Final answer:
Nurses can use evidence-based practices like checklist systems to decrease infection rates in the ICU, sharing digital records to streamline care, and utilizing antibiograms for better antibiotic prescribing, all of which can improve health care quality and reduce costs.
Step-by-step explanation:
An action by the nurse that demonstrates the use of evidence-based practice to positively impact the quality and cost of health care could be the implementation of a checklist system to reduce infection rates in the intensive care unit (ICU). For example, as shown in Dr. Pronovost's work, these checklists led to a dramatic decrease in infection rates, which in turn reduced ICU stays, saved lives, and saved money. This type of intervention aligns with the goal of health organizations to bring down health care costs and increase the care quality provided to patients.
Another example is the sharing of digital records among health providers, which can streamline patient care, avoid repetitive tests and procedures, and ultimately save costs while enhancing the treatment patients receive. Moreover, the use of antibiograms to guide antibiotic prescribing in skilled nursing facilities is yet another instance of evidence-based practice that can lead to better health outcomes and cost savings, by targeting the appropriate use of antibiotics and reducing the incidence of antibiotic-resistant infections.