North Carolina Central University Blog

Nations around the world are striving to achieve better patient outcomes in health care. The aim is healthier lives and fewer preventable deaths. In fact, according to the United Nations, one of their sustainable development goals is to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.” In the United States, goals like this one are underscored through high levels of resources and education in the medical field. These factors make our health care industry robust, but there’s still a lot of room for improvement.

Health care organizations, government agencies, and public health departments consider the quality of the care provided to patients as key when it comes to improving patient outcomes. They encourage breaking down patient care into manageable parts to examine it closely, implementing changes to improve care quality systemically, and doing quality measurements through data collection and analysis. 

Nurses are on the ground every day in health care facilities, so they can impact the quality of care like no one else can. That’s why nursing programs that focus on quality care can help this generation of nurses make positive changes in patient outcomes.

The Importance of Quality Measurement in Health Care

In order to improve the quality of care, facilities must first measure the quality of the health care currently being provided. They need to determine if the steps they take are effective, safe, and patient-focused. Health organizations such as the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services have put forth quality measures that consider many different metrics of care including outcomes, processes, and patient perceptions, to effectively measure quality of care. Health care professionals can also increase quality of care on the individual level or facility level. 

Before providing care, they can pose questions such as:

• Is there a high likelihood that this treatment will work?
• Do we expect this treatment to do more good than harm?
• Is this treatment focused on the patient’s needs and wishes before all else?

Beyond the care provided to any one patient, health care professionals and the facilities they work in can look at care delivery on a broader scale. They can zoom out to see how everything is working together to strive for more efficient and integrated care for patients.

What does that look like in practice?

• Efficient care means the patient doesn’t have long wait times and that medical and personnel resources are used wisely.
• Integrated care means that the patient’s health care teams and organizations coordinate and communicate with one another so that the patient isn’t left handling a mile-long list of things to do.

Why Does Quality Care Matter?

Quality care is care that puts the patient’s needs first and meets the highest standards when it comes to diagnosing, treating, and educating patients. In a health care facility that does not prioritize high-quality care, patients might struggle with an undiagnosed disease, be prescribed medicine that interacts poorly with another medication they are taking, or remain uninformed about treatment options that are available to them.

Instead, in a health care facility that consistently delivers high-quality care, patients are effectively diagnosed, safely and carefully treated, and well-informed about the state of their health. High-quality care makes all the difference for patients. 

How Nurses Can Help Ensure Quality Care for Patients

Nurses are on the front lines of delivering health care to patients. This positions them to uniquely advance quality care in the following ways:

• Seeking roles at health care organizations that prioritize quality care
• Advocating for patients within their organization for improved, patient-centric care
• Finding professional development and education opportunities that help them improve the level of care they provide to patients

Working nurses manage a lot. Many find that they make a valuable impact on the lives and health of their patients, but they also experience moments of frustration with the larger system. Seeking professional development, like the next level of education or working to become a nurse leader, can allow nurses to impact the system and their patients positively.

Elevate Your Nursing Career With NCCU’s Online RN to BSN Program

You’re already a registered nurse making an impact in health care. Elevate that impact by enrolling in NCCU Online’s RN to BSN program, where you can hone the skills at the forefront of quality care. Take your clinical knowledge to the next level. With a BSN, you can drive progress in health care by delivering the best patient care possible and, if you choose, leading nursing teams.

Improve the quality of the care you provide by earning an RN to BSN degree at NCCU Online.

Recommended Readings

Nurse Manager Salary and Job Description

What Does a Pediatric Nurse Do?

Perioperative Nurse Career Overview

Sources:

American Nurses Association, “How Nurses Can Affect Positive Patient Outcomes”

American Nurses Association, “Ways Nurses Can Improve Patient Care”

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Quality Measures

Elation, “What Exactly Does Quality Mean in the Healthcare Context?”

United Nations, “3: Ensure Healthy Lives and Promote Well-Being for All at All Ages”

World Health Organization, Quality of Care Before undergoing any kind of surgical procedure, patients naturally worry about the level of pain they’ll experience. Thanks to advances in sedation and anesthesia, most patients can enjoy a surgical experience that’s free of not only discomfort but also any potentially traumatic or troubling memories.

