Question

When a change in nursing practice results in decreased cost of care, what additional factor must be considered before general implementation of this change?

a. Ensuring compliance of the change by nurses with diverse educational backgrounds
b. Maintaining or improving the quality of care resulting from the change in practice
c. Encouraging patients to be active partners in their health care decisions
d. Disseminating the change beyond the discipline of nursing

Answer 1

Before implementing a change in nursing practice that decreases costs, it is critical to ensure that the quality of care is maintained or enhanced. This consideration is vital amidst government regulations that impact the demand for nursing labor by setting qualification requirements for certain procedures.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a change in nursing practice results in decreased cost of care, an additional factor that must be considered before general implementation of this change is maintaining or improving the quality of care resulting from the change in practice. This is essential because any decrease in costs should not compromise patient outcomes or the standard of healthcare services. In light of government regulations, which can affect labor demand by requiring certain qualifications for medical procedures, ensuring that quality remains unaffected despite changing dynamics is crucial. These regulations often increase the demand for nurses while shifting the demand away from less-trained healthcare workers.