Monitoring and ensure the quality of healthcare practices 1) Nurses are always present and coordinate the multiple interactions that the patient has with the healthcare team. Nurses are able to prevent and quickly detect errors. Many nurses feel uncomfortable with this area because, as a general rule, it goes unnoticed when things go well and errors are avoided; but when things go wrong there are incident reports to file, accepting responsibility for the error and then correcting it (Benner, 2001, p.143).2) Monitoring and ensuring the quality of healthcare practices is divided into three competencies :1. Provide a backup system to ensure safe medical and nursing care2. Evaluate what can safely be omitted or added to medical orders3. Getting proper and timely responses from doctors (Benner, 2001, p. 137) A couple of years ago our hospital transitioned from paper to electronic medical records (EMR). This required hospital staff to attend training on the new software. Each department chose a group of employees to get advanced training so they would be known as “superusers” and be a resource for the remaining staff once the programs went “live.” I was fortunate enough to be invited to become a “superuser” and was part of the team that helped incorporate many evidence-based practices into the programs with the help of our information technology department. While we set up the system to remind you of things like obtaining blood cultures for a pneumonia diagnosis or giving aspirin to the patient with chest pain, the only area we still do on paper is that of conscious sedation. Just this week, I had a 92 year old woman with a dislocated hip replacement who required surgery...... middle of paper......2-4). Practical knowledge helps you acquire the specific skills needed for your daily work. This is your learning through practical experiences through the reality of life. Knowing how to start an intravenous line or insert a Foley catheter is different than the theoretical knowledge of being able to identify them. Practical knowledge often leads to a deeper understanding of the concept as you practice more and gain experience. Theoretical Knowledge Theoretical knowledge is “knowing that” (Benner, 2001, p. 2-3). Theoretical knowledge teaches you the why by helping you understand why one method works and another fails. It helps you build on information, helps you set a strategy and see the full picture. It helps teach you through the experience of others; leading to a deeper understanding of the source of reason.