NURS_FPX4900 Assessment 1-1 Leadership, Collaboration, Communication, Change Management, and Policy Considerations

Leadership, Collaboration, Communication, Change Management, and Policy Considerations

Increasing public health burden puts pressure on individuals, families, and communities. Bipolar disorder is among the concerns that reinforce the need for proactive leadership, collaboration, communication, and change management to improve quality, safety, and cost of patient care. Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (2023) indicated that there are about 5.7 million adults Americans with the condition. The estimate is about 2.6% of the country’s population aged 18 and above. Bipolar disorder affects an equal number of men and women. Similarly, the disease is common in all ages, races, and ethnic groups. Bipolar disorder is also among the leading causes of disability and suicides. Self-care practices are necessary to safeguard individuals from escalating moods, energy, and distorted ability to function optimally.

This project identifies self-management as a viable means of empowering patients to take care of their health and well-being by identifying non-pharmacological means of preventing intense emotional changes. The adverse impacts on relationships, work, and other aspects reinforce the need for tailored interventions. Patients benefit from accessible and available health resources including social support, primary care providers and specialists (Rush & Thase, 2020). With the right leadership and adherence to nurse practice standards, patients have better opportunities to overcome disparities persistent in underserved and under-resourced communities. Leaders mobilize resources designed to enhance access to integrated primary and specialty care. For this project, health promotion and education will enable patients to make informed decisions driven by the motivation to restore normal health and live a fulfilling life. For instance, patients access accurate and complete information about tailored strategies for monitoring mood, maintaining quality sleeping routine, managing stress, and building the right social support network.

Leadership and Change Management

Bipolar disorder exposes individuals to uncertainty, decreased social connections, and lost opportunities to work ad fulfil other daily activities. Similarly, the condition leads to the realization of increasing public health burden in under-resourced communities. In this case, meaningful progress depends on the qualities and traits of health leaders within and outside communities. The primary consideration is having leaders who understand health needs of the vast majority with mental health issues. A servant leader is ideal since they feel empowered to address structural, health inequalities, and other challenges that undermine health and quality of life (Langhof & Güldenberg, 2020). The servant leader understands the need for a holistic approach to health care delivery. This way, the leader encourages attitudes and behaviors ideal for promoting effective and efficient treatment. The leader also understands the need to innovate around how to deliver quality, safe, and cost-effective care. For instance, bipolar self-management connects patients with specialists, community health workers, peer support workers available to implement interdisciplinary care plans.

The servant leader facilitates change by influencing the care team without direct authority. Focusing more on people and interpersonal interactions and encouraging a collaborative environment enable the leader to encourage everyone to dedicate time and energy to creating value. The leader connects everyone with the vision of scaling health promotion and education to make more patients aware of bipolar self-care practices (Langhof & Güldenberg, 2020). The change process aligns with the leader’s ability to facilitate effective communication around health goals. Similarly, the cross-functional approach to leadership promotes interdisciplinary collaboration ideal for ensuring that patients flexibly access primary care providers and specialists. Further, effective change process requires shared decision-making based on a strong foundation of ethical and caring behaviors, values, and attitudes. For this project, the aim is to articulate the need for bipolar disorder self-management and increase commitment to designing and implementing self-management plans essential for reducing health disparities.

Communicating and Collaborating to Improve the Quality of Bipolar Disorder Care

Collaboration and communication eliminates the gap between efficient treatment available for patients with bipolar disorder and the care the patients receive. Key elements of effective care include, evidence-based guidelines, patient education, shared decision-making, and the use of technologies for monitoring progress (Jones et al., 2023). Similarly, excellent communication and collaboration include proactive follow-up of patient outcomes. For bipolar disorder management, the care team relies on effective information flow to prevent confusions when presenting the condition. Psychologists, behavioral health counselors, and others create an environment that allows a patient to share experiences, acknowledge their bipolar condition, and feel empowered to overcome stigma associated with mental health issues.

The care team also collaborates with the patient in discussing comorbidities, medications, and other aspects that influence treatment adherence across the continuum. Further, healthcare professionals focus on incorporating information and communication systems that support reminders and continuity of care (Jones et al., 2023). In the end, healthcare providers collaborate with patients and families to strengthen self-care across the continuum. Specifically, there are opportunities to provide individualized patient training and education, social support, and provide educational materials on bipolar disorder self-management. Additionally, the care team maintains excellent follow-ups to identify complications and make modifications to an existing care plan.

Health Policies to Support Bipolar Disorder Management

Health policies make healthcare providers and relevant stakeholders responsive to calls for safe, quality, and cost-effective care. For bipolar disorder self-management, policies such as the Affordable Care Act support collaborative care. Health leaders lead a team of primary care providers and specialists responsible for responding holistically to a patient’s health needs. For instance, ACA provides options for patients to access specialist care and other services within and outside their communities (Bonnin et al., 2019). With policies such as ACA, patients living with bipolar disorder access integrated mental health services including, screening, education and training, and flexible access to self-management guidelines. Similarly, health policies support seamless referrals to specialists and tracking of care outcomes. For this project, health policies are relevant for encouraging education and health promotion on symptoms monitoring and management. The process entails making patients familiar with symptoms, triggers, and mechanisms available to reduce the risk of relapse.

Practice Standards for Bipolar Disorder Management

State and federal regulations guide nurses to deliver the best care to all patients. The National Committee for Quality Assurance also reminds the nursing team about pathways for ensuring that patients receive the best care. This way, nurses adhere to aspects of care such as excellent communication, self-management support, and other evidence-based guidelines relevant for optimizing care outcomes (College of Registered Nurses of Prince Edward Island, 2018). Complete adherence to practice standards enhance efficacy when treating patients with bipolar disorder. Similarly, the process encourages patients to seek information about self-management. The key elements of practice standards for bipolar disorder management include, team approach, proactive patient education, and shared decision-making.

Further, the nursing team embraces evidence-based guidelines and follow-ups to monitor and manage symptoms across the continuum. American Nursing Association reminds nurses about the value of care practices defined by adequate preparation and supportive structures intended to enhance patient outcomes. For instance, nurses design patient education on self-management while giving patients the freedom to express their treatment choices (College of Registered Nurses of Prince Edward Island, 2018). In the end, nurses play active roles in providing effective consultations, reducing costs, and responding adequately to calls for consistent follow-ups across the care continuum. Thus, the key element of successful bipolar disorder management is positive nurse attitudes, behaviors, and values. The traits make nurses responsive to calls for evidence-based guidelines and standards that match individual needs and expectations.

Conclusion

Bipolar disorder is a serious concern for patients, families, and communities. Complexities within a fragmented healthcare system make patients vulnerable to costly and sub-standard health care services. As such, healthcare providers should help patients embrace cost-effective and individualized strategies that help improve the quality and safety of patient care. Self-management is among the evidence-based and patient-centered interventions available for patients to live healthy and fulfilling lives. The intervention makes patients aware of their roles and responsibilities in making informed choices for improving symptoms and treatment goals. This project empowers patients to take charge of their health and well-being by being part of a collaborative care model. The project also reminds health leaders and the nursing team about qualities such as excellent listening, sensitivity to patients’ values and preferences, and humane actions that strengthen the quality of care.