to the demand for qualifications. Therefore, continuing nursing education (CNE) is important for improving competencies and effective care delivery. Nurses should enhance their competencies by getting advanced education and training based on their specialties.

References

American Nurses Association (ANA) (2022). Nursing scope and standards of practice. (4th

            ed.). ANA.

Booth, R. G., Strudwick, G., McBride, S., O’Connor, S., & López, A. L. S. (2021). How the

            The nursing profession should adapt to a digital future. BMJ, 373. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.n1190

Bulto, L. N., & Hendriks, J. M. (2024). The role of nurse-led interventions to empower patients

in cardiovascular care. European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 23(2), e17-e19. DOI: 10.1093/eurjcn/zvad095.

Bureau of Labor Statistics (2023). Occupational Outlook Handbook.

Harper, M. G., & Maloney, P. (Eds.). (2022). Nursing professional development: Scope and

            standards of practice (4th ed.). Association for Nursing Professional Development.

Mlambo, M., Silén, C., & McGrath, C. (2021). Lifelong Learning and Nurses’ Continuing

Professional Development, a Meta-synthesis of the Literature. BMC Nursing, 20(1).

National Academies of Science, Engineering, & Medicine. (2021). The future of nursing 2020-

2030: Charting a path to achieve health equity. National Academies Press. https://doi.org.10.17226/25982.

Uchendu, B., Nurse, J. R., Bada, M., & Furnell, S. (2021). Developing a cyber-security culture:

Current practices and future needs. Computers & Security, 109, 102387. DOI:10.1016/j.cose.2021.102387

Wakefield, M., Williams, D. R., & Le Menestrel, S. (2022). The future of nursing 2020-2030:

            Charting a path to achieve health equity. National Academy of Sciences.

DOI: 10.1136/bmj.n1190

NRS 440 Health Care Delivery Models and Nursing Practice

Health Care Delivery Models and Nursing Practice 

Health care reforms and restructuring are aimed at improving the delivery of care and nursing practice to meet the rise in care demands. Nurses as critical care providers have an important role in these reforms as changes impact the nursing practice on a host of aspects, including accessibility, quality and affordability (Buerhaus, 2020). The purpose of this paper is to discuss recent actions through legislations to reform and restructure the health care system and role of nurses within the transforming environment.  

Sustaining Excellence in Medicaid Act of 2019 (HR 3253) 

A recent or emerging federal legislation to improve health care delivery is the Sustaining Excellence in Medicaid Act of 2019. The act contains measures focused on improving care coordination for Medicaid beneficiaries. The legislation restructures the Medicaid program by expanding some of the provisions that include allowing funding to continue through the fiscal year 2024 (NACO, 2019). The law also authorizes state Medicaid fraud units to revise and investigate complaints from non-institutionalized patients. The changes are significant since they eliminate some disparities that emanate from ignoring these complaints despite being legally legible for Medicaid coverage.  

The law also extends the eligibility of Medicaid for individuals to shield them from impoverishment of their partners. Spouses from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are denied access to healthcare when the Medicaid does not cover them. The bill reforms this situation and extends coverage to such cases as well as those in home-based and community-based care settings (NACO, 2019). The bill also removes the requirement for drug manufacturers to include the prices of generic medications in their calculations. The law also reforms the definition of drug wholesalers for effective calculation of rebates.  

The enactment of this federal legislation has significant effects on the role and responsibility of nurses and the nursing practice. These reforms are aimed at increasing access to health care, lowering the cost of care and improving quality. Therefore, nurses should be patient advocates to ensure that they are not denied services or access as stipulated by this law. The denial of spouses to access healthcare is one such reform that nurses should address by educating the affected patients (Myers, 2020). The nurse should identify and educate such patients concerning these changes to enhance their awareness. Nurses must also lobby patients to sign up, especially if eligible to the program to enhance their accessibility and reduce the cost of medical care.  

Nurses, especially based on the report by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine of 2020, have a duty to enhance social justice and ensure that all people and health populations get optimal health services at affordable costs. The nursing practice should work collaboratively with other stakeholders to improve access to healthcare services and ensure that all patients have medications for their conditions (Myers, 2020). The legislation improves the role and scope of nurses as they can specialize because of need to offer holistic care which the federal government and state entities compensate through reimbursements.   

Pay for Performance & Effect on Patient Outcomes 

The need to enhance quality of care and reduce the overall costs implores organizations and stakeholders to develop innovative methods to address these issues. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has developed the pay for performance as an incentive program aimed at rewarding healthcare organizations and providers for offering quality care and improving patient outcomes. CMS works in collaboration with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to collect data on quality measures for providers and organizations to be rewarded for improving patient care and reducing the cost. These measures also hold accountable providers and organizations for any shortcomings. The implication is that payment for performance is a value-based approach to health care that improves patient satisfaction by entrenching best practice. These quality measures and pay for performance impacts patient outcomes by increasing the level of satisfaction and quality care provided.  

