HLT 362 Application of Statistics in Health Care

Grand Canyon University HLT 362 Application of Statistics in Health Care – Step-By-Step Guide

This guide will demonstrate how to complete the Grand Canyon University  HLT 362 Application of Statistics in Health Care 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 HLT 362 Application of Statistics in Health Care                              

Whether one passes or fails an academic assignment such as the Grand Canyon University  HLT 362 Application of Statistics in Health Care  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 HLT 362 Application of Statistics in Health Care                              

The introduction for the Grand Canyon University  HLT 362 Application of Statistics in Health Care  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 HLT 362 Application of Statistics in Health Care                              

After the introduction, move into the main part of the HLT 362 Application of Statistics in Health Care     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 HLT 362 Application of Statistics in Health Care                              

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 HLT 362 Application of Statistics in Health Care                              

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 HLT 362 Application of Statistics in Health Care

Statistics entails the collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of data. Healthcare providers, from nurses to physicians and other professionals leverage statistics to improve the quality of care through monitoring individual health using descriptive statistics, quantifying the association between variables using regression models, and comparing the effectiveness of various medical procedures by deploying hypothesis tests. According to Harvey (2022) and Guetterman (2019), healthcare providers should possess statistical competence to improve their capacity to use research findings and translate them into practice and more studies. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the application of statistics in healthcare and its significance to quality, safety, health promotion, and leadership. The paper also explores the use of statistics in healthcare organizations based on daily operations and decision-making.

Application of Statistics in Health Care

i). Improving Quality

Providers and organizations use statistics in health environments to improve quality, and safety, and promote health and leadership. Healthcare providers use statistics to enhance quality based on the effectiveness of different interventions in populations. Healthcare services are sensitive and specific to patients’ unique needs. Therefore, the use of statistics is essential in determining health outcomes. Healthcare providers leverage statistics in evaluating and establishing the significance of care delivered to meet patient needs and standard models like value-based care (Alqahtani et al., 2019). Accurate diagnoses, and treatment interventions for certain diseases need statistics to determine if disease markers are dependable and can be used to make better decisions. The recent COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates the role of statistics in the development of vaccines and in determining their quality for different health populations.

ii). Patient Safety

Patient safety is a core aspect of quality care to reduce medication errors and other adverse events like falls hospital-acquired infections (HAIs)and hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs). Making the correct diagnosis means that patients get safe treatment and are not harmed by unnecessary medication. As such, statistics ensure that providers have sufficient information on therapeutic indices and safety margins when developing medications while physicians understand effective dosage to ensure patient safety (Grove et al., 2019). Again, statistical analysis ensures that providers make quantitative interpretation of data to make effective decisions through better interpretation of research information.

iii). Health Promotion

Promoting health is a core aspect of improving primary health and prevention of diseases, especially lifestyle conditions and their associated risk factors. Healthcare organizations and providers like nurses require statistics to promote health through research surveys aimed at identifying unique population needs. Conducting a needs assessment requires statistics in designing a questionnaire, sampling affected persons or individuals, and gathering information as well as analysis of data and interpretation. Data on aspects like prevalence, distribution, and risks allows health experts like epidemiologists to formulate effective and evidence-based interventions to promote health (Vandever, 2020). For instance, disease surveillance like during the COVID-19 pandemic, required statistics to determine the level of spread and effects like mortality, comorbidities as well as additional risk factors.

iv). Leadership

The use of statistics in healthcare, especially in hospital settings and among staff is critical for their performance and long-term planning. Leaders need statistics to understand aspects like nurse-to-patient ratio, readmission rates, and prevalence of falls (Grove et al., 2019). An effective analysis of such data enables healthcare leaders to evaluate present gaps and needs based on treatment and efficiency while developing a roadmap of actions to enhance the quality of care and welfare of healthcare providers by tackling issues like nursing shortage and high turnover rates.

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Using Statistics in Organization and Specialty Area

Nurses in different specialty areas in healthcare organizations require statistical knowledge that they apply to various aspects when making care decisions. In most cases, nurses in these specialties like emergency department, acute care, and inpatient settings as well as in pediatrics care obtain statistical knowledge through electronic health records (EHRs), patient health information, research findings, and surveys, and overall interactions with patients through assessment and evaluation (McDermott et al., 2019). For instance, nurses need statistical knowledge when conducting research and developing EBP interventions to improve patient care plans. The application of statistics in research focuses on the formulation of a hypothesis, data collection, analysis of information, interpretation, and sharing of the findings as well as using them to improve care delivery.

