XQ4001 Competency Discussion Question 

XQ4001 Safety & Quality Fundamentals

1. How might challenges, risk, and potential solutions impact patient safety and healthcare practices?
2. How might you address these challenges, risks, and potential solutions in your practice?

XQ4001 Competency Discussion Answer

1. A holistic, person-centered plan of care for Gordon Brune should begin with understanding him as a whole person rather than focusing only on his diagnosis or immediate clinical needs. Holistic nursing care includes physical, emotional, social, cultural, spiritual, and functional considerations. In Gordon’s case, the nurse should assess not only his current symptoms and treatment needs, but also his ability to function safely, his support system, his understanding of his care, and the personal concerns that may affect his recovery and quality of life (Walden University, LLC, 2024).

   Person-centered care is especially important because it respects the patient’s preferences, needs, and values and allows those values to guide clinical decisions (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2018). For Gordon, this means the nurse should actively listen to his concerns, ask what matters most to him, and include him in planning his care. Instead of assuming what he needs, the nurse should use therapeutic communication and open-ended questions to better understand his goals, fears, limitations, and available support. This approach helps build trust and supports dignity, autonomy, and patient engagement.

   A strong care plan for Gordon should include several priorities. First, the nurse should complete a physical and safety assessment, including medication review, fall risk, nutrition, mobility, pain, and ability to perform activities of daily living. Second, the nurse should address emotional and psychosocial needs by assessing for stress, anxiety, isolation, or difficulty coping with changes in health. Third, the nurse should involve family members or caregivers, when appropriate, because coordinated support can improve follow-through with care instructions and reduce gaps after the healthcare encounter. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) describes person-centered care as holistic, individualized, respectful, compassionate, coordinated, evidence-based, and developmentally appropriate, which directly supports this type of nursing approach (AACN, n.d.).

   Education is also an important part of Gordon’s plan of care. The nurse should explain his condition, medications, warning signs, appointments, and self-care needs in clear language. Using teach-back would help confirm that Gordon understands the information and can safely follow the plan after discharge or transition to another care setting. If the nurse identifies barriers, such as transportation problems, low health literacy, limited family support, or difficulty paying for medications, those concerns should be communicated to the care team so that appropriate referrals can be made.

   Overall, a holistic plan of care for Gordon should be individualized, respectful, and realistic. The nurse’s role is to combine clinical assessment with compassionate communication, patient education, safety planning, and interprofessional collaboration. This type of care supports better outcomes because it treats the patient as an active partner in care rather than only as a diagnosis or task to complete.

   References

   American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (n.d.). Domain 2: Person-centered care. https://www.aacnnursing.org/essentials/tool-kit/domains-concepts/person-centered-care

   National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2018). Crossing the global quality chasm: Improving health care worldwide. The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25152