Why Is Patient Acuity Analysis Important

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Preliminary Policy Implications Research analysis provided evidence from various studies that supports an acuity assessment tool as a reliable form to determining patient cares based on the acuity level result. Without such a tool, a patient’s needs increase the workload of the nurse, affecting their ability to provide time care to their patients. Implementation of an acuity tool to assist with patient care prioritization also serves as an organizational tool. Knowing patient acuity levels creates organization of how patients will be assigned to nurses and how they’ll prepare their cares following the acuity ranges of their patients. Each new shift will have different nurse, unfamiliar of a patient’s condition. Therefore, scoring patient’s acuity prior to the following shift, determines ongoing priority needs for the patient (Brennan, 2012). The continuation of acuity assessment during each shift, supports the different nurses a patient has by knowing how their recovery is progressing.
Uncovered Questions Three research question that have been uncovered includes, how important is a patient’s acuity when planning patient care, what are barriers in providing high quality care,
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Utilizing an acuity assessment tool improved all three barriers. As indicated by evidence, when patient acuity levels were known, nurses would be assigned patients equally based on acuity. By having a balanced acuity range of patients among nurse, led to improved workloads that benefited the ability to prioritize patient needs. Teamwork is important when caring for a patient. For example, as previously mentioned, providing shift to shift acuity assessments is the work of a team of nurses that work to enhance patient care prioritization. Without each nurse’s assessment, the organization and planning of cares would not