 In the emergency department, nurses need statistics to diagnose patients and offer critical care within the shortest time possible. Again, statistics allow providers to collaborate and share patient information, like protected health information (PHI) to make better decisions in care delivery. Nurses get statistical data through their interactions with patients during their examination and evaluation as well as when getting treatment and monitoring. The implication is that statistical knowledge is a critical component of developing appropriate EBP interventions to improve patient care delivery.

Nurses in different areas of healthcare delivery and research use statistical knowledge to make effective and appropriate decisions (Grove et al., 2019). Patients get diverse outcomes and recovery trajectories due to several aspects, and statistics are vital to identifying interventions that work for patients. The implication is that decisions concerning discharge, monitoring, and reporting outcomes are well-executed when backed up by statistical evidence. Therefore, the use of statistics and statistical knowledge is an indispensable part of the nursing process and healthcare delivery.

Conclusion

Statistics play an integral role in healthcare as it ensures the effective application of different initiatives, especially in developing interventions to enhance healthcare delivery among different populations and patients. Healthcare providers leverage statistics to improve the quality of care, ascertain patient safety, promote health, and use of evidence-based decisions by organizational leaders. As such, statistical knowledge is essential in gathering and analyzing data, interpreting findings, and developing appropriate EBP interventions to improve patient care.

References

Alqahtani, N., Oh, K. M., Kitsantas, P., & Rodan, M. (2019). Nurses’ evidence‐based practice

knowledge, attitudes, and implementation: A cross‐sectional study. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 29(1-2), 274–283. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15097

Grove, S. K., & Cipher, D. J. (2019). Statistics for Nursing research-e-book: A Workbook for

            evidence-based practice. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Guetterman, T. C. (2019). Basics of Statistics for Primary Care Research. Family Medicine and

            Community Health, 7(2):11-17. DOI: 10.1136/fmch-2018-000067.

Heavey, E. (2022). Statistics for nursing: A practical approach. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

McDermott, D. S., Kamerer, J. L., & Birk, A. T. (2019). Electronic health records: A literature

review of cyber threats and security measures. International Journal of Cyber Research and Education (IJCRE), 1(2), 42-49.

Vandever, C. (2020). Introduction to research statistical analysis: An overview of the basics.

            HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine, 1(2), 71-75. DOI: 10.36518/2689-0216.1062

HLT 362 Quality Improvement Proposal Sample Answer

Quality Improvement Proposal 

Nurses are professionally mandated to provide high-quality care regardless of situations and work environments. Attaining this goal requires nurses to be conversant with quality improvement essentials and adopt the appropriate approaches to achieve high outcomes consistently. The evidence-based practice (EBP) approach is highly recommended for nurses engaging in quality improvement. The approach ensures that interventions are supported by scientific evidence, hence problem-centered and relevant to nursing. As nurses continue to work in complex work environments, a commitment to achieve high patient outcomes should dominate their routine goals. The purpose of this paper is to describe a practice issue and propose a quality improvement initiative based on evidence-based practice. 

Problem or Issue in Practice or Organization 

Nursing environments encounter many issues that harm patient care in varying magnitudes. Medication errors are among such issues, defined as failure in the treatment leading to patient harm, including injury and health complications (Tansuwannarat et al., 2022). Medication errors result in death and permanent damage if not effectively addressed. Salar et al. (2020) found that medication errors are common in today’s practice since between 16 and 27% of nurses commit a medication error. The high prevalence and the magnitude of impacts underline the need for practical interventions to avert the dangers of medication errors.  

Awareness of the causes and setting where medication errors occur is fundamental for effective decision-making and solutions. According to Bell et al. (2023), medication errors are common in environments with a high workload due to the eventual fatigue that reduces attention and vigilance. Such settings include the emergency department, intensive care units, and surgical units, where nurses perform cognitively demanding tasks persistently. However, other areas where medication administration is involved are prone to medical errors. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (2023) highlights that medical errors can be experienced at any point in the healthcare system. Such points include clinics, hospitals, pharmacy units, and nursing homes. Since the prevalence is high and the impacts on care quality severe, medical errors should be addressed by problem-centered, organization-wide interventions. Such interventions require leaders and nursing professionals to collaborate in the quality improvement process through problem identification, implementation of interventions, evaluation, and other tasks. 

