Patient Safety and Quality: Bypass Surgery - Essay Example

? Bypass Surgery This paper aims to present an argumentative research on bypass surgery in association with nursing. It is a medical treatment broadly categorized intocoronary artery bypass graft and gastric bypass. In heart bypass, the treatment focuses on blood circulations and the blockage of arteries while in the gastric bypass, it removes the fat layers which ultimately lead to weight reduction. Bypass surgery is done using the modern medical technology which has proved beneficial in many cases (Hardin & Kaplow, 2010). However, it is a very complex treatment which incurs significant costs and requires prolonged medical assistance in form of nursing care.The cost includes surgeons and nursing expenses in addition to the hospital charges, hence making it almost unaffordable for majority patients andsubsequently giving rise to different arguments made in order to reduce the surgery cost by limiting the nursing support. This paper addresses the argument while presenting substantial evidence on the importance of nursing staff in early recovery of bypass surgery patients. Nurses play a substantial role when it comes to surgery, because the slightestnegligence from the medical staff can actually lead to significant consequences including respiratory issues, infections, etc. Nurses have training and medical education to perform this task with unprecedented expertise(Lord, 2006). The counterarguments are also refuted on the basis of the fact that increased surgery cost is not associated with the nursing staff; rather, it has a direct link with the hospital’s management and policies which should be revised with strong government intervention. Argumentative Research Paper: Bypass Surgery Introduction Bypass surgery is done in order to facilitate the flow of fluids and remove excess body materials. The term is generally known for coronary artery bypass graft which is an open-heart surgery primarily done to fix the blocked arteries going towards the heart. Heart issues and the related treatments have always been a part of medical practice, but surgeries have gained importance only in the 20th century (Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, 2010). It has another type which is related to the weight loss, i.e.,gastric bypass surgery. When exercise and other medicines do not work in reducing weight and on the other hand, excessive weight increases the risks of other diseases, then gastric bypass removes excess fat from the body (Staff, 2011). Undoubtedly, bypass surgery is one of the most critical surgeries in medical treatments which do not only require an efficient group of medical doctors but also needlong-term support and facilitation by the nursing staff. Postoperative care of patients, either in the case of heart bypass or gastric bypass, is always a very challenging job for nurses, therefore they bear the greater responsibility of patients’ early recovery. Bypass surgeries do not always provide health benefits and sometimes they prove to be hazardous for the patients’ well-being if sufficient care is not provided (Lord, 2006). Thesis Statement Bypass surgeries are often related to severe adverse effects which might show up later in life. These affects can be easily controlled with the help of nursing staff and regular follow-up with doctors. However, a group of individuals comprising surgeons and patients believe that the role of nurse in bypass surgery is very limited and hence it only results in increasing the overall treatment cost. On the contrary, the other prevailing concept is that nurses play a vital role in patient care, which ultimately results in early recovery, and therefore they must not be neglected (Hughes, 2008). Considering the role of nursing staff in bypass surgeries, the following thesis statement is formulated, which argues and defends the role of nurses: “Bypass surgeries such as coronary heart bypass and gastric bypass strongly require trained nursing staff apart from the team of surgeons and doctors.” Background Patients who undergo bypass surgeries require close monitoring in order to ensure the proper functioning of body organs, and therefore they are primarily transferred toan intensive care unit (ICU) after the surgery. In the ICU nursing staff is responsible to administer different needs of patients while monitoring their recovery process. If any issue is identified, then it is reported to the senior medical professionals including doctors and surgeons. Nurses play a very crucial role in ICU because patient’s attendants or other family members are not allowed to enter there (Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, 2010). Once the patients have performed satisfactorily in an ICU and nothing is identified that can cause danger for their well-being, they are transferred to a nursing unit. At this stage specialized nurses are appointed to provide maximum care to the patients in addition to facilitating them through exercise and prescribed nutrition. As stated above, bypass surgeries do not always have health benefits; rather, improper care in the postoperative phase might also lead to another bypass surgery later in life. On the other hand, it can also cause serious damage to other body organs, for instance, internal or external body infection, bleeding, respiratory issues, etc. However, these bypass surgery risks and issues can be easily avoided by extended nursing support which should not be underestimated in any medical treatment. Nurses have an innate ability of caring and hence they perform at the optimum level when it comes to critical surgeries such as bypass (Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, 2010). Counterargument Individuals presenting the counterargument do not include the nursing job in the intensive care unit and argue on the prolonged nursing support in the post-ICU phase. Basically the