Discuss how nurse leaders serve as advocates for their employees. Describe how advocacy for employees affects patient care and outcomes.
Advocacy Role Among Nursing Leaders
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Advocacy Role Among Nursing Leaders
Introduction
Nurse leaders act as advocates for both patients and nurses. Nurse leaders have the responsibility to ensure their employees work in safe and conducive enlivenment. According to Shaffer et al. (2018), the advocacy role among nurse leaders ensures both appropriate resource allocation and a positive working environment. Today’s workplace environment is increasingly stressful and competition for resources has become tighter. Nurse leaders can advocate for their employees or staff by actively involving them in decisions that have a direct impact on their work environment (Texas A&M International University, 2019). Nurse leaders advocate for nurses by protecting their work resources, such as personal protective equipment, during budgeting to ensure their safety while practicing. Staff involvement during the budgeting process helps address challenges they face in today’s health care environment. Nurse leaders also advocate for their employees by promoting and encouraging continued education (Shaffer et al., 2018). Another important area that nurse leaders can advocate for their employees is salary increments and allowances to promote their living standards.
Advocacy for employees has a positive impact on patient care and outcomes. For example, a positive healthcare environment is associated with high quality of care as well as more positive patient outcomes (Oerther & Rosa, 2020). A positive working environment motivates employees and improves the effectiveness of their work. Additionally, the availability of necessary resources also promotes quality of care and patient outcomes. For instance, patients will receive quality care when medications are available, hence, positive outcomes. Continued education improves the skills and knowledge of care providers, allowing them to provide high-quality care (Oerther & Rosa, 2020). Similarly, well-paid healthcare providers are self-driven and motivated, hence, can offer quality healthcare, which in turn leads to positive patient outcomes.
References
Oerther, S. E., & Rosa, W. E. (2020). Advocating for equality: The backbone of the sustainable development goals. The American journal of nursing, 120(12), 60. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NAJ.0000724256.31342.4b
Shaffer, F., Bakhshi, M., & Jacobs, A. (2018). Advocating to Protect Our Nurses. Nursing administration quarterly, 42(2), 107-114. https://doi.org/10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000274
Texas A&M International University. (2019). Advocate for Other Nurses as an Administrator. https://online.tamiu.edu/articles/msn/advocate-for-nurses-as-administrator.aspx