WEEK 1 Leaders vs. Managers (graded) Review the Huston (2010) article listed under reading assignments. Which skills described for the Nurse Leader in the year 2020 are important now? Explain your rationale and provide an example from your practice setting (or from your prelicensure program) to support it. Reference: Huston, C. (2010). What skills will the nurse leaders of 2020 need? (2010). Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand, 16(6), 14–15. Healthcare Today (graded) Note: There are three parts to this discussion. Healthcare Reform is a term that is ever present in our practice settings and will not disappear any time soon. 1) Share with the class implementation of the Affordable Care Act in your organization. (If you are not working as a nurse, think about what was happening when you were a pre-licensure student). 2) How did your fellow healthcare workers react to implementation of the ACA? 3) How were citizens in your community impacted? WEEK 2 Healthcare Policy (graded) The implementation of the Affordable Care Act means that many more citizens now have access to healthcare. However, some still “fall through the cracks.” Describe the role of the Nurse Leader (any one of us) when uninsured or under-insured patients present for care. What is the policy where you work? Legal and Ethical Issues in Practice (graded) The process of delegation has been referred to as “legal dynamite.” Please share an example of delegation that was not appropriate. Where did it go wrong and why? WEEK 3 My Leadership SMART Goal (graded) Keep in mind that completing this TD is the key to assisting you with the Week 4 Assignment, My Leadership Development SMART Goal. Use the format below to develop a leadership SMART goal for YOURSELF, not your organization or department. The goal needs to be related to ONE of the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) quality initiative, which includes five core healthcare profession competencies. However, your assignment focuses on only two of the initiatives. These are Patient-Centered Care or Working in Interdisciplinary and/or Interprofessional Teams. One of these competencies will serve as a framework for identification of your leadership goal. NOTE: Your two choices are Patient-Centered Care or Working in Interdisciplinary and/or Interprofessional Teams. SMART Goal Format: S—Specific (Who, besides YOU is involved in your goal, what is YOUR goal, and where will it take place?) M—Measurable (How are YOU going to achieve the goal?) A—Attainable (What resources and/or experts are available to assist YOU with attaining your goal?) R—Realistic (Is YOUR goal something that is realistically obtainable by YOU in YOUR professional practice? Explain.) T—Time bound (What specific dates or weeks will YOU accomplish each task related to YOUR leadership goal?) Again, this goal is about YOUR leadership development…not a SMART goal for your department or the organization for which you work. Your instructor will give you specific feedback about your Goal as preparation for the My Leadership SMART Goal assignment, which is due Week 4. Making Important Decisions (graded) Decision making, change and strategic planning are all important in today’s healthcare settings. Explain which is more relevant and support the explanation with an example. Also consider the following: Should change lead to strategic planning? Should strategic planning lead to change? WEEL 4 Patient-Centered Care (graded) Review the Article: Kramer, M., Schmalenberg, C., Maguire, P., Brewer, B., Burke, R., Chmielewski, L., … Meeks-Sjostrom, D. (2009). Walk the talk: Promoting control of nursing practice and a patient-centered culture. Critical Care Nurse, 29(3), 77–93. .ebscohost.com.proxy.chamberlain.edu:8080/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rzh&AN=2010305271&site=ehost-live”>Click to retrieve. Achieving magnet status is important to many facilities throughout the country. Explain why shared governance has played a key role in implementing the concepts of patient-centered care. Diversity and Disparities in Healthcare (graded) It is vitally important that nurses are aware of other cultures as they collaborate with a diverse work force as well as patients and their families. Assume you are Masaya’s preceptor. What leadership skills should you model to assist Masaya and your fellow coworkers with his acceptance into the work-group/team based on what you discover by watching the video (link is below). .equella.ecollege.com/file/cf3be511-e270-466b-94b6-c217ebdd7ee6/1/NR447_W4_Discussion_SecondLife.mp4″>Second Life Video .equella.ecollege.com/file/cf3be511-e270-466b-94b6-c217ebdd7ee6/1/NR447_W4_SecondLife_Transcript.html”>Transcript WEEK 5 All About Teamwork (graded) There are two components to this topic. Please address each component in your response. Collaboration is a term that has been used throughout the lesson. Cite an example from your practice experiences or your prelicensure clinical experiences of how teamwork could have been improved with collaboration. Should the registered nurse be the leader in coordinating a patient’s plan of care? What are the advantages to such a model? The Four C’s for Leaders (graded) At times the needs of our families conflict with our work responsibilities. Could this possible be the underlying issue here? Explain the communication skills displayed in the scenario. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate those of the leader? How might the communication skills have been improved? Please review the video to learn more about the issue. .equella.ecollege.com/file/04d44a6c-ac26-4410-b023-bc640a5b5b9e/1/NR447_W5_Discussion_SecondLife.mp4″>Second Life Video .equella.ecollege.com/file/04d44a6c-ac26-4410-b023-bc640a5b5b9e/1/NR447_W5_SecondLife_Transcript.html”>Transcript WEEK 6 Evidence-based Practice… What Does It Mean? (graded) The concept of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) may not be one with which “seasoned nurses” are familiar. Assume you are the newly appointed Nursing Leader in a busy Orthopedic Clinic. Explain how you would educate the entire nursing staff on EBP without “offending” the “seasoned” nurses. What interpersonal and communication skills would be important to utilize? What About the Nurse Executive? (graded) Review Appendix A, Sections I–V in Finkelman (2012, pp. 510–515). Select one of the sections and share how your chief nurse executive demonstrates expertise in these competencies. WEEK 7 Patient Outcomes (graded) This discussion topic requires you to reflect on the Performance Improvement (Quality Improvement) processes at your facility. Make sure you address all components of the topic for a robust discussion. It is anticipated that all clinical areas will be mentioned. Recall an improvement method initiated at your facility. What data was gathered? How was this done? What outcomes were measured and how was change implemented to improve the quality of care and patient outcomes? Quality and Safety Initiatives (graded) A “culture of safety” is a term about which we hear a great deal. Describe the culture of safety at your organization. Who is leading the charge to promote safety? What is your role as a BSN-prepared nurse in ongoing strategies to promote safety?
