Recognizing Nursing Professional Growth and Development, Essay Example

Introduction

This unit provided a number of important perspectives regarding the nursing profession and its future in a challenging healthcare environment that requires a successful nursing practice in order to improve quality of care for patients. I have learned from this unit that nursing is highly influential in healthcare practice, yet it continues to struggle in many areas due to some of the limitations that exist, including advanced education for nurses who are interested in an advanced practice role. This is an important reminder of the challenges that are associated with patient care outcomes and the ability to reflect on different options for nurses to meet the goals of their overarching practice objectives.

Analysis

Nurses must be able to share their knowledge, expertise, and insights regarding patient care, treatment, and evidence-based practice through the decisions that they make and the activities in which they participate. Advanced practice nurses, in particular, must be able to actively contribute to expanding knowledge in their focus areas and in obtaining the training that is required to provide excellent care for patients (Fairman et.al, 2011). Advanced practice nurses must be able to actively contribute to advancing patient care using evidence-based techniques and other knowledge that requires their expertise in different areas to promote greater wellbeing (Fairman et.al, 2011). Changes in nursing practice must reflect current objectives, the cost of services, and other factors that contribute to high quality care and treatment for patients in need of services (Fairman et.al, 2011).

From a leadership perspective, nurses must be able to expand their knowledge through effective leadership that will encourage change and promote progress on a continuous basis to facilitate effective quality of care (McSherry & Douglas, 2011). Managers and leaders must use technology and other resources as a means of improving quality of care, while also promoting efficiency and cost effectiveness in all areas of care and treatment (McSherry & Douglas, 2011). Furthermore, innovation is critical to the success of nursing practice and provides a framework for promoting successful outcomes for patients who require care at different levels (McSherry & Douglas, 2011). At the same time, nurses must be able to deliver high quality care on a continuous basis to promote ethical decision-making for all patients as their needs change (McSherry & Douglas, 2011).

With the availability of collective bargaining in the union environment, it is important to identify the specific resources that are required to ensure that nurses are able to gain access to the resources and other tools that are required to perform their roles successfully (Lawson et.al, 2011). One of the critical areas of this process is continuing education and training, both of which are instrumental in supporting professional growth and the expansion of knowledge to provide care and treatment to patients (Lawson et.al, 2011).  Nurses should have the ability to obtain specific concessions if they are part of a union, and this practice supports the development of new strategies to enhance practice settings through these efforts (Pfeifer, 2011).

Conclusion

This unit has taught me that nursing practice is better served through policies, regulations, and freedoms that enable nurses to explore their strengths and commit to high quality patient care through the resources that are available to them. Knowledge must be expanded on a continuous basis and must provide a framework for change and progress that will encourage long-term growth and success within practice settings in order to achieve the desired results, while also considering other factors, such as collective bargaining, which will provide nurses with even greater benefits.

References

Fairman, J. A., Rowe, J. W., Hassmiller, S., & Shalala, D. E. (2011). Broadening the scope of nursing practice. New England Journal of Medicine, 364(3), 193-196.

Lawson, L. D., Miles, K. S., Vallish, R. O., & Jenkins, S. A. (2011). Recognizing nursing professional growth and development in a collective bargaining environment. Journal of Nursing Administration, 41(5), 197-200.

McSherry, R., & Douglas, M. (2011). Innovation in nursing practice: a means to tackling the global challenges facing nurses, midwives and nurse leaders and managers in the future. Journal of nursing management, 19(2), 165-169.

Pfeifer, G. M. (2011). Nurses Protest Limits on Collective Bargaining Rights. AJN The American Journal of Nursing, 111(6), 17.