2023 Respond to your colleagues and offer alternative views on the impact of patient preferences

Respond to your colleagues and offer alternative views on the impact of patient preferences on treatment plans or outcomes, or the potential impact of patient decision aids on situations like the one shared.

 At least 2 references in each peer responses! 

           Evidence-based practice (EBP) is embedded in the culture of healthcare.  It involves the integration of three equally important components: researched evidence, clinical expertise, and patient preferences and values (Laureate Education, 2018). As healthcare and technology evolves, patients are becoming more engaged in their healthcare decisions.           

Patient Involvement in Decision Making

In my current workplace, children’s psychiatric facility, clients are or given the opportunity to be involved in their care consistently.  Within 72 hours of admission they are involved in a master’s treatment plan meeting and monthly, they attend a staffing. The staffing consists of transdisciplinary clinicians:  psychiatrist, nurse, direct care aide, teacher, individual and family therapist, and parent/guardian. My recent experience/situation involved a 13 year old female patient who was optimistic and goal-oriented on being discharged from the facility before her one year length of stay (inpatient and transitioned to residential). During her monthly staffing, she would come prepared to take notes on the feedback she received from each clinician and her mom. She documented areas needed for improvement and developed her own chart of progress/plan (typically done by the treatment team of clinicians in extreme cases) for staff to initial, if daily goal was met, at the end of each shift.

Inclusion of my clients personally developed chart of progress positively impacted the trajectory of her situation as she reflected on the feedback daily and strived to make healthier choices. She asked for support and staff to partake in her self-made visual guide.  During her final staffing, one month before her one year mark, she presented her progress to show how staff participated in helping her excel and recognize some of the behaviors/attitudes she exhibited on a daily basis.

Decision Aid

Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (2020) has developed personal decision guides that can be utilized by patients to assist in making social and health-related decisions and plan next steps based on the individual’s needs. The title of the decision aid reviewed selected is Therapies for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This aid is valuable in my career choice. I have countless admissions of children between the ages 5- 12 years old with a diagnosis of Autism. In addition, some of my coworkers are new to the field of mental health and have a knowledge deficit on this disorder/ behavioral symptoms and how to interact and socialize effectively. This guide can utilized as a resourceful tool of information/reference. As a scholar-practitioner, I can also utilize this tool in making recommendations regarding useful medication that may help ASD symptoms and positive interventions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is imperative to have all components of evidence- based practice decision making included.  Involving patient preferences and values along with transdisciplinary clinicians can lead to increased patient satisfaction and achievement of optimal patient outcomes (Melnyk and Fineout-Overholt, 2018, p.219).