coursework-banner

DQ: Discuss how nurse leaders serve as advocates for their employees

NRS 451 Topic 4 Discussion 1

DQ: Discuss how nurse leaders serve as advocates for their employees

Nursing leader’s server as advocates within their organizations. Leaders have requisite knowledge, skills, and understanding and represent the front door into the healthcare service delivery. Nursing leaders need to be comfortable withing their administrative structures to use their powers to advocate for the role of nurses. Advocating in policy discussions to help reduce health care cost and improvement in patients’ outcomes and quality of life through collaborative team-based care. (Stevenson, 2021) Advocating for nursing staff can begins with assessing needs. Do the nurses have the correct tools they need to provide best practice care. Are nurses being treated fairly and are they assuring measures to prevent nursing fatigue and burn out such as appropriate breaks and lunches.

Organizations such as the American Nurses Association have goals of bettering health care practice and standards and also a goal of representing nurses and supporting them in the profession. Professional nursing organizations want to make the environment for the professionals good in turn helping to make the patient care/ outcomes good. Professional nursing organizations are responsible for the development and certification of nurses interested in improving health care and providing safe quality nursing care. Through participation in professional organizations, nurses can actively contribute to legislative changes that can affect patient care and the way they conduct their work (Helbig 2018). Nursing organizations advocate for nursing practice through publicly and legislatively outlined rules and regulations that depict standards of practice, this helps nurses have a written guideline for their profession, it helps to outline the directive of what is ok to do as a nurse. In turn this protects the nurse and advocates for the nurse as well as keeps the nurse in the educated and in the know so they can protect their license by practicing within their scope. The standards of practice describe a competent level of nursing practice demonstrated by the critical-thinking model known as the nursing process (Bickford, Marion, & Gazaway, 2015). ANA is an organization that supports the nurse, they have the goal in advocating for the nurse and raising awareness to problems that are being faced in the nursing profession. Organizations like The International Council of Nurses realize that nurses are front line with patients and understand that they are leaders in the medical field, they spend a vast amount of time at the bedside with abilities to collect real time data, they are educators as well as administrators. This gives nurses a lot of power and legislators look to nurses as leaders to help with policy. Being at the bedside gives the nurse the unique ability to report back to policy makers about what is working and what is not working in lieu of patient safety and patient centered care. “The International Council of Nurses is a federation of national nursing associations that works to enable nurses to speak with one voice so as to influence health policy and advance the profession of nursing” (Benton, 2012). Safe staffing, nursing workforce development (pushing nurses to obtain higher levels of education such as a BSN) and safe patient handling have been topics that the ANA has advocated for in the nursing arena as well as many more areas, these relate directly back to overall bettering the environment in order to create overall better patient outcomes.

Nursing leaders influence change in nursing practice and improving patient outcomes by advocating for patients and empowering the nursing practice. Advocating for change in bedside nursing can be initiated through advocating for specific needs and leading by example. To mentor fellow nurses is not a role only held at management level. Bedside nurses collaborating with management and administration can lead to positive change withing health care.

Grand Canyon University (Ed). (2018). Trends in health care: A nursing perspective. Retrieved from https://lc.gcumedia.com/nrs440vn/trends-in-health-care-a-nursing-perspective/v1.1/

Stevenson, R. L., Maclaren, J., & Vaulkhard, K. (2021). The Nursing Workforce: Who Will Be Left to Answer the Call? Nursing Leadership (1910-622X)34(4), 31–35. https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.12927/cjnl.2021.26692

DQ: Discuss how nurse leaders serve as advocates for their employees

Read

I thought that you brought up some great points in your post about how when assessing the needs of nurses, asking do they have the right tools to provide best practice care , etc. I also like the points that you brought up about are nurses being treated fairly and are they assuring measures to prevent nursing fatigue and burn out such as appropriate breaks and lunches. I can more than relate to these topics! I hate that that is true but it is. It seems like when I get a lunch break it is a special occasion as it seems like I only get a lunch about once a month. Since this occurs so often, it is difficult to not think that management does not care about their employees because they can’t provide enough staff to support lunch breaks. Communication is also an important part of needs being met. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs applies to many situations, not just patient care. By promoting an environment that encourages and models efficient communication, managers can increase engagement, lessen anxiety and stress, and promote higher employee satisfaction, all of which lead to greater patient outcomes (Kim & Oh, 2016). This situation reminds me of the pre-flight video you see about the oxygen masks. You must first place the mask on yourself and then you can help others. The nurse’s needs must be met first so they can provide the best care possible.

