Create an evidence-based, patient-centered concept map that illustrates an individualized approach to patient care, based on a patient case file of your choice.

Evidence-based practice is a key skill in the toolkit of the master’s-prepared nurse. Its goal is to ensure that health care practitioners are using the best available evidence to ensure that patients are receiving the best care possible (Godshall, M., 2015.). In essence, evidence-based practice is all about ensuring quality care.

In this assessment, you have an opportunity to apply evidence-based practice and personalized care concepts to ensure quality care and improve the health of a single patient.

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

• Competency 1: Apply evidence-based practice to plan patient-centered care. 
  • Analyze the needs of a patient, and those of their family, with regard to how they will influence a patient-centered concept map.
  • Design an individualized, patient-centered concept map, based upon the best available evidence for treating a patient’s specific health, economic, and cultural needs.
• Competency 3: Evaluate outcomes of evidence-based interventions. 
  • Propose relevant and measurable criteria for evaluating the outcomes of a patient-centered concept map.
• Competency 4: Evaluate the value and relative weight of available evidence upon which to make a clinical decision. 
  • Justify the value and relevance of evidence used as the basis of a patient-centered concept map.
• Competency 5: Synthesize evidence-based practice and academic research to communicate effective solutions. 
  • Develop a strategy for communicating with patients and their families in an ethical, culturally sensitive, and inclusive way.
  • Integrate relevant and credible sources of evidence to support assertions, correctly formatting citations and references using APA style.

As you prepare to complete this assessment, you may want to think about other related issues to deepen your understanding or broaden your viewpoint. You are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of your professional community. Note that these questions are for your own development and exploration and do not need to be completed or submitted as part of your assessment.

Recall an experience you have had—or one that you might have observed in your care setting—in which you individualized care for a patient.

• In your approach to individualized care, did you: 
  • Address any health concerns other than those for which the patient was seeking care?
  • Consider the patient’s economic and daily environmental circumstances?
  • Consider any ethical issues inherent in working with the patient?
• What might you have done differently, if you could revisit that patient’s case?
• What evidence supported your original course of action?
• What evidence would you present to support an alternative course of action, if you could revisit that patient’s case?

Preparation

You have been presented with a number of patient case files in the Evidence-Based Patient-Centered Care media piece. You reviewed each case, selected one case for further research, and created draft evidence-based concept map to illustrate an approach to individualized care for the patient. In this assessment, you will build upon and refine your draft concept map and develop a supporting narrative.

Create your concept map and narrative as separate documents. Be sure to note the areas where you need to include your evidence-based support and where you need to make clear your strategies for communicating information to the patient and the patient’s family.

Note: Many organizations use the spider style of concept maps (see the Taylor & Littleton-Kearney article for an example). Also, if a specific style of concept map is used in your current care setting, you may use it in this assessment.

Create your concept map and narrative as separate documents. Be sure to note the areas where you need to include your evidence-based support and where you need to make clear your strategies for communicating information to the patient and the patient’s family.

Requirements

Note: The requirements outlined below correspond to the grading criteria in the scoring guide, so be sure to address each point. In addition, you may want to review the performance level descriptions for each criterion to see how your work will be assessed.

Supporting Evidence and APA Style

Integrate relevant evidence from 3–5 current scholarly or professional sources to support your assertions.

• Apply correct APA formatting to all in-text citations and references.
• Attach a reference list to your narrative.

Concept Map

• Develop a concept map for the individual patient, based upon the best available evidence for treating your patient’s health, economic, and cultural needs.

Narrative

Develop a narrative (2–4 pages) for your concept map.

• Analyze the needs of your patient and their family, and determine how those needs will influence a patient-centered concept map. 
  • Consider how your patient’s economic situation and relevant environmental factors may have contributed to your patient’s current condition or affect their future health.
  • Consider how your patient’s culture or family should influence your concept map.
• Justify the value and relevance of the evidence you used as the basis of your concept map. 
  • Explain why your evidence is valuable and relevant to your patient’s case.
  • Explain why each piece of evidence is appropriate for both the health issue you are trying to correct and for the unique situation of your patient and their family.
• Propose relevant and measurable criteria for evaluating the degree to which the desired outcomes of your concept map were achieved. 
  • Explain why your proposed criteria are appropriate and useful measures of success.
• Explain how you will communicate specific aspects of the concept map to your patient and their family in an ethical, culturally sensitive, and inclusive way. Ensure that your strategies: 
  • Promote honest communications.
  • Facilitate sharing only the information you are required and permitted to share.
  • Are mindful of your patient’s culture.
  • Enable you to make complex medical terms and concepts understandable to your patient and their family, regardless of language, disabilities, or level of education.

Additional Requirements

• Be sure to include both documents when you submit your assessment.