counterargument emphasizes the cost of bypass surgery which immensely increases due to the patient’s days spent in nursing care after releasing from the ICU. For instance, coronary artery bypass surgery costs approximately $144,000, which includes surgeon and nurses fees in addition to other hospital charges and expenseson medicines (Hutheesing, 2012). Patients who have to stay longer in hospitals for extended nursing care have to pay an equivalent amount of hospital charges including room rent and other facilities apart from the additional nurses’ fee. Hence, those coming for bypass surgery without the support of insurance companies suffer huge monetary expenses which could have been reduced by replacing the nursing support with the caring attendants and other family members. These people argue that patients do not require long-term assistance of medical professionals especially when the surgeons have successfully performed their job, while nurses only play a significant role in the intensive care unit. This has been further substantiated on the basis of the fact that bypass surgery is one of the most expensive medical treatments, which is often suggested by the hospital physicians in order to generate greater revenues(Preston, 1985). Since the heart plays a very crucial role in development and sustenance of the human body, patients often agree for bypass surgery, subsequently spending a large amount of money on their treatment. Revenues generated from the treatment often include a larger proportion of the nursing care unit which can be easily avoided. Although selecting bypass surgery as an option is not the primary argument, patients must ponder over the unnecessary costs added by the hospital management in terms of nursing staff to the final bill(Preston, 1985). Discussion There is no ambiguity that bypass surgery incurs huge monetary expenses while prominently including nursing charges. Although these charges can be reduced by restricting the nursing activities, patients and critics must focus on the expertise of nurses which is unparalleled to the home attendants’ care and facilitation. For instance, nurses are provided with extensive training in different institutions prior to attending critical patients such as those who have recently undergone cardiac surgery. Moreover, they have a sound understating of medicines and various medical treatments along with the description of different equipment used during the surgery. Hence, they can better understand the health needs of patients in the post-ICU phase(Lord, 2006). Surgery patients require special exercises for their recovery process and also to bring the body back to normal functioning. These exercises are best performed in the hospital setting under the supervision of trained nurses. Patients’ attendants and other family members cannot be a better replacement of medically trained and educated nurses because they cannot understand the changing nature of patient’s health issues neither can they communicate with the physicians or surgeons on an immediate basis. Due to the critical nature of bypass surgery, it surely requires an extended nursing support in order to reduce future risks and health hazards (Hardin & Kaplow, 2010). Despite immense benefits of acquiring nursing care, it does increase the overall treatment cost, and hence people often fall reluctant to gain their support. However, the cost of different surgeries is dependent on the hospital policies and the management which has the least concern with the activities of the nursing staff. Therefore, it would not be feasible to overestimate nursing care in order to reduce the overall treatment cost. Conclusion Bypass surgeries such as coronary artery bypass orgastric bypass have gained enough recognition in the last few decades because of the increasing health issues. Heart bypass is primarily done to fix the blocked blood arteries which cannot be treated by medicines or regular exercise, while gastric bypass is related to the weight loss and removal of excessive fat layers in the body which might create serious health issues(Staff, 2011). Although bypass is a recommended medical treatment in the majority of cases, it is also one of the most crucial and expensive medical procedures which require prolonged medical support and facilitation by the nursing staff. Patients and sometimes medical professionals doubt over the role of nursing staff beyond the intensive care unit on the basis of increasing cost of bypass surgery. Undoubtedly, bypass surgery incurs huge costs, but limiting the activities of nursing staff cannot sufficiently reduce the overall treatment cost. Nurses have deep knowledge of the medical procedure and usually undergo different training sessions before attending critical patients(Lord, 2006). Since they possess expertise in looking after the health needs of patients, they cannot be substituted with family members or an unprofessional caring individual. Moreover, they have a sound communication network with the physicians and surgeons along with the understanding of different post-surgery issues and problems. Cost is a major problem associated with bypass surgery, and therefore the hospital management and the respective government officials must play their role in order to support maximum individuals seeking medical treatment while extending health facilities in the society. However, the job of nurses and their expertise in the area of care must not be sacrificed so as to reduce the treatment cost. Summary/Outline Introduction:Bypass surgeries (coronary artery bypass graft and gastric bypass) are significant medical treatments among patients. Due to the complexity of these surgeries, the patients require extensive nursing support beyond the intensive care unit (Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, 2010). However, it results in an increasing overall treatment cost. Thesis Statement: “Bypass surgeries