Page 7 - Secrets of Effective Nurse Leaders-01-11-2018a

COLLABORATION

Today’s emphasis on multi-disciplinary care teams means that nurse
leaders have contact with nearly every department in the hospital. They
are the liaison between staff nurses and upper management, and they
coordinate activities having to do with clinical practices, patient safety,
ethics, finance, human resources, supply management and more.

The nurse leaders who can make this all run smoothly have mastered
the concept of collaboration. They are able to bridge the gaps between
disparate departments that have traditionally worked independently of
each other. They’re able to gain access to the resources they need and
influence those department heads that can further their own vision.
Research has validated the benefits of collaboration. In the Online Journal
of Issues in Nursing, an article titled “Ten Lessons in Collaboration” by
Deborah B. Gardner Ph.D., RN, CS reviews the literature, listing the
benefits of collaboration as improved patient outcomes, reduced lengths of
stay, cost savings, increased nursing job satisfaction, and increased staff
retention.

In addition, nurse leaders are in a pivotal position to elevate nursing
practice by creating a hospital environment where nurse-physician
collaboration is the expected norm. They must communicate this vision
of collaboration, and practice as a role model of collaboration. The recent
focus on nurse-physician collaboration is likely to improve the quality of
patient care, increase efficiency in care delivery, and create satisfying
new roles for staff nurses. Both doctors and nurses have information
about their patient that the other needs, in order to provide holistic care.
Education also comes into play here, as the key to gaining respect across
all disciplines.

In its landmark report, “The Future of Nursing,” the Institute of Medicine
(IOM) discusses the importance of nurses and nurse leaders having more
educational parity with other members of the healthcare team – including
physicians, pharmacists, social workers, physical therapists, etc., who
are typically educated at the graduate or post-graduate level. Educational
parity can help to strengthen collaborative efforts.

www.americansentinel.edu

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Transforming Healthcare Through Education |