questions healthcare system

Answer

1. 1. Healthcare Quality and Safety within a Diverse Population

       

      The United States of America has one of the world's diverse populations in terms of racial or ethnic variation. As such, some of the critical races include blacks or African-Americans and Hispanics and Latino. Based on racial and ethnic diversity, healthcare systems have techniques that determine how healthcare facilities are financed, organized, and delivered to the people to meet all diverse medical needs of such populations. Consequently, irrespective of ethnicity, healthcare systems strive to handle any medical condition rightfully to produce the best possible healthcare quality results. Furthermore, the system prevents any possible clinical error that might result in adverse medical outcomes. Notably, professional nurses usually involve themselves in political activism to ensure quality and safety within the healthcare system. Therefore, this paper discusses two clinical situations – good and bad healthcare quality and safety for a diverse population. Additionally, it elucidates professional nurses’ involvement in political activism to bring about quality care and environmental safety.  

      Healthcare Quality and Safety within Diverse Population

      The disparity between the African Americans and the Caucasians based on race differences has made the Caucasians appear to be superior over other races like African Americans. There was a situation where healthcare quality and safety could be deemed suitable for a diverse population; it was when patients from African Americans and Caucasians were treated equally. An African American man of about 25 years old was brought to the hospital after a fatal accident and was bleeding. The responsible doctors and nurses – all Caucasians – had to put a Caucasian pregnant mother who came for her monthly pregnancy check-up to hold to attend to the unconscienced man. Having focused on the man, the doctor gave absolute attention to the man’s condition. Consequently, the involved doctors and nurses did all the necessary tests and medication to bring the man into a much more stable condition or state without minding his race. Therefore, healthcare quality and safety were considered good enough to deliver to a diverse population. 

      On the other hand, there was also a bad situation at a particular hospital where the healthcare quality and safety in place, as practiced by the nurses and doctors, were unhealthy for a diverse population. The situation was where an African American child was suspected to be suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) disorders. The concerned clinician – a Caucasian – misdiagnosed the child for the suspected condition by using nonstandard assessment practices; and a mentality that African Americans are prone to the disease. Notably, most of the misdiagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) disorders for African Americans have been done due to racism (Bueno, 2018). Therefore, based on healthcare quality and safety, this situation can be considered bad to deliver medical services for a diverse population. 

      In both aforementioned situations, the healthcare system played a vital and fundamental role either through its doing or undoing. In the first situation – based on healthcare quality and safety – was considered good for a diverse population; since the healthcare system was organized enough to handle emergencies. With the limited human resource in the healthcare facility, the first situation, the healthcare system had well structured and organized on how to evaluate patients with emergencies and how to them. For instance, the mechanism demanded that the less available doctors and nurses respond to emergencies as they manage the less fatal conditions to save a life.

       On the other hand, the second situation occurred due to the undoing of the healthcare system. The system in that hospital never considered hiring healthcare professionals like nurses who are culturally competent. It was a lack of cultural competency with the healthcare system that leads to ethnic and racial minorities like African Americans lacking access to quality and safer healthcare services (Nair & Adetayo, 2019). Therefore, the lack of a culturally competent nurse with the hospital led to such a bad situation within a diverse population.

      Use of Political activism to Address Racism and Bring about Quality Care and a Safe Environment   

      Professional nurses can play a critical and technical role in political activism in addressing racism and other forms of discrimination within the healthcare system. Professional nurses may join nursing organizations at the State and Federal level to get involved in political activism to express nursing issues. Therefore, a professional nurse can sign and petition specific legislation on how to hand racism and other types of discrimination (Mason, Perez & McLemore, et al. 2021). As such, they help in handling the technical bit of the petition. Additionally, a professional nurse may opt to participate in political activism by writing to the newspaper’s editor, expressing how various loopholes within the healthcare systems perpetuate racism and other forms of discrimination. 

      Furthermore, Professional nurses can opt to contribute to radio, televisions, and other programs or assemblages to advocate racism and discrimination-free healthcare systems. Moreover, they can also be part of the policymaking and play a political role in coming up with laws that eradicate or eliminate racism and other forms of discrimination in the healthcare system (Brokaw, 2016). A professional nurse may also solicit or advocate for more healthcare facilities in the less marginalized area like where African Americans are living. Therefore, nurses can play critical roles in political activities advocating for change to champion or advocate against racism. 

      Notably, political activisms that involve policy-making and advocating for racism healthcare systems are very consistent with the image of nursing. One of how political activism is consistent with the image of nursing is that it impacts a nurse's ability to influence decisions that affect healthcare, like racism and other discriminations. Furthermore, political activism empowers nurses to communicate and collaborate with other healthcare stakeholders effectively; to improve their working environment quality and safer patient outcomes. 

      Moreover, the process allows nurses to sharpen and apply their professional knowledge and competency beyond a hospital setting. The acquaintance in the field can advocate for vigorous changes to end racism and other types of discrimination within the healthcare setting. Therefore, professional nurses' involvement in political activism is also an important factor and is consistent with the nursing profession; since it improves the working environment and for safer and quality patient outcomes.

      Professional nurses' participation in political activism Is vital and fundamental to the safety and quality of care delivered to patients. Participation of nurses in pollical activism may lead to increase the nurse workforce into the healthcare system. Consequently, the nurse workforce's adequacy increases the participation of nurses per bed, more consultation by patients, and better maintenance of patients’ munificence. More human resources would lead to improved safety and quality of care outcomes. Besides, nursing political activism may lead to modification of nursing duties and reorganization of the nursing care system. Hence, nurses may spend more time on duty to interact with patients more effectively. Subsequently, the increase in studying duration may lead to the patient’s safety and quality care outcomes. 

      Moreover, nursing political activism may lead to the improvement of nursing education corresponding to social needs. Some of these education programs might include cultural competency, which might help in dealing with racism and other forms of discrimination within a diverse population robustly. Furthermore, a cultural competency training program may enable a nurse to interact freely with the communities without discrimination. Also, activism might lead to change in nurse’s lifestyles and healthcare, which might expand a nurse's roles. Therefore, a competent nurse and an improved healthcare system automatically enhance healthcare quality and safe care and environment.