Discuss the differences between these three tools; clinical guidelines, practice standards, and algorithms and how you see yourself using them in your clinical practice. What is one thing in your practice that you have always done, but you do not really know why you are doing it or why it works?
Three References at least 400 words
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Introduction:
Medical professionals use different tools to ensure that they provide quality healthcare services to their patients. Clinical guidelines, practice standards, and algorithms are among the tools that medical professionals use to manage patients and provide appropriate treatment. This essay will discuss the differences between clinical guidelines, practice standards, and algorithms and how they are useful in clinical practice. Additionally, the essay will explore one thing that medical professionals do in their clinical practice that they do not necessarily understand the reason behind it.
Differences between Clinical Guidelines, Practice Standards, and Algorithms:
Clinical guidelines are evidence-based recommendations that provide healthcare professionals with a framework for diagnosing, managing, and treating a variety of clinical conditions. Clinical guidelines are developed using current research evidence and are updated on a regular basis to incorporate the latest research findings (Alonso-Coello et al., 2016). Clinical guidelines are generally designed to provide practitioners with specific actions to take in particular situations, such as using a specific medication or performing a specific procedure.
Practice standards, on the other hand, refer to the minimum level of care that patients can expect to receive from a qualified healthcare professional. Practice standards are designed to ensure that healthcare professionals deliver appropriate care to their patients that is compliant with the best-established practices and principles of healthcare (College of Nurses of Ontario, 2019). Practice standards are developed by healthcare organizations to promote high-quality, safe, and effective patient care.
Algorithms are step-by-step procedures or decision trees that aid healthcare professionals in making clinical decisions. Algorithms are used to diagnose and manage different clinical conditions and help healthcare professionals to determine the most appropriate course of treatment (Beauharnais et al., 2019). Algorithms use guidelines and practice standards to determine the appropriate course of care for patients.
How to Use Clinical Guidelines, Practice Standards, and Algorithms in Clinical Practice:
Clinical guidelines, practice standards, and algorithms can be used in clinical practice to improve patient outcomes. Healthcare professionals should use clinical guidelines to standardize care, improve efficiency, and reduce clinical variation. Practice standards should be used to ensure that patients receive high-quality and safe care. Healthcare professionals should use algorithms to guide the decision process related to patient management and care.
One Thing in Clinical Practice That Needs to Be Better Understood:
One thing in clinical practice that healthcare professionals do that needs to be better understood is the use of antimicrobial agents. Antimicrobial agents are used to treat various infectious diseases, including bacterial infections. However, the misuse of antimicrobial agents leads to the development of antimicrobial resistance, which poses a significant challenge to healthcare professionals in managing infectious diseases (Gandra et al., 2019).
Conclusion:
Clinical guidelines, practice standards, and algorithms play a critical role in clinical practice by providing healthcare professionals with standardized evidence-based recommendations that can help them deliver high-quality and safe care to their patients. Healthcare professionals should use these tools to guide their clinical decision-making and improve the quality of care they provide to their patients. Additionally, healthcare professionals should strive to understand the reasons behind their clinical practices to ensure that patients receive optimal care.
