What Did You Learn

The AACN essentials and information learned in this course provide great resources for identifying, guiding and evaluating my MSN project. The AACN essentials emphasize quality improvement, safety, translating evidence into practice and advocacy (AACN, 2011). Therefore, the selected MSN project must contribute to the improvement of the health outcomes for individuals and populations. It must identify an unmet healthcare need and respond effectively to that need. The project’s research design should be developed to support accurate and generalizable results. This approach is crucial to the translation of the research evidence in the related clinical settings. Evidence-based practice models such as the IOWA model provide great guides for developing and evaluating evidence-based MSN projects (Melnyk, & Fineout-Overholt, 2011). I can apply the IOWA model to develop the project’s design and respond to the key elements of healthcare. 

            I will apply the concepts learned in this course in various areas of my future nursing practice. First, I will engage in ongoing nursing research to support evidence-based practices in various palliative clinical situations. The patient’s comfort is a key concern in palliative care settings (Snowden, Donnell, & Duffy, 2014). Therefore, the nurse must identify and analyze the emerging trends in palliative care and the appropriate theoretical models and frameworks to guide the nurse in delivering the best outcomes for each patient. Using theoretical frameworks and models to guide my practice will facilitate holistic care for individuals and groups. Secondly, I will integrate the concepts of patient-centered care into my daily practice (Guo, Jacelon, & Marquard, 2012). The nurse, patient and the family are partners in the delivery of palliative care. Engaging all the stakeholders during key decision-making is crucial to the holistic care goals. The other concept that is crucial to the palliative care goals is the therapeutic use of the self. I will constantly evaluate and modify my actions and behaviors to ensure that I am being with the patient rather than doing to the patient.