DQ: Discuss how nurse leaders serve as advocates for their employees

Read

This pandemic emphasizes the importance of nursing care globally. Nurses are the frontline staff in the care of individuals stricken with this highly infectious and deadly illness. Nurse leaders must advocate for nursing staff when staff are immersed in often overwhelming conditions. In addition, nurses need nurse leaders to advocate for their work conditions, safety, and welfare while they provide care under difficult conditions. Through the efforts of the CNO council, nurses are informed and protected in their work environment. As the pandemic continues, leaders need to support the staff through the challenges they encounter while caring for those in need (Stamps et al., 2021).

I agree with you that an advocate is one who pleads the cause of another or one that defends or maintains a cause or proposal and promotes the interest of someone. Advocacy often encounters barriers in a culture where nurses feel powerless (Thomas, (2018b). All nurses have a role to advocate, not only for their patients but also their selves. As a nurse manager being an advocate for their employees can be the difference in uniting the unit or destroying it. This the presentation of the people who do not have the power for themselves so that they can come up well and health through getting the best health care no matter the background and state. It’s a good post.

Reference,

Thomas, J. (2018b). Organizational cultures and values. Nursing Leadership & Management: Leading and

Serving. Grand Canyon University, Retrieved from https://lc.gcumedia.com/nrs451vn/nursing-leadership-and-management-leading-and-serving/v1.1/#/chapter/4

DQ: Discuss how nurse leaders serve as advocates for their employees

REPLY

Nurses will feel empowered to perform when their nurse leaders show confidence in their abilities to do a good job. The reason for this

DQ Discuss how nurse leaders serve as advocates for their employees
DQ Discuss how nurse leaders serve as advocates for their employees

is that nurses feel significant inside the company since they have the ability to make choices, propose and participate in activities without having to seek clearance from higher ups. Nurses’ work lives are improved when leaders demonstrate confidence in their job, are able to reward their organizations by increasing retention and improving the capacity to give higher quality care (Hughes, 2019). Good communication between nurses and their supervisors is essential in the development of these partnerships. Effective nurse performance has been shown to be associated with positive interpersonal ties amongst staff.

Click here to ORDER an A++ paper from our MASTERS and DOCTORATE WRITERS: DQ: Discuss how nurse leaders serve as advocates for their employees

REPLY

This is wonderful; nurse leaders understand the role and responsibilities of each nurse. Additionally, nurse leaders are responsible for fostering strong relationships among their staff. Additionally, nurse leaders are responsible for pushing for various problems that may impact operational operations or the delivery of appropriate care to patients (Carthon et al., 2019). Nurse leaders frequently advocate in a variety of ways for nurses, patients, and other healthcare professionals. Nurse leaders may take specific activities to guarantee efficient resource allocation and to enhance or promote a positive work environment. Nurse leaders participate in the development of policies that safeguard both nurses and patients from harm. Additionally, they explain patient preferences and advocate for their rights surrounding healthcare decisions and care. Nurse leaders are accountable for instilling good work ethics and fostering a healthy operational environment for all (Scott & Scott, 2020). As a result, they are constant positive motivators when it comes to developing strong and efficient teams. Finally, nurse leaders are accountable for empowering nurses and ensuring that they adhere to operational policies and procedures.

References

Carthon, J. M. B., Davis, L., Dierkes, A., Hatfield, L., Hedgeland, T., Holland, S., … & Aiken, L. H. (2019). Association of nurse engagement and nurse staffing on patient safety. Journal of nursing care quality34(1), 40. 10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000334

Scott, S. M., & Scott, P. A. (2020). Nursing, advocacy and public policy. Nursing Ethics, 0969733020961823. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0969733020961823

Thank you so much for a nice writeup, I agree with the points that you raised on nurse advocacy. . Influence is based on competence, credibility, and trustworthiness. The best interests of those involved in the situation builds trust and credibility. An effective advocate influences decision makers by building a case for the desired change, backing the case with facts and data, and putting a human face on the issue using a compelling visual image (Tomajan, 2012). Persuasion is a stronger form of influence that has the ability to make an appeal or argument to prove a point, however it is effective in small increments, persuasion can elicit defensiveness in others, thus undermining the overall success of the already made initiative

DQ: Discuss how nurse leaders serve as advocates for their employees

REFERENCES:

 

Tomajan, K., (January 31, 2012) “Advocating for Nurses and Nursing” OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing Vol. 17, No. 1, Manuscript 4.

