QUALITY HEALTH CARE

Teba L Seaborn

Staff nurse role

To promote quality in a high-performing healthcare organization, the staff nurse must provide patient-centered care, implement best evidence-based practices, collaborate with multiple disciplines, advocate, educate patients and staff, and work to continuously improve processes that will provide positive patient outcomes (Hughes, 2008). The nurse should lead by example and provide care that reflects the highest level of safety and quality.  

The  Culture 

Organizational culture refers to a network of members with similar values, missions, and beliefs that drive the performance of its members (Spath, 2018). Patient-centered care and an environment of excellent synchronized teamwork with high safety standards is the culture that exudes from each teammate when walking into our privately-owned outpatient dialysis facility. Our team possesses a shared value level of culture with a few leaders committed to quality performance and clearly understand the organization's goals and expectations (Spath, 2018).  The staff typically know each other's needs and assist their colleagues and patients without question. Working in this environment, although fast-paced, appears safe, fulfilling, and fun for the staff and patients each day. 

Leadership styles

 Our organizational leadership chart consists of the medical director/owner, facility administrator, and clinical nurse manager. Upper management is not typically involved in the day-to-day operations of our facility. Both Sr. leaders implement a laissez-faire leadership style where they are hands-off in clinical decision-making but have an open door policy if a need should arise. The administrator ensures the appropriate policy and standards that reflect evidence-based practices are in place. She trusts that she has an experienced clinical nurse manager and a team of self-directed nurses to provide the best care according to those standards (Monteiro, 2023).

I am the facility clinical nurse manager who fosters a transformational leadership style. I am very flexible, lead by example, and set the tone of the clinic. There is no level of care too big or too small that I won't walk out and assist staff or do it on my own. Each team member and patients understand my vision for the facility and is inspired to reach daily benchmark goals (Monteiro, 2023). This leadership style works well with this team as they are strong and highly motivated to provide daily above-standard work. Other leaders in our facility do not have a leadership title, but it is evident that they graciously and effectively lead the team.

Leadership support

 In our facility, if there is a need and the team can show that a change is beneficial to the workflow or our patients, how to make it obtainable, follows guidelines, is within our scope of practice, and is cost-effective, we have 100% support from our senior leaders. 

Strategies

 Strategies that can be implemented to propel the organization into a high-performing organization are employing leadership that shows a commitment to providing quality care, mirroring a well-defined safety culture, using evidence-based practice when providing care, and supporting the team's work. Other strategies include maintaining effective communication, engaging in continuous improvement, prioritizing improvement efforts, and ensuring the staff possesses similar goals to provide the best quality of care each day (Hughes, 2008).

 Developing strategies to address changing cultures and assisting team members in understanding how their role integrates into the whole team are also strategies  to help shift the system to a high-performing organization (Porter-O'Grady & Malloch, 2015).

References:

Hughes, R. G. (2008). Nurses at the "Sharp End" of Patient Care. Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US): Chapter 2. Retrieved from:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2672/Links to an external site.

Monteiro, I. (2023). 7 Leadership Styles in Nursing: Their Importance and Impact. Indeed.com.  https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/leadership-styles-in-nursingLinks to an external site.

Porter-O'Grady, T., & Malloch, K. (2015). Leadership in Nursing Practice: Changing the Landscape of Health Care. Jones & Bartlett Publishers.

Spath, P. (2018). Introduction to healthcare quality management (3rd ed.). Health Administration Press.