Significance of Quality Improvement in Practice or Organization 

Quality improvement in nursing should be a key objective for all professionals involved in direct patient care. Broadly, quality represents the extent to which patient care services achieve the desired health outcomes. As a result, quality improvement is centered on implementing interventions to improve care systematically by standardizing processes and structures (CMS.gov, 2021). An appropriate quality improvement initiative is mindfulness meditation training for nurses to overcome fatigue. A significant reduction in fatigue would lead to a proportional reduction in medical errors, hence better care quality. Improving care quality in areas where medical errors occur implies a commitment to achieving the goals of standardized processes and structures. These include reduced variations and improved outcomes for patients and healthcare facilities (CMS.gov, 2021). Quality improvement also leads to predictable results and helps healthcare organizations to reduce operational costs. 

A critical evaluation of the impacts of medical errors further signifies the importance of quality improvement to reduce variations. As Ahsani-Estahbanati et al. (2022) observed, medical errors significantly burden the healthcare system since they undermine patient outcomes and impact nursing professionals’ mental health. Their occurrence also reduces people’s trust in the health system. Quality improvement through evidence-based interventions would prevent or mitigate these adverse impacts, hence improved patient outcomes. Nursing professionals would also be protected from mental health dangers, empowering them to provide comprehensive care timely and satisfactorily. Achieving these goals would also make nurses enjoy their work, which is pivotal for nurse retention in high-stressful work environments. 

Demonstration of Support from Previous Research 

Nursing research has extensively assessed the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation in stressful work environments and supports its implementation. In general, studies reveal that skills to practice mindfulness can caution nurses against the damaging effects of fatigue and work productively. Owens et al. (2020) found a 3-minute mindfulness intervention practice over four weeks crucial in reducing compassion fatigue among nurses. Burnout risk and secondary traumatic stress levels are reduced significantly among nurses practicing mindfulness. Sulosaari et al. (2022) also found that mindfulness interventions effectively improve nurses’ psychological well-being. Outcomes include reduced stress and depression and improved resilience and quality of life. In another study, Yıldırım and Çiriş Yıldız (2022) evaluated the impact of mindfulness breathing and music therapy on nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary finding was that these interventions decreased work-related strain and improved nurses’ psychological well-being. These studies show that mindfulness techniques can reduce fatigue among nurses, which is crucial in reducing medical errors.  

Steps Necessary to Implement Quality Improvement Initiative 

Quality improvement implementation is procedural and starts with basic processes before advancing to complex procedures. The first step is to assess the problem in terms of complexity and the scope of intervention required. When these dimensions are identified, the project leader should move into the next step- preparation. Here, nurses who should receive mindfulness meditation training should be prepared for the acquisition of skills and their implementation. De Kok et al. (2023) stressed the importance of preparing nurses for change since many resist change due to comfort in the status quo. Preparing them reduces potential resistance to change. Preparation also includes the organization of resources for comprehensive training. The next phase should be training to ensure nurses acquire the required skills to cope with workplace fatigue and execute them independently. This phase aligns with the most influential step of evidence-based practice, which involves integrating research findings into practice after evaluation and appraisal (Abu-Baker et al., 2021). Project leaders should also outline measures for quality improvement initiatives’ evaluation to assess whether they will achieve the desired outcomes. 

Evaluation of Quality Improvement 

Quality improvement initiatives should be evaluated to provide a holistic view of their impacts. The proposed intervention will be proposed qualitatively and quantitatively to ensure all dimensions are assessed. Qualitative evaluation will be done using surveys of feasibility and satisfaction with the training. Here, participants in the training should describe their experiences with the training and its usefulness. Focus areas include benefits, readiness to implement the skills, and their perception of the training. Unlike qualitative evaluation, which focuses on collecting non-numerical data, quantitative analysis collects and evaluates numerical data to make predictions (Leavy, 2022). Appropriate data that can be evaluated quantitatively include the reported cases of medical errors and workplace fatigue before and after the initiative. This data can be collected at baseline and 4-6 months post-implementation. A reduction in medical errors and related issues by over 24% would be a reliable indicator of a successful initiative. 

