NR 510 Week 8 Reflection on Achievement of Outcomes
Reflect back over the past eight weeks and describe how the achievement of the course outcomes in
... [Show More] this course have prepared you to meet the MSN program outcome #4, the MSN Essential II, and the NP Core Competencies #2.
Program Outcome #4
Integrate professional values through scholarship and service in health care. (Professional identity)
MSN Essential II: Organizational and Systems Leadership
Recognizes that organizational and systems leadership are critical to the promotion of high quality and safe patient care. Leadership skills are needed that emphasize ethical and critical decision making, effective working relationships, and a systems perspective.
NP Core Competencies
# 2 Leadership Competencies
1. Assumes complex and advanced leadership roles to initiate and guide change.
2. Provides leadership to foster collaboration with multiple stakeholders (e.g. patients, community, integrated health care teams, and policy makers) to improve health care.
3. Demonstrates leadership that uses critical and reflective thinking.
4. Advocates for improved access, quality and cost effective health care.
5. Advances practice through the development and implementation of innovations incorporating principles of change.
6. Communicates practice knowledge effectively both orally and in writing.
7. Participates in professional organizations and activities that influence advanced practice nursing and/or health outcomes of a population focus.
This course introduces students to the role development of today's advanced practice nurse (APN) leader in society and healthcare organization systems from the perspective of primary and acute care. Students will explore, analyze, apply, and evaluate diverse aspects of ethical and legal decision-making standards specific to APN scope of practice. Topics include the standards and regulations governing the practice of APNs in diverse settings. The course emphasizes strategies and processes that foster implementation of visionary leadership, diffusion of innovation, and change within an organization.
Dr. Hankins and class,
This course has taught me the role development of today’s advanced practice nurse leader in society and the healthcare industry. Throughout the past eight weeks, we explored ethical and legal decision-making standards specific to APN scope of practice, as well as practice laws and regulations governing the practice of APNs in diverse settings. This course has helped reflect on the master’s essentials, the nurse practitioner’s core competencies, and program outcomes.
Program Outcome #4: Professional Identity
During the majority of our course, we achieved this outcome of professional identity by analyzing how healthcare systems and APN practice are organized and influenced by ethical, legal, economic, and political factors. We explored how different leadership styles influence healthcare delivery. We also learned about the barriers that exist to the APN practice, how to negotiate a contract and salary, how to approach workplace conflict, liability issues, promoting teamwork, and the LACE principles of the APN role. Through evaluation of clinical cases and research, I was able to integrate professional values and thus, develop professional identity. Understanding the barriers to the APN provides better insight of what I expect to encounter as a future healthcare professional and how I can best overcome these barriers. Some of the barriers include state practice and licensure, physician-related issues, prescriptive authority, and job satisfaction (Hain & Fleck, 2014). It would be in my best interest to participate and contribute to legislation to expand the role of the APN. This can be achieved through both local and national levels with professional organizations. Another example includes understanding the current efforts to achieve continuity of state practice laws with the Consensus Model LACE. Because of the importance of APRNs in caring for the current and future health needs of patients, the education, accreditation, certification and licensure of APRNs need to be effectively aligned in order to continue to ensure patient safety while expanding patient access to APRNs.
MSN Essential II: Organizational and Systems Leadership
According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2011), the MSN Essential II refers to the importance of leadership in the promotion of quality and safe care deliver. In this course, we learned to apply leadership skills to an array of clinical cases. Managing conflict in the workplace is a time consuming but necessary task for healthcare leaders. Conflicts can lead to emotional distress that can impact productivity, morale, and patient care (Klinkhamer, 2015). As a future leader, it is essential to manage workplace conflicts in a professional manner and promote healthful environments. I learned that this type of leadership positively influences the organization. Learning strategies of effective communication skills and teamwork is another example that furthered my understanding of the importance to deliver safe efficient patient care. Promoting a healthier work environment through professionalism, teamwork, and active listening increases patient satisfaction and patient safety (Scully, 2015).
NP Core Competencies
The nurse practitioner core competencies were fulfilled by this course through the assigned readings, practice knowledge through discussion posts, research, and reflective thinking skills. One of the competencies explores the advanced leadership role to initiate and guide change. In order to do so, I learned that self-reflection is a strategy to initiate change by analyzing my professional goals, as well as my strengths and weaknesses. This was accomplished through the APN professional development paper during week 6. Another example includes collaborating with patients, the community, and other healthcare disciplines. I learned that effective communication and critical thinking are necessary to improve teamwork and medical outcomes. To become a proficient leader, I learned that collaborating with healthcare professionals helps advocate for the patient and improves the quality of patient care. This course certainly helped me to accomplish the use of critical thinking skills to solve clinical and ethical cases, apply practice knowledge both orally and in writing through the APN professional development paper and the LACE oral presentation, and influence my desire to participate in professional organizations in hopes of expanding the APN role.
References
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2011). The essentials of master’s education in nursing. Retrieved from http://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/42/Publications/MastersEssentials11.pdf
Hain, D., & Fleck, L. M. (2014). Barriers to NP practice that impact healthcare redesign. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 19(2), 5. doi:10.3912/OJIN.Vol19No02Man02.
Klinkhamer, F. (2015). School nurse team leaders’ experience and management of workplace conflict. British Journal of School Nursing, 10(7), 337-347.
Scully, N. J. (2015). Leadership in nursing: The importance of recognising inherent values and attributes to secure a positive future for the profession. Collegian, 22(4), 439-444.
Hi Jamie,
Thanks so much for your final post! I agree with you that the cases that were presented throughout the course reflected suboptimal organizational structure. The ethical and legal implications of these cases promoted poor quality of care and initiated a variety of discussion responses from our fellow classmates. Implementing the appropriate strategies to ameliorate these situations are critical to promoting healthful work environments and increasing patient safety. I also agree with your comment about the importance of actively participating in professional organizations. After learning in depth about differing state practice regulations, it is our responsibility as future healthcare providers to advocate and expand the role of the APN.
Hi Kim,
Thanks for your final post! I absolutely agree with your first comment about the importance of understanding the limitations and advancements of the APN. Often times, we focus on the role and the scope of practice that we forget to acknowledge that boundaries and barriers still exist in this profession. While you originally thought that all of the states grant full practice authority, I thought the opposite. I knew that the state of New Jersey, where I reside, had reduced practice authority and thought all the states had similar reduced practice laws for APN. I was actually surprised that one-third of the United States has full practice authority! That gives me hope that continued efforts and progress will achieve full practice authority in the near future. I'm glad that this gave you more motivation to actively participate in an APN organization! APNs have struggled historically to perform to the fullest extent of their education and training, and we need more efforts and support in expanding the role. [Show Less]