Prepare:
• Review the Resources and reflect on your thinking regarding the role of the nurse in the design and implementation of new healthcare programs.
• Select a healthcare program within your practice and consider the design and implementation of this program.
• Reflect on advocacy efforts and the role of the nurse in relation to healthcare program design and implementation.
The Assignment: (2–4 pages)
In a 2- to 4-page paper, create an interview transcript of your responses to the following interview questions:
• Tell us about a healthcare program, within your practice. What are the costs and projected outcomes of this program?
• Who is your target population?
• What is the role of the nurse in providing input for the design of this healthcare program? Can you provide examples?
• What is your role as an advocate for your target population for this healthcare program? Do you have input into design decisions? How else do you impact design?
• What is the role of the nurse in healthcare program implementation? How does this role vary between design and implementation of healthcare programs? Can you provide examples?
• Who are the members of a healthcare team that you believe are most needed to implement a program? Can you explain why?
Sample Answer
Interview Transcript: Nurse's Role in Program Design and Implementation
Interviewer: Thank you for taking the time to discuss the critical role of nursing leadership in modern healthcare program design. We’re eager to hear about a program within your practice and understand the specific ways nurses impact its development and implementation.
Interviewee (Nurse Leader): My pleasure. The nurse’s perspective is often the most grounded and essential in these processes. We function as the primary translators of policy and design into daily, bedside practice.
Q1: Tell us about a healthcare program within your practice. What are the costs and projected outcomes of this program?
Interviewee: The program I’d like to discuss is a Nurse-Led Transitional Care Program (TCP) for high-risk Heart Failure (HF) patients. This program targets the vulnerable 30-day period post-hospital discharge, where readmission rates spike due to breakdowns in self-management and follow-up.
The primary costs involve human capital and technology. We require two full-time equivalent (FTE) Nurse Navigators dedicated solely to patient education, telephonic follow-up, and home visit coordination. We also budget for licensure of a secure Telehealth platform for remote patient monitoring (RPM) and high-quality, low-literacy patient education materials.
Our projected outcomes are focused on safety and quality improvement. The primary goal is a 20% reduction in the 30-day HF readmission rate within the first year, which translates directly to cost savings and improved patient safety metrics. Secondary outcomes include a measurable improvement in patient self-management scores (using a tool like the Heart Failure Self-Management Questionnaire) and a documented increase in timely primary care and cardiology follow-up appointments.
Q2: Who is your target population?
Interviewee: Our target population is highly specific to maximize impact. We focus on adult patients (aged 55 and older) admitted with acute exacerbation of Heart Failure (HF) who meet at least two of the following criteria: a documented low health literacy score, two or more significant comorbidities (like Diabetes or COPD), or a history of a previous 30-day readmission for any cause. This cohort represents the highest risk for adverse outcomes and the largest financial strain on the health system.