READ- Making informed decisions in healthcare is not only important for the safety of patients and healthcare professionals but is also used to promote quality patient care. To make informed decisions, nurses must utilize systems thinking which is a critical component of transformation and continued enhancement of patient care delivery (Berwick, Snair, & Nishtar, 2018). Using evidence-based practice and clinical expertise will result in informed decision-making. Ensuring that all decisions are based on evidence will promote the continued improvement of care. “Nurses play an important role in ensuring optimal health outcomes by engaging in evidence-informed decision-making. EIDM, used synonymously with the term evidence-based practice (EBP) involves the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients” (Belita et al., 2020, p.2). Research has shown that professional nurses should base their ethical decisions based on nursing practice and research (Grace, Mallari & Tariman, 2017). Taking everything into account, in all decision-making the advanced practice nurse must ensure that they prioritize patients, the community needs, and staff and ensure their decisions are evidence-based.

This course has increased my knowledge and skills needed for my future professional role in nursing practice. Overall, this course was very informative and included a lot of information that I will apply to my future role as a family nurse practitioner and context that I will apply in my upcoming clinical courses. I learned that it is my responsibility to influence positive change in the nursing profession and the importance of advocacy and participation in the healthcare system. Advocacy is critical for the advanced practice nurse to promote health policy change and quality patient care, being an advocate benefits both the patient and the nursing profession. Taking a leadership position to influence health decisions and policy changes is something that I plan on doing to promote positive change in the nursing profession. In my upcoming clinical courses, I will be sure to stay up to date with the most current evidence-based research and policies so I can give my patients quality care and improve my ability to advocate for the nursing profession and my patients.

Instruction- Responses with substantive (adds importance, depth, and meaningfulness to the discussion). Grammar, syntax, spelling, and punctuation are accurate. APA references within 5 years. 1 paragraph