The critical need for nursing education to address the diagnostic process

Abstract

The National Academy of Medicine recently concluded that diagnostic errors represent an urgent national concern. Their first recommendation to address this issue called for promoting the key role of the nurse in the diagnostic process. Registered nurses across clinical settings significantly contribute to the medical diagnostic process, though their role in diagnosis has historically gone unacknowledged. In this paper, we review the history and current state of diagnostic education in pre-licensure registered nurse preparation, introduce interprofessional individual-and team-based competencies to improve diagnostic safety, and discuss the next steps for nursing education. Nurses educated and empowered to fully participate in the diagnostic process are essential for achieving better, safer patient outcomes.

Healthcare Professionals' Electroencephalography Competency: A Disconnect Between Self-assessment and Objective Testing

“…Healthcare professionals have an important role in monitoring the patient's condition and reporting changes as members of the diagnostic team. 21 In the future, it may be necessary to take a closer look at the role of the EEG performer in patient observation.…”

“…However, the instrument has items not included in previous studies, such as patient observation. Agostini and Bonner1 have described the role of the EEG performer in patient observation as “functioning as eyes and ears for the interpreting physician.” Healthcare professionals have an important role in monitoring the patient's condition and reporting changes as members of the diagnostic team 21. In the future, it may be necessary to take a closer look at the role of the EEG performer in patient observation.…”

Nurse Practitioners “Insider” and “Outsider” Roles and Responsibilities Enabling a Quality Managed Delivery of Contemporary Medical Imaging Services

“…For example, in the United States of America, states often solicit input on proposed changes from stakeholders, including professional associations and, to a more limited extent, consumer groups [10]. According to Gleason et al the scope of practice laws is not the barrier as perceived to be [11]. These authors advocate that NPs to be prepared and accountable for playing an active role in the diagnostic process, not that they assume accountability for making medical diagnoses.…”

“…The lack of consistency across states' scope of practice laws and terminology used to describe the role of NPs in medical diagnosis could contribute to the confusion. Therefore, encouraged to adopt clear and common regulatory language that contributes to the medical diagnostic process, is within the NPs scope of practice [11].…”

“…However, these practitioners also function in acute, chronic, and high-pressure critical medical environments and expectation to identify and intervene through an action plan. This process of diagnostic decision-making encounters includes diagnostic tests like medical imaging encounters that NPs are directly or indirectly involved [11].…”