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Continuous quality improvement is the responsibility of all nurses. This process aims at addressing issues such as the quality of care, patient safety, and cost of care (Helbig, 2018). Thus, quality improvement initiatives can be implemented on a daily basis all the way from the bedside to the boardroom. One thing that is for sure is that we live an age where healthcare is consumer-driven. That means the issue of patient satisfaction is of great importance.
Among the suggestions pointed out by the Institute of Medicine 2001 report is customizing care according to the needs and values of the patient (Helbig, 2018). This is one area that I think I could have significantly helped in my previous job. Providing care that is respectful and responsive to the unique needs of every patient is very crucial. Hence, one of the ways through which I could improve the patient‘s satisfaction by conducting a spiritual assessment. The United States is a melting pot of different cultures. Hence, it is very likely for a nurse to come across a patient with a different culture or religion. Identifying those values and beliefs held by the patient is crucial in providing care that is sensitive and responsive to the spiritual needs. However, talking about spiritual issues with a patient has always been a problem. This because sometimes the worldviews held by the patients differ from ours. Hence. Nurses avoid this sort of discussion to avoid creating an uncomfortable situation. However, as the evidence demonstrates, addressing the patient’s spiritual needs is critical in improving patient satisfaction and overall healthcare outcomes (Zehtab & Adib-Hajbaghery, 2014).