Identification of Variables, Hypothesis Test, and Statistical Tests 

Quality improvement should demonstrate a causal relationship between variables. In this initiative, mindfulness meditation training is the independent variable, while fatigue/workplace stress is the dependent variable. After the training, nurses’ stress levels would reduce, further reducing medical errors in the workplace. Accordingly, the hypothesis is that implementing mindfulness meditation training would reduce medical errors by reducing fatigue. As previous studies (Sulosaari et al., 2022; Owens et al., 2020) demonstrate, positive outcomes are achieved by properly implementing mindfulness techniques in stressful work environments. Similar outcomes should be achieved by implementing the proposed initiative. Statistical tests to prove the success of the initiative include the mean differences between incidents before and after the intervention and the frequency of occurrence. The mean is calculated by dividing the number of medication error incidents within a particular period by the number of days. The frequency of occurrence could be daily, weekly, or monthly. Comparing pre-intervention and post-intervention data can reliably demonstrate whether the project was successful. 

Conclusion 

Issues that hamper care quality are widespread in nursing practice. Due to the need for high-quality care and optimal patient safety, nurses should evaluate issues hampering outcomes and address them accordingly. Regardless of the setting, medical errors are a common occurrence that poses a significant risk to patients, nursing professionals, and health systems. In response, nurses should design and implement practical interventions for preventing medical errors to improve care quality. As proposed in this paper, mindfulness meditation training can be implemented among nurses working in stressful work environments. The objective is to reduce fatigue, which would reduce medical errors proportionately. 

References 

Abu-Baker, N. N., AbuAlrub, S., Obeidat, R. F., & Assmairan, K. (2021). Evidence-based practice beliefs and implementations: a cross-sectional study among undergraduate nursing students. BMC Nursing, 20(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-020-00522-x 

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (2023). Topic: Medical errors. https://www.ahrq.gov/topics/medical-errors.html#:~:text=Medical%20errors%20can%20occur%20anywhere,%2C%20equipment%2C%20or%20lab%20reports. 

Ahsani-Estahbanati, E., Sergeevich Gordeev, V., & Doshmangir, L. (2022). Interventions to reduce the incidence of medical error and its financial burden in health care systems: a systematic review of systematic reviews. Frontiers in Medicine, 9, 875426. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2022.875426 

Bell, T., Sprajcer, M., Flenady, T., & Sahay, A. (2023). Fatigue in nurses and medication administration errors: a scoping review. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 32(17-18), 5445–5460. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.16620 

CMS.gov. (2021). Quality measurement and quality improvement. https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/MMS/Quality-Measure-and-Quality-Improvement-#:~:text=Quality%20improvement%20is%20the%20framework,%2C%20healthcare%20systems%2C%20and%20organizations. 

De Kok, E., Schoonhoven, L., Lalleman, P., & Weggelaar, A. M. (2023). Understanding rebel nurse leadership‐as‐practice: Challenging and changing the status quo in hospitals. Nursing Inquiry, e12577. https://doi.org/10.1111/nin.12577 

Leavy. (2022). Quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, arts-based, and community-based participatory research approaches. Guilford Publications.  

Owens, R. A., Alfes, C., Evans, S., Wyka, K., & Fitzpatrick, J. J. (2020). An exploratory study of a 3-minute mindfulness intervention on compassion fatigue in nurses. Holistic Nursing Practice, 34(5), 274-281. https://doi.org/10.1097/hnp.0000000000000402 

Salar, A., Kiani, F., & Rezaee, N. (2020). Preventing the medication errors in hospitals: a qualitative study. International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences, 13, 100235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijans.2020.100235 

Sulosaari, V., Unal, E., & Cinar, F. I. (2022). The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on the psychological well-being of nurses: a systematic review. Applied Nursing Research, 64, 151565. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnr.2022.151565 

Tansuwannarat, P., Vichiensanth, P., Sivarak, O., Tongpoo, A., Promrungsri, P., Sriapha, C., … & Trakulsrichai, S. (2022). Characteristics and consequences of medication errors in pediatric patients reported to ramathibodi poison center: a 10-year retrospective study. Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management, 669-681. https://doi.org/10.2147/TCRM.S363638 

Yıldırım, D., & Çiriş Yıldız, C. (2022). The effect of mindfulness-based breathing and music therapy practice on nurses’ stress, work-related strain, and psychological well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: a randomized controlled trial. Holistic Nursing Practice, 36(3), 156–165. https://doi.org/10.1097/HNP.0000000000000511