Introduction
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials comprises a complete collection of competencies that would present a solid foundation for excellence in the professional practice of nursing education. They are guidelines for quality care based on the nurses’ evidence-based practice. This importance and relevance to the acute adult health of AACN Essentials need further investigation. The importance of AACN points out the realization of the relevance and impact these competencies have from their application in the nursing education landscape and practice. The statistical evidence, critical analysis, and synthesis all show the mystery of the AACN Essentials having much value in securing assurance for the patients of optimum results and assurance of excellence in nursing care.
Area and Type of Patients Impacted
The influences of AACN Essentials find their best-illustrated impact in a highly acute adult healthcare setting in which different types of needs among critically ill adult patients emerge. On the other hand, acute care provides care to patients in critical health situations, requiring intensive, immediate interventions (American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2021). Patients are known to present with a broad spectrum of health problems, including cardiovascular emergencies, respiratory distress, neurological issues, and infectious diseases from sepsis (Schallom et al., 2020).
AACN Essentials play a pivotal role in addressing the complex needs of patients within these settings. For cardiovascular emergencies, nurses utilizing the AACN Core Competencies will note excellence in the assessment and management process, manifesting as adequate and timely interventions with life-saving treatments. They provide holistic support to the patient and family across the continuum of care (Barnes et al., 2023). In respiratory distress situations, nurses trained along the lines of the AACN Essentials better manage airways, support ventilation, and provide oxygen therapy for improved patient outcomes. It is a part of the care provided for respiratory health.
Additionally, the AACN Essentials establish that nurses always administer patient-centered care, respecting the care receiver as an individual who has different needs, preferences, and cultural considerations from any other person (Hravnak et al., 2022). Whether the nurse is caring for patients with neurological disorders, infectious diseases, or any other acute condition, the AACN competencies lead to holistic care where the patients and their families express the trust and collaboration between them and the healthcare team. In essence, the AACN Essentials equip practitioners to move through the complexity of these settings with the highest skill: developing the ability to provide excellence in care to a diverse patient population concerning acute adult health care (AACN, 2021).
Current Practice
A multidimensional approach to contemporary practice within acute adult health care is paramount to meeting the patient’s complex needs with which they may present. The nurse remains central to care delivery, formulating interventions with the common ideal of optimizing patient outcomes (Barnes et al., 2023). This includes the multifaceted roles of assessment, coordination, advocacy, and education.
Notably, in all these duties, the nurse works closely with various interdisciplinary teams to assist them in developing and putting into practice plans of care that are all-inclusive and individualized specifically for the patients (Hravnak et al., 2022). The former includes monitoring the physiological status of the patients, giving medicines where necessary, and administering empirically derived interventions in an evidence-based manner in the effective management of acute (Schallom et al., 2020).
Evidence-based practice (EBP) forms the basis for nursing care in acute settings, guiding clinical judgment and safe, quality care delivery (Schallom et al., 2020). Therefore, integrating research findings into best practice ensures that the evidence built into the interventions has a scientific basis, resulting in improved patient outcomes and, most importantly, patient satisfaction (Barnes et al., 2023).
Moreover, nurses play an essential role in patient and family participation to ensure needed communication and promote a therapeutic environment for the patients to heal and recover (Hravnak et al., 2022). Ethically, nurses walk across complex ethical dilemmas as promoters of the patient’s rights and self-determination but still uphold professional standards of practice by promoting a culture of safety and quality improvement.
AACN Competencies
The competency guidelines for nursing practice are at the heart of the Essentials of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). Competency I: Patient-centered care is central, based on the provision of holistic, individualized care that is sensitive to the preferences, needs, and values of the patients (Schallom et al., 2020). This competency is critical in enabling nurses to rank the aspects of patient safety, effective communication, and collaborative relationships with patients and families at the top in acute adult healthcare settings. Besides, Competency VIII: Professionalism and Professional Values requires promoting ethical and legal standards for the patients’ advocacy rights, a culture of safety, and quality improvement (AACN, 2021). This is key in tackling complex ethical dilemmas and promoting accountability in practice. These AACN competencies form the basis of nursing practice and guide the nurse in presenting high-quality, patient-centered care while integrating professional values and standards (AACN, 2021). Amid the complexities of acute adult healthcare, these competencies guide the nurse in such a manner as to assure that care remains patient-focused, evidence-based, and ethically grounded further to promote improved patient outcomes and enhancement of quality of care.
Implementation of Research
Implementing the findings based on this research requires systematic efforts to decrease the gap between evidence-based knowledge and clinical practice. It has to be multi-faceted so that different strategies include all the stakeholders, including interdisciplinary collaboration and technology (Schallom et al., 2020). During the implementation, it is essential to bring on board the participation of the stakeholders, including the nurses, health administrators, and policymakers, so there is a buy-in and support mechanism. This affords a sense of ownership and commitment, building a foundation for successful change in practice (Hravnak et al., 2022). Additionally, interdisciplinary collaboration helps integrate research findings with clinical workflows, which offers a better way of doing things (Barnes et al., 2023). Therefore, nurses can use the combined information from varied health professionals’ expertise to realize better care outcomes.
Furthermore, technological integration helps adopt evidence-based practices and supports smooth processes. Some of the telehealth tools and platforms that enhance the sharing of research findings and the standardization of protocols are electronic health records (EHRs) and clinical decision support systems (CDSS) for monitoring results and outcomes in real-time (Hravnak et al., 2022). It should also form a part of continuous education and training—that is, the basic knowledge and skills a nurse must master to introduce research findings into practice effectively. With increasing investment in professional development, institutions will empower their nurses to become change-prone and adapt to dynamic practice standards (Barnes et al., 2023). Together, a systematic, collaborative approach to research utilization will need to be taken to reduce the gap between evidence and practice and improve patient outcomes in acute adult healthcare.
Conclusion
Ultimately, AACN Essentials form a base for professional nursing education in practice, more so for acute adult health care. Integrating evidence-based practice into the curriculum and fostering patient-centered care will optimize outcomes for complex health needs among patients. This evolving development in healthcare makes the continued development of these competencies a critical activity and reflects adherence to the AACN competencies.
References
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2021). The essentials: core competencies for professional nursing education.
Barnes, R., Remick, J., Hughes-Gay, M., Opsahl, A., Townsend, C., Lash, R., & Ellis, R. J. B. (2023). The AACN Essentials journey. Journal of Professional Nursing, pp. 46, 19–26.
Hravnak, J. G., Kleinpell, R. M., & Kathy, S. (2022). The acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP) diagnosis Hamric & Hanson’s Advanced Practice Nursing-E-Book: Hamric & Hanson’s Advanced Practice Nursing-E-Book, 457.
Schallom, M., Tymkew, H., Vyers, K., Prentice, D., Sona, C., Norris, T., & Arroyo, C. (2020). Implementation of an interdisciplinary AACN early mobility protocol. Critical care nurse, 40(4), e7–e17.
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