Write a 2 page essay describing how business decision support systems have evolved over the past several decades as computer and data capabilities have grown. The rubric for this assignment can be viewed when clicking on the assignment link.

The three takeaways from reading this article are:

1. Working for a hospital that has been designated “Magnet” status is associated with both positive patient and nurse outcomes.  Magnet signifies the highest quality care; the "gold standard" for nursing.  It is the highest level of recognition that ANCC gives to hospitals.  Magnet status supports and promotes professional development such as higher education, advanced certifications, and encouraging memberships to professional nursing organizations.  Ultimately, the professional nurse has increased job satisfaction which attracts and retains the professional nurse.  Job satisfaction creates a positive and caring atmosphere resulting in a better overall experience for patients.  Magnet status promotes teamwork, best practices, and a collaborative culture, as well as nursing autonomy and empowerment with shared decision making, improving patient outcomes. Strong interdisciplinary relationships encompass the team approach in a multidisciplinary setting.  The ultimate goal of magnet is to encourage nurses to become practice partners with physicians in the coordination of patient centered care.  As nurses should strive for higher education, hospitals should also strive for “Magnet” designation.  I believe that you will see more nurses with higher degrees choose employment in a facility that has “Magnet” recognition over one that does not.   

2. Although I agree that staffing ratios directly impact overall nursing and patient satisfaction, as well as positive patient outcomes.  I am not convinced that nurses with a BSN versus nurses with a Diploma/ADN decrease the mortality rate of patients.  I believe years of experience play an important role in positive patient outcomes.  Intuition and critical thinking develop through years of experience and are key components in ensuring positive patient outcomes.  With that being said, Nursing is an evolving profession which requires continued education with the goal of improving our practice to promote positive patient outcomes.  Collecting data from nursing satisfaction and patient satisfaction surveys are very useful for gathering evidence to evaluate and identify areas of care that require specific attention and improvement.  Nursing surveys and patient satisfaction surveys show evidence in each area of nursing regarding real time care and post treatment outcomes. 

3. Lastly, the decreased incidence of reporting adverse events or concerns with patient care is unacceptable.  In my facility, as I am sure in most, nurses are expected to report a near miss event or an adverse event in “Safety Net” which triggers an investigation into the event to identify high risk areas where improvement in practice is needed to promote best practice.  We all have worked in “not the best” or “ideal” conditions, but it does not excuse the lack of quality care provided to our patients.  As nurses, we are our patients advocates which requires empathy, compassion, credibility, and accountability for patient centered coordination of care.  Nursing requires proactive care, not only listening to how a patient feels in the present moment, but making the patient aware of what effects and outcomes they may expect from their treatment.  Prioritizing care is crucial for time management when we are faced with poor staffing conditions.  In addition to reporting adverse events, nurses should also consider initiating “unsafe” staffing reports to alert management when it effects quality patient care.