There are many aspects to consider when developing, and implementing, any change project. The very problem of diversion has financial, quality, and clinical repercussions. Umhoefer & Finnefrock (2016) posit that diversion "is a patient safety issue. It is an employee health issue. It is a clinical quality and readmission issue.
And it is a legal and compliance issue" (para. 1). It follows that implementing diversion prevention will address the issues, and have its own financial, quality, and clinical repercussions.
My change proposal includes new policies, as well as new equipment. Clearly, the financial aspect of that is potentially great. Monetary funds must be expended with any change proposal; in the context of mine, new equipment must be purchased. Further, it costs money to educate and train staff on new policies and procedures.
Directly, the financial impact is the capital that must be spent during implementation. However, the indirect financial impact is the wonderful return on investment. The initial money spent provides for financial savings in terms of better employee health, better patient care, less readmissions, and less resource expenditures as rates of diversion decrease.
One quality aspect, simply stated, is increased quality of care. Patients are worthy of receiving safe, quality care. Directly, the change proposal allows for patients to receive better quality care.
Patient care is compromised when nurses are diverting, either because the nurse is altered, or the patient fails to get the medication he/she needs (or both!). Indirectly, nurses can continue their careers, enjoying quality of life while providing quality care.
Diversion has caused many infection outbreaks, and curbing diversion will also curb infection; this is another way my proposal indirectly impacts quality. Direct quality care, free of infecction, prevents patients from being forced to live with a chronic condition they otherwise would not have.
Regarding a clinical aspect, my change proposal has a direct impact because diversion correlates with clinical care. In some situations, diverting nurses fail to provide any clinical care.
Diverting nurses also put themselves at risk. Indirectly, diverting nurses put other nurses, and the hospital, at risk. My change proposal lessens the risks to all parties, providing both direct and indirect impacts.
Umhoefer, S., & M. Finnefrock (2016). 6 steps for hospitals to take to prevent prescription drug abuse, diversion. The ready availability of opioids for patient care involves risks and responsibilities for health systems. Hospitals and Health Networks