Trained medical professionals are required to ensure that sedation and anesthesia are administered effectively as well as safely. One role that plays an integral part in anesthesia is the certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA). These advanced practice nursing professionals can have a major influence on patient comfort and care, making this a rewarding path for nurses who’ve obtained the right academic background. In fact, a strong foundational education can help lead to competitive nurse anesthetist salary ranges and positions of heightened responsibility.

What’s a Nurse Anesthetist?

A CRNA is a specialized type of advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). CRNAs are nursing professionals who initially gain patient care experience as registered nurses (RNs), before receiving additional training to practice more independently.

For CRNAs, their independent practice involves the safe, careful administration of anesthesia, as well as the management of patients’ well-being while they’re under the effects of anesthesia. CRNAs may work closely with anesthesiologists or autonomously, providing anesthesia without the need for a supervising physician.

CRNA Job Description

Nurse anesthetists may work in hospitals, surgery centers, and outpatient care facilities, as well as private practices that routinely do invasive procedures. While the exact duties and responsibilities vary by role, a typical job description may look like this:

• Evaluating patients’ needs, including their medical histories, to determine the most appropriate types of anesthesia and sedation, taking into account allergies or other potential interactions

• Prepping the operating room with any equipment needed for the safe delivery of anesthesia

• Advising patients about what the anesthesia process will be like and answering any questions they may have

• Monitoring vital signs during the procedure and ensuring a normal and safe recovery

Standard Nurse Anesthetist Salary

Those who are drawn to this role will understandably want to know more about potential earnings. As of May 2023, the median annual salary for this position was $212,650, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Several factors can impact a nurse anesthetist’s salary range, including years of experience, level or education, and geographic location. For example, due to cost-of-living differences, the RN salary in North Carolina is a little bit lower than it would be in New York or California.

The BLS notes that the job growth rate for APRNs is projected to grow by 38% by 2032, much faster than the average for all professions.

How to Become a CRNA

For those who are intrigued by this position, a few steps are required to become a CRNA and develop the proper clinical skills to keep patients safe and comfortable.

Education

First, aspiring CRNAs must master foundational learning skills. They can achieve this by obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and then becoming an RN, or by earning an associate degree, starting an RN practice, and later returning to school for an RN to BSN.

Becoming an advanced practice nurse requires a master’s-level degree, including coursework that covers pharmacology, physiology, and anatomy. A master’s-level education leads to a sharper skill set and ensures a competitive nurse anesthesiologist salary.

Licensure and Certification

Working as a CRNA first requires obtaining RN licensure, a process that the state board of nursing oversees. Because CNRAs qualify as APRNs, obtaining certification through the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) is required. This encompasses the completion of the National Certification Examination (NCE), a requirement to practice as a CRNA in a majority of states.

Skills Formation

Essential skills for the CRNA include the following:

• Communication: Success in this role requires an ability to communicate clearly with patients as well as attending doctors, surgeons, or nurses.

• Attention to Detail: To ensure the stable condition and ongoing safety of the patient, having an eye for detail is imperative.

• Analytic Thinking: Analytic thinking is essential for determining the best form of anesthesia to administer to each patient.

• Leadership: CRNAs often provide leadership throughout a surgical process and must be adept at managing the skills of their nurses and technicians.

Pursue a Career Providing Safety and Comfort

CRNAs play a crucial role in keeping patients well and helping doctors work as effectively as possible. As such, these professionals need an effective educational foundation that helps them cultivate the skills required for patient safety.

At North Carolina Central University, our RN to BSN program can help build the foundational skills required for success across a range of nursing vocations. The program provides flexibility and robust training for those who are already serving in a nurse capacity, but wish to advance their careers and elevate their skill sets. Explore the program today, and learn more about how it equips the nurses of tomorrow.

Recommended Readings

What Does a Pediatric Nurse Do?

How Nurse Advocates Protect Patient Health

History of HBCU Nursing Programs

Sources:

American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology, Become a CRNA

Indeed, “How to Become a Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) in 6 Steps”

Indeed, Learn About Being a Nurse Anesthetist

Indeed, Registered Nurse Salary in North Carolina

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners

WebMD, What Is a Nurse Anesthetist?