such as coronary heart bypass and gastric bypass strongly require trained nursing staff apart from the team of surgeons and doctors.” Background:Nurses are especially trained to extend maximum health benefits to patients within the premises of a healthcare center. They have acquired knowledge of medical sciences and therefore are profoundly familiar with postoperative issues and problems (Lord, 2006). Counterargument:Nurses perform the required duties only in the intensive care unit while being a significant reason for an increasing bypass surgery cost. For instance, a nursing unit has additional room rent, medicine expenses and hospital charges (Preston, 1985). Hence, nursing activities must be limited to the ICU in order to make the treatment affordable. Discussion:The counterargument is refuted on the basis of the following description: Nurses have caring expertise which cannot be replaced with home attendants. They have a proper communication channel with physicians and surgeons, hencefacilitating patients in emergency. Additional hospital charges are the concern of hospital management and policy makers while nurse do not have any contribution to these expenses. Conclusion:Government and hospital management should take substantial steps to reduce bypass surgery costs without influencing nursing practices. Annotated Bibliography Coronary artery bypass surgery. (2010). Retrieved Aug 31, 2013, from Cleveland Clinic. Coronary artery bypass graft is a most significant form of bypass surgery which is done to remove arterial blockage. This online document from a prestigious healthcare clinic discusses the subject from different dimensions to help patients and students in understanding the critical nature of bypass surgeries. It has a greater emphasis on the importance of nursing care which plays a substantial role after the intensive care unit. This online source can be trusted because of the prominent contribution by Cleveland Clinic in the field of medical sciences. Hardin, S.,&Kaplow, R. (2010).Cardiac surgery essentials for critical care nursing. USA:Jones & Bartlett Publishers. This book gives a profound description ofcardiac nurses while focusing on patient's needs and the different phases of cardiac surgery such as bypass. Moreover, the book has lessons based on advanced medical sciences which actually help nurses to understand the nature of cardiac patients prior to handling their case. The post-surgery period has a great importance for cardiac patients, and therefore nurses are required to assist them even outside the intensive care unit. Hughes, RG. (2008). Patient safety and quality: An evidence-based handbook for nurses. US:Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Nurses are trained and educated to care for patients and ensure their safety throughout the medical treatment. This book reveals different applications for maintaining quality of healthcare services while giving due attention to post-surgery infections. The “Chapter 14: Preventing Healthcare Associated Infections” authored by A. Collins critically analyzes different forms of infections acquired due to lack of nursing care or inadequate facilities. Hutheesing, N. (2012, Oct 24). The real cost of medical tourism. Retrieved Aug 31, 2013, from Bloomberg. With the advancement in medical technology, risks of certain diseases have also increased, including heart diseases, gastric issues, weight gain, etc. This has subsequently increased the cost of treatment throughout the world. The article focuses on huge dollar amounts annually spent on different surgeries and how these could have been invested somewhere else while reducing the medical cost. Lord, C. (2006). Preventing surgical-site infections after coronary artery bypass graft: A guide for the home health nurse.Home Healthcare Nurse,24(1), 28–35. Home health nurses are those who give maximum caring support beyond the intensive care unit and the hospital premises. This article places emphasis upon the role of nurses in reducing major risks for infections while assisting them in early recovery. Preston, T. (1985).Marketing an operation: Coronary artery bypass surgery. Journal ofHolistic Medicine,7(1), 8–15. Due to the use of advanced equipment and some of the marketing strategies, the healthcare services and nursing unit have turned into a business which is increasing the monetary burden on people all over the world. This research article has given immense support to the contrary argument because it stresses the extra hospital and nursing expenses. Staff, M. C. (2011, Oct 11). Gastric bypass surgery: Risks.Retrieved Aug 31, 2013, from Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Various risks are associated with gastric bypass surgery which requires extensive medical support and nursing care to reduce future health issues. Therefore, the role of nurses in this regard should not be underestimated. This online document can be trusted because of the medical education and research contribution of Mayo Clinic. References Coronary artery bypass surgery. (2010). Retrieved Aug 31, 2013, from Cleveland Clinic. Hardin, S., & Kaplow, R. (2010). Cardiac surgery essentials for critical care nursing. USA:Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Hughes, RG. (2008). Patient safety and quality: An evidence-based handbook for nurses. US:Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Hutheesing, N. (2012, Oct 24). The real cost of medical tourism. Retrieved Aug 31, 2013, from Bloomberg. Lord, C. (2006). Preventing surgical-site infections after coronary artery bypass graft: A guide for the home health nurse.Home Healthcare Nurse,24(1), 28–35. Preston, T. (1985).Marketing an operation: Coronary artery bypass surgery. Journal of Holistic Medicine,7(1), 8–15. Staff, M. C. (2011, Oct 11). Gastric bypass surgery: Risks.Retrieved Aug 31, 2013, from Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Read More