DOI: 10.3912/OJIN.Vol17No01Man04

https://doi.org/10.3912/OJIN.Vol17No01Man04

REPLY

Read

Question for the Class

As a nurse manager, you have a small group of staff nurses with an interest in diabetes care who offer to revise the diabetic foot care policies and procedures. What actions might you, the nurse leader, take to empower these nurses?

Be sure to include at least 1 reference from a peer reviewed journal article in the response.

Read

Nurses can influence healthcare change and, if given a chance, can be innovators. However, strong nurse leaders who are willing to be their advocates in the C-suite are required to fulfill their full potential in improving quality and outcomes, strengthening an organization’s culture, and transforming care delivery.

Nursing leaders have envisioned advocacy for both patients and caregivers as a vital component of nursing’s purpose since the time of Florence Nightingale. While patient and caregiver advocacy has remained top priority advocacy for safe, effective practice environments is listed as a professional nurse’s responsibility in the American Nurses Association’s (ANA) publication Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, modern professional nursing organizations have embraced a broader understanding of the nurse advocate’s role. The ANA’s recently updated Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements, for example, finishes with a declaration of nursing advocacy’s global breadth. Nursing activism now includes issues such as social justice and environmental sustainability.

Nursing management, education, clinical practice, and policymaking include nursing advocacy. There is a large body of study on advocacy in the nursing literature, and there are different conceptual models that define and analyze advocacy in various ways. Kubsch and colleagues gave a broad overview of the literature and presented a “holistic model of advocacy” that relies on prior theorists’ work. 4 The holistic model includes five types of advocacy: legal (“the nurse protects the patient’s rights to competent care, to reject care, [to] informed consent, and [to] privacy”); moral–ethical (“the nurse upholds the patient’s values in decision-making”); political (“the nurse facilitates equal access to health care”); spiritual (“the nurse provides spiritual support and reassurance”); spiritual (“the nurse provides spiritual support and reassurance”); spiritual (“the nurse provides spiritual support and reassurance

Nurse leaders should be proactive in their approach and develop solutions that will propel nursing and healthcare forward.

I agree with your response and your mention of nurses feeling supported enough to speak up. A poor understanding of the importance of speaking up would elicit a negative response, but it is important in promoting and ensuring patient safety.

Among health care professionals in varying practice settings, the nurses close contact with patients allows them the advantage of proximity to observe and address patient safety issues.  Nurses are well positioned to detect early signs of health hazards, and can bring them to the attention of other medical personnel.  Therefore, it is vital for clinical nurses to voice their concerns regarding patient safety to prevent harm to patients. However “research has shown that nurses voice their concerns less often when they perceive patient safety issues in hospital settings, compared with other health care professionals” (NCBI, 2021)  Speaking up’ is defined as “ the raising of concerns by health care professionals for the benefit of patient safety and care quality upon recognizing or becoming aware of the risky or deficient actions of others within health care teams in a hospital environment”(NCBI, 2014) These include incorrect diagnoses or substandard clinical performance and failure to operate within set guidelines.  Organizational research indicates that, in many cases, “people choose the ‘safe’ response of silence, withholding input that could be valuable to others or thoughts that they wish they could express”(NCBI, 2014)  As nurses, speaking up for patient safety can be defined as “discretionary,  facilitating change, communication in clinical situations using questions or statements with information, concerns, or opinions about safety-related issues”(NCBI, 2021) It is vital that nurse leaders concentrate efforts to provide a working environment open for important information to be communicated.

 

Okuyama, A., Wagner, C., & Bijnen, B. (2014). Speaking up for patient safety by hospital-based health care professionals: a literature review. BMC health services research14, 61. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6963-14-61

Lee, S. E., Choi, J., Lee, H., Sang, S., Lee, H., & Hong, H. C. (2021). Factors Influencing Nurses’ Willingness to Speak Up Regarding Patient Safety in East Asia: A Systematic Review. Risk management and healthcare policy14, 1053–1063. https://doi.org/10.2147/RMHP.S297349