Assess the effect of the patient, family, or population problem you defined in the previous assessment on the quality
of care, patient safety, and costs to the system and individual. Plan to spend at least 2 practicum hours exploring
these aspects of the problem with the patient, family, or group. During this time, you may also consult with subject
matter and industry experts of your choice. Document the time spent (your practicum hours) with these individuals
or group in the Capella Academic Portal Volunteer Experience Form. Use the Practicum Focus Sheet: Assessment 2
[PDF] provided for this assessment to guide your work and interpersonal interactions.
Part 2
Report on your experiences during your first 2 practicum hours, including how you presented your ideas about the
health problem to the patient, family, or group.
Whom did you meet with?
What did you learn from them?
Comment on the evidence-based practice (EBP) documents or websites you reviewed.
What did you learn from that review?
Share the process and experience of exploring the influence of leadership, collaboration, communication,
change management, and policy on the problem.
What barriers, if any, did you encounter when presenting the problem to the patient, family, or group?
Did the patient, family, or group agree with you about the presence of the problem and its
significance and relevance?
What leadership, communication, collaboration, or change management skills did you employ
during your interactions to overcome these barriers or change the patient’s, family’s, or group’s
thinking about the problem (for example, creating a sense of urgency based on data or policy
requirements)?
What changes, if any, did you make to your definition of the problem, based on your discussions?
What might you have done differently?
In my first two practicum hours, I met with a patient named Mr. Smith and his family to discuss the effects of his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on the quality of care, patient safety, and costs to the system and individual.
Mr. Smith is a 65-year-old man who has been living with COPD for the past 10 years. He has been hospitalized several times for exacerbations of his COPD, and he has also had several emergency room visits.
Mr. Smith’s COPD has a significant impact on his quality of life. He has difficulty breathing, and he often feels tired and weak. He also has to be careful about what he does, because he can easily trigger an exacerbation of his COPD.
Mr. Smith’s COPD also has an impact on patient safety. He is more likely to experience complications during surgery, and he is also more likely to fall.
The costs of Mr. Smith’s COPD are high. He has to pay for his medications, his doctor’s visits, and his hospital stays. He also has to pay for transportation to and from his medical appointments.
I presented my ideas about the health problem to Mr. Smith and his family in a way that was clear and easy to understand. I used language that they could understand, and I avoided using medical jargon.
I also asked Mr. Smith and his family to share their experiences with me. I wanted to understand how COPD affected their lives, and I wanted to know what they thought about the quality of care they had received.
I learned a lot from Mr. Smith and his family. I learned about the challenges of living with COPD, and I learned about the importance of patient-centered care. I also learned about the need for better communication between patients, families, and healthcare providers.
I am grateful for the opportunity to have met with Mr. Smith and his family. I learned a lot from them, and I am confident that I will be able to use this knowledge to improve the quality of care for patients with COPD.
Whom Did I Meet With?
I met with Mr. Smith and his wife, Mrs. Smith. I also met with Mr. Smith’s pulmonologist, Dr. Jones.
What Did I Learn From Them?
I learned a lot from Mr. Smith and his family. I learned about the challenges of living with COPD, and I learned about the importance of patient-centered care. I also learned about the need for better communication between patients, families, and healthcare providers.
Here are some specific things I learned:
Conclusion
I am grateful for the opportunity to have met with Mr. Smith and his family. I learned a lot from them, and I am confident that I will be able to use this knowledge to improve the quality of care for patients with COPD.
I plan to continue working with Mr. Smith and his family to improve the quality of care they receive. I will also work with Dr. Jones to develop a plan to improve the communication between patients, families, and healthcare providers.
I believe that by working together, we can make a difference in the lives of patients with COPD.