This assignment is a discussion on the topic of clinical nursing leadership. The discussion outlines how clinical nursing leadership can be applied by a registered nurse in nursing informatics. Some of the issues which have been discussed include background information about the nature of clinical nursing leadership, its scope, and how effective it is on patients and staff outcomes.
Clinical nursing leadership is a new role in nursing developed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) mainly to prepare nurses with the necessary knowledge, skills, and competencies to operate in the contemporary healthcare system which keeps on changing (Thompson & Kevin, 2007). Clinical nursing leadership is also aimed at improving the quality of care given to patients. The role emerged following the shocking details contained in a report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 1999 which showed that the deaths caused by medical errors in the United States far exceeded those caused by HIV/AIDS and road accidents (Bowcutt, Wall, Goolsby & Mary, 2006).
The rationale behind the establishment of the role was to reduce these deaths, which were attributed to the big ratio of nurses to patients as well as to the lack of good leadership in the nursing fraternity and the general healthcare system. In other words, the clinical nurse leader role was introduced to act as a generalist clinician equipped with an all-round knowledge of healthcare (Hix, McKeon, Walters & Sandra, 2009).
Clinical nursing leadership is not just concerned with the management and administration of care but includes the designing, implementation, and evaluation of healthcare provided to clients through proper coordination, supervision, and evaluation of the healthcare provided by healthcare teams, which comprises licensed nurses, social workers, physicians, therapists and other professionals in healthcare provision (Smith & Dabbs, 2007).
The effectiveness of clinical nursing leadership on patient and staff outcomes implies the realization of good results in the healthcare sector as a result of good leadership provided by the clinical nurse leader. The clinical nurse leader is trained in general nursing roles at the undergraduate level, after which he or she enrolls for a master’s degree with a major in nursing. This gives him or her general knowledge and competencies in the field of healthcare (Jolene, Fache & Judith, 2008).
As a registered nurse in nursing informatics, I can apply nursing leadership by working with various stakeholders in the healthcare sector. I can advocate for the provision of healthcare especially among the less fortunate, the less privileged in the society, and those who are in difficult situations like the poor and the orphaned. I can also apply it in working with the key stakeholders in healthcare provision to come up with the latest information regarding the status of healthcare in society and use the data to inform policies formulated and implemented by the government. I can also apply it in promoting preventive healthcare as well the anticipation of diseases that come with changes in lifestyles, diet, and information technology (Begun & White, 2006).
The reason for applying clinical nursing leadership is that I would be working as an advocate of healthcare especially for those people who are not able to speak for themselves. I would be motivated by the knowledge and experience in various fields like health, environmental issues, technology, and globalization among others in my application of clinical nursing leadership. The other motivation for applying effective clinical nursing leadership is that it is essential in the improvement of preventive healthcare, which in turn reduces the rates of deaths caused by preventable diseases.
There are many areas where I can apply effective clinical nursing leadership. One such area is risk reduction especially among the most at-risk populations like drug abusers, prostitutes, and those who are faced with lifestyle and opportunistic infections. Another area is the customization of healthcare which is based on the assumption that healthcare operates in a microsystem and that different clients have different healthcare needs and priorities.
I can also apply it in educating communities about the importance of committing themselves to preventive healthcare. I could be in the frontline in designing and implementing community health programs on important health issues like a good diet, good health-seeking behavior, the relationship between health and the environment as well as how communities should take care of the sick at their homes and the negative effects of stigma to the sick.
I may also apply it in the area of information technology through the use of social media sites like Facebook, Google, Yahoo, and Twitter to keep in touch with clients and key stakeholders in healthcare. I would have online interactive programs whereby people would be having an opportunity to forward their views or any news or information about any healthcare issue. This information would be disseminated to the public through a website, which would be accessible by anyone interested. I would also ensure that I become accountable for the evaluation, supervision, and enhancement of healthcare outcomes at the point of care as well as the anticipation of risks among various populations in the society.
References
Begun, T., & White. (2006). Opportunities for improving patient care through lateral integration: The clinical nurse leader. Division of Health Services Research and Policy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA. 51(1), 19-25.
Bowcutt, M., Wall, J., Goolsby & Mary. (2006). The Clinical Nurse Leader: Promoting Patient-centred Outcomes. Nursing Administration Quarterly, Volume 30, Issue 2, 156-161.
Hix, C. McKeon, L., Walters & Sandra. (2009). Clinical Nurse Leader Impact on Clinical Microsystems Outcomes. Journal of Nursing Administration, Volume 39, Issue 2, 71-76.
Jolene, T. Fache & Judith, F. M. (2008). The power of partnership to shape the future of nursing: the evolution of the clinical nurse leader. Journal of Nursing Management, Issue 5, 608–613.
Smith, D. & Dabbs, M. (2007). Transforming the Care Delivery Model in Preparation for the Clinical Nurse Leader. Journal of Nursing Administration, Volume 37, Issue 4, 157-160.
Thompson, P., L., & Kevin. (2007). Clinical Nurse Leader and Clinical Nurse Specialist Role Delineation in the Acute Care Setting. Journal of Nursing Administration: Volume 37, Issue 10, 429-431.