The nurse learns that a patient cannot afford a prescribed medication and enlists the assistance of the social worker and an outside agency to provide medications at a lower cost. Which QSEN competency do the nurse’s actions best demonstrate?

a. Collaboration and teamwork involve working with other healthcare professionals to improve patient outcomes, but in this case, the focus is specifically on meeting the patient's individual needs, which aligns more with patient-centered care. b. Evidence-based practice involves integrating research and clinical expertise to improve healthcare outcomes, but this situation is not about applying research findings to treatment. c. Patient-centered care focuses on respecting and responding to individual patient preferences, needs, and values. By addressing the financial barrier to medication access, the nurse ensures that the patient can adhere to their treatment plan, demonstrating patient-centered care. d. Quality improvement involves evaluating healthcare processes to enhance patient safety and effectiveness, but this situation is more about addressing an individual patient's specific financial need rather than system-wide improvements.