Complete an interactive simulation exploring the role of the nurse in health care coordination. Then, complete a comprehensive patient needs assessment of 4–5 pages.

Note: Each assessment in this course builds on your work in the preceding assessment; therefore, complete the assessments in the order in which they are presented.

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:Care coordination is an emerging and complex field in the health care system because of the growing number of providers, the various settings of care, and the numerous methods of delivering care. Hospitals are implementing several interventions to address gaps in care coordination, such as enhanced systems of communication, information technology, and personnel resourcing. This assessment provides an opportunity for you to complete a comprehensive needs assessment.

• Competency 1: Determine the influence of current health care legislation, policy, and research on evidence-based practice in assessment by care coordinators.
  • Identify current gaps in a patient’s care.
  • Develop a strategy for gathering additional necessary assessment data not readily available from an initial patient interview.
• Competency 2: Evaluate current factors (such as population health, cost, interprofessional communications) affecting patient outcomes related to care coordination.
  • Identify factors most likely to affect patient outcomes.
  • Advocate for the benefits of a multidisciplinary approach to patient care that a care coordination plan would foster.
• Competency 3: Determine appropriate care coordination performance measures for driving high-quality patient outcomes, based on current accrediting standards and benchmarks.
  • Identify specific patient and care coordination outcome measures related to specific accrediting standards.
• Competency 4: Apply relevant evidence-based practices that reflect a shift toward a broader population health focus on patient outcomes.
  • Identify evidence-based practices from the literature necessary to successfully implement a plan of care.
• Competency 5: Communicate effectively with diverse audiences, in an appropriate form and style, consistent with applicable organizational, professional, and scholarly standards.
  • Write clearly and concisely, using correct grammar and mechanics.
  • Support main points, claims, and conclusions with credible evidence, correctly formatting citations and references using APA style.

  Assessment Instructions

  Note: Complete the assessments in this course in the order in which they are presented.

  Preparation

  To prepare for this assessment, complete the Vila Health: The Nurse’s Role in Care Coordination simulation (linked in the Required Resources). You will use the patient information from the simulation for your needs assessment.Note: Remember that you can submit all—or a portion of—your draft to Smarthinking for feedback before you submit the final version of this assessment. However, if you plan on using this free service, be mindful of the turnaround time of 24–48 hours for receiving feedback.

  Requirements

  Complete a comprehensive needs assessment for Mr. Decker, based on the information provided in the Vila Health simulation.

  Needs Assessment Format and Length

  Format your needs assessment using APA style:

  • Use the APA Style Paper Template, linked in the Required Resources. An APA Style Paper Tutorial is also provided (linked in the Suggested Resources) to help you in writing and formatting your needs assessment. Be sure to include:
    • A title page and reference page. An abstract is not required.
    • A running head on all pages.
    • Appropriate section headings.
  • Your needs assessment should be 4–5 pages in length, not including the title page and references page.

  Supporting Evidence

  Cite 3–5 sources of scholarly or professional evidence to support your assessment.

  Conducting the Assessment

  Note: The requirements outlined below correspond to the grading criteria in the scoring guide. Be sure that your needs assessment addresses each point, at a minimum. Read the Needs Assessment Scoring Guide to better understand how each criterion will be assessed.

  • Identify current gaps in the patient’s care.
    • Use an appropriate needs assessment tool to identify gaps.
    • Consider the types of patient information that will be most useful in assessing the current level of care.
  • Develop a strategy for gathering additional, necessary assessment data not readily available from an initial patient interview.
    • Consider the full range of interrelated needs that affect the patient’s health.
  • Identify factors most likely to affect patient outcomes.
    • Consider the potential effects of these factors on outcomes.
    • What evidence do you have to support your conclusions?
  • Identify specific patient and care coordination outcome measures related to specific accrediting standards.
    • What are the applicable accrediting standards?
    • What is the rationale for measuring outcomes based on accrediting agencies?
    • How would you describe the relationship between specific outcomes and standards?
  • Identify evidence-based practices from the literature necessary to implement a plan of care successfully.
    • Are your sources relevant and credible?
    • Consider best practices, having a population-health focus on patient outcomes.
  • Advocate for the benefits of a multidisciplinary approach to patient care that a care coordination plan would foster.
    • What are the key points in your argument?
    • What evidence do you have to support you assertions?
  • Write clearly and concisely, using correct grammar and mechanics.
    • Express your main points and conclusions coherently.
    • Proofread your writing to minimize errors that could distract readers and make it more difficult to focus on the substance of your needs assessment.
  • Support main points, claims, and conclusions with credible evidence, correctly formatting citations and references using APA style.