The nurse leader role has become necessary in most healthcare institutions across the United States. These professionals work together with administrators to ensure the smooth running of all operations within clinics and hospitals.
Ideally, the focus of the nurse leader should be patient welfare. They implement procedures and processes that put patient care front and center.
However, these professionals have to be careful to make sure they are not distracted from patient care by all the other roles and responsibilities they are expected to undertake.
During training, nurse leaders are taught about management, finance and leadership as it relates to patient care, and it is their job to implement the lessons they learn to improve conditions wherever they work.
Nurse leader courses are designed to impart the skills that are necessary to transform healthcare systems. An executive DNP course, like the one offered at Baylor University for example, covers topics like resource attainment and allocation, strategic financial and economic concepts, and how to create an excellent practice environment. The course does not take very long to complete, and students can typically graduate in two years. The DNP-ENL coursework is 100% online, it is perfect for working professionals.
However, it is important for students who enroll in online studies to be highly disciplined, attending to their modules as required so they don’t fall behind or get overwhelmed.
Anyone who hopes to have a career as a nurse leader should understand the importance of patient care in their career. If they put patients at the center of everything they do, they can become stellar leaders who are respected and looked to for advice and guidance.
How can nurse leaders put patients first?
Patient-centered care is being widely adopted in American healthcare facilities. It is all about making sure that every decision that is taken by healthcare providers has the patient in mind. It is about making sure they are listened to and they are given a chance to talk about how they would like to be cared for and treated.
Patient-centered care has several advantages, the most important being that it helps patients stay positive about their treatment, which tends to shorten hospital stays. Happy patients heal faster, and they develop trust in their doctors and nurses.
There are several things that nurse managers can do to make sure that patient welfare is at the core of all decision-making.
Train the nurses they supervise
The nurse leader is tasked with making sure that all nurses are properly trained and that they attend continuing education that equips them with the latest knowledge about patient care.
If nurses are up-to-date with patient care methods and protocols, they are in a much better position to deliver the highest quality of care and be efficient in everything they do.
Nurse managers ought to scrutinize the resumes of all who work for them to ensure they have the requisite qualifications, and they should seek out opportunities for further education for the nurses they supervise. They can help them secure funding for higher education and even act as mentors for younger nurses.
Improve working conditions for nurses
Nursing is a rewarding career, but the shortage of nurses in the United States means that many are working longer shifts and without breaks during which they can rest. If nurses are overworked, they cannot deliver high-quality care and they sometimes suffer physical and psychological stress.
It is the job of the nurse leader to act as an advocate for the nurses they supervise, making sure they get to rest between shifts and get annual leave to refresh their minds and bodies.
Nurse leaders should work with management to provide the necessary equipment for every nurse and keep an open door so they can understand the difficulties that nurses face when caring for patients.
Advocate for patients
Above all else, the nurse leader is a patient advocate. It is their job to understand what stands in the way of patient-centered care and the issues that patients face as they are treated within their facility.
Nurse leaders endeavor to help patients get treated without delays and that all the necessary equipment is available.
If any issues stand in the way of good patient care, it is the job of the nurse leader to present them to management and work to get them resolved.
Know how to fundraise and use resources carefully
One of the biggest challenges facing healthcare institutions in America is funding, and the nurse leader can play a significant role in helping bring in money that is used to improve patient care.
It is also their job to eliminate waste and encourage efficiency, so they can make the best use of the resources they have available.
Talk to patients
The nurse leader may not be involved in the day-to-day care of patients, but they will take time out of their day to talk to patients and learn of any particular problems they may be experiencing.
This way, nurse leaders know exactly what is happening in their department and they can handle problems before they get out of hand. Nurse leaders can also get important feedback that they can use to improve healthcare delivery.
Stay in touch with community leaders and other healthcare professionals
A good nurse leader needs to know what is happening in their community because it has a direct impact on the health of those who live within it.
It is therefore important that they keep in touch with leaders within their communities and learn about the challenges that exist and how they impact health and wellbeing.
Conclusion
As healthcare standards in American healthcare facilities continue to improve, the role of the nurse leader has become an important one. They work within management to ensure that patients receive the best care possible and that nurses have everything they need to provide the best quality of treatment.