Patients get quality experience as witnessed by better levels of satisfaction in healthcare settings.  

The quality measures and pay for performance have significant effects on nursing practice. Firstly, they incentivize the nurse to implement interventions that are supported by best available evidence to improve patient outcomes (Kyeremanteng et al., 2019). Secondly, they implore nurses to work collaboratively with other professionals in healthcare to enhance interactions with patients and improve overall experience. The pay for performance and quality measures mandate nurses to focus on patient values, preferences and their engagement in developing treatment interventions and plans.  

Quality measures and pay for performance lead to a rise in expectations and responsibilities of the nursing role as nurses become patient advocates and seek better ways to improve outcomes. The nursing role becomes a critical one as they have a host of responsibilities to meet like providing education to patients, implementing evidence-based practice models, and leading their teams to offer quality care from a multidisciplinary approach.  

Professional Nursing Leadership and Management Roles 

The use of health information technology and nursing informatics are emerging aspects that impact professional nursing leadership and management roles. Nurses must embrace technology to improve quality of care and increase accessibility because of the rise in demand due to an aging population and more access to health. The reforms in the industry means that nurses are not only bedside leaders and managers but assume more complex managerial roles in different areas of expertise (Buerhaus, 2020). These include leading roles in implementing new delivery models like value-based care, implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) and being patient and profession’s advocates in different ways.  

Nurse leaders must ensure that their teams are well-trained to embrace technology and implement it in different situations to improve quality and accessibility. The nurse leaders and nurse managers must focus on interventions that promote patient safety and health by reducing associated risks and adverse events like patient falls, medication errors and healthcare associated infections (HAIs). New roles like nurse informaticists mean that nurses and healthcare managers must integrate technologies to improve care delivery and interactions between patients and providers.  

These roles are essential in responding to emerging trends like increased deployment of technology and embracement of innovative healthcare delivery models like value-based care and accountable care organizations. The promotion of patient safety and quality care in diverse settings means that nurses will assume new roles like being primary care providers and running these healthcare entities Stewart, 2018). Nurse managed care organizations’ concept demonstrates that nurses must embrace trends in care improvement as they focus on improving accessibility, quality, and reducing the cost expenses as well as bettering the welfare of providers. 

Emerging Trends 

Emerging trends in healthcare denote to innovative methods of increasing accessibility, offering services, and improving quality. The use of health information technologies like telemedicine, and informatics as well as artificial intelligence is an emerging trend that has compound effects on care provision. Another trend is the increased utilization of evidence-based practice to increase quality care by incorporating patient values and preferences. These trends will impact the growth and transformation of the nursing practice in significant ways (Stewart & DeNisco, 2018). Firstly, they implore nurses to increase their knowledge and expertise to embrace their revolutionary nature. Secondly, these trends mean that nurses should focus on using research-based interventions while also embracing technologies to improve patient outcomes and promote safety and quality.  

Conclusion 

The need to deliver quality care to patients implores providers and organizations to embrace innovative models like the pay for performance and quality measures. Reforms and restructuring the healthcare delivery system are critical to enhancing patient safety and experience. The paper demonstrates that quality measures and emerging trends will transform the role and responsibilities of nurses and the nursing practice for the benefit of patients and providers. 

References 

Buerhaus, P. I. (2020). Demystifying National Healthcare Reform Proposals: Implications for  

Nurses. Nursing Economics, 38(2), 58-64. https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx? 

direct=true&db=ccm&AN=142593288&site=ehost- 

live&scope=site&custid=s8333196&groupid=main&profile=ehost 

Kyeremanteng, K., Robidoux, R., D’Egidio, G., Fernando, S. M., & Neilipovitz, D. (2019). An 

Analysis of Pay-for-Performance Schemes and Their Potential Impacts on Health Systems and Outcomes for Patients. Critical care research and practice, 2019, 8943972. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/8943972 

Myers, C. R. (2020). What Nurses Need to Know About Health Care–Reform Proposals. AJN  

The American Journal of Nursing, 120(2), 51-54.  

DOI: 10.1097/01.NAJ.0000654336. 34577.bc. 

National Association of Counties (NACOs) (2019). President signs Medicaid bill reauthorizing  

coordinated care programs important to counties. https://www.naco.org/blog/president-signs-medicaid-bill-reauthorizing-coordinated-care-programs-important-counties 

Stewart, J. G. & DeNisco, S. M. (2018). Role Development for the Nurse Practitioner. Jones &  

Bartlett Learning.