Impact report to senior leadership

Nursing Challenge

Nurses play a vital function in identifying, interpreting, and transmitting information and knowledge within the larger healthcare systems. As technology continues to develop, the number of engagements between nurses and patients exchanging information in social and digital media continues to swell. The use of social media in the field of nursing practice learning can help the students to develop a better perception and skills necessary for health policies, professional communication, ethical practices, patient privacy as well as written communication competencies (Ferguson, 2013).

While there could be some barriers to the successful integration of social media as a practical educational method, the widespread use in the contemporary world and indeed in the health care system cannot be ignored. Given this growing field, there is a need to harness this powerful tool to enable future nursing leaders to improve their knowledge on the appropriate use of digital media as a form of communication between patients and nurses. There is a challenge posed by the slow uptake of technology among the nursing professional, which creates a poor patient satisfaction level in the dissemination of information and knowledge. To improve the rates of satisfaction among the patients, the institution seeks to develop the position of The Nurse Unit Manager- Social Media Communication (Jean Barry 2012).

The Organization Structure

The Director of Nursing who supervises two deputy directors heads the Deeptown Teaching Hospital’s nursing department. One of the deputy directors is in charge of nursing education and development while the other is in charge of the nursing practice. Each of the deputy nursing directors supervises assistant managers. For example, Deputy nursing director-nursing practice has an assistant director of nursing Medical/Critical, surgical, maternal/ pediatric. The deputy director nursing education and development supervise assistant directors in nursing education and affairs.  From these cadres, there are other cadres down the structure up to the lowest level of junior nurses.

The mission of the Deeptown Teaching Hospital is to provide the country with a compassionate quality of nursing care with a focus on the unique needs of the clients. Some of the core values of the institution include a nursing care guided by the needs of the patients, a commitment to creating an environment where respect, active and timely communication among the patients and the healthcare team are prioritized. Besides, the hospital is committed to its mission of leading, caring and teaching and in the process, serving the residents of Jacksonville, St. Louis and all that seek the services of the facility. The institution is dedicated to nursing excellence through a creation of continuous learning that incorporates evidence-based practice, technology, research as well as professional development.

The nursing philosophy at Deeptown Teaching Hospital is a reflection of the values that the institution stands for. Professional practice is supported by the principles of individualizing the nursing care, ensuring it is compassionate and culturally sensitive. Collaboration between the nurses, patients, and families is emphasized in the planning and provision of nursing care aimed at achieving high levels of wellness and health. Besides, a holistic, well coordinated, and culturally appropriate patient care is based on the ethical principles guided by research findings and experience. Finally, at Deeptown, excellence is acquired through a shared governance approach system with timely and appropriate communication between the various levels of management and the patients to encourage them to participate in both clinical and organizational decision-making.

Applying the Betty Neuman’s system model of a holistic system based method, the nursing practice should be flexible and use of various methods to prevent, retain, attain, or maintain the wellness of the patient (Neuman & Fawcett, 2002).  This is the approach used at Deeptown Teaching Hospital. However, there is a changing pedagogy that the institution is yet to fully incorporate into its programs to achieve its vision and mission. As it has been mentioned, with the rapid changing of technology, so does the method of teaching nursing education. Accrediting and other nursing organizations are revising the curriculum to ensure that the programs taught embrace nursing informatics in addition to technology-based competencies. It is necessary that the graduating nursing professionals are enabled to practice in technology-enabled environments. It is expected that many nurses will have to return to school in the future to further their education (Schmitt, Sims-Giddens & Booth, 2012).

The committee found out that there exist a gap in the uptake of social media application in nursing practice as well as for educational purposes. The application of current social media tools in the nursing practice has been grouped into three categories: expository, best practices including privacy, ethics, and legality and research functions. It is the position of the committee, therefore, that the gap should be filled by establishing a new position in the division of education and development to develop and strengthen this new pedagogy. Through the introduction of this post, the institution will not only reduce the large span of control but also help the nursing team and students sharpen their skills to meet the market requirements.

Expository Commentaries include the use of blogs and wikis to enhance interactive learning with students. It further promotes collaboration among professionals, aids in project management and per support. Availability of publications that concentrate on legal and ethical aspects of medical social use can help the students and instructors share such information without the barriers of geographical location and time.  Such considerations include professionalism, developing an online reputation, third-party material ownership, privacy among other aspects. Technologies like podcasts, Facebook, Twitter and other platforms provide avenues for knowledge sharing among students and professionals from different universities (Jean Barry, 2012).

SWOT Analysis

Strengths Operated $2.1 billion in revenue in 2015, 3,543 employees, 800 physicians,2.2 million sq. ft of building spaceHas among the highly recommended physicians in the city as ranked by the Top Doc list.The nurses have been accredited with the Magnet status by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)The Deeptown Teaching Hospital has a long history. It was established in 1903 as the fifth teaching hospital in the countryExcellence in Research with two vaccines against pneumonia developed in the Hospital.

Weaknesses The cost of health care has been rising sharplyThere are challenges of impersonality and sometimes the privacy of patients is not protected as it should be because it is a teaching HospitalThere are many underinsured or uninsured patients owing to the location of the HospitalAPRNs are underutilized for health care.

Opportunities The Hospital has highly trained and qualified APRNs a majority of whom are expected to operate in primary careThe APRNs are working as registered nurses who can be used to provide cost-efficient careImplementation of the ACA presents a cost cutting opportunity.

Threats Deeptown faces competition from other hospitals in the cityShortage of workforce and consequently  vast control spans of control for the nursing departmentThe ever rising cost of healthcare

The Position

The Nurse Unit Manager- Social Media Communication position will be perfect at this point to bring professional communication, the privacy of patients and upholding of ethical principles, increasing the writing competencies and health policy. While the use of some social media tools like Facebook, Twitter, Blogging and LinkedIn are common among most younger and even older generation students, formalizing and bringing the factors discussed above will help the learners improve the healthcare of the patients and research into nursing practice (Schmitt et al., 2012).

Job Description

The Nurse Unit Manager will oversee operations in the digital and social media communication including supervising staff to implementing the curriculum. For a person to fill this position, they require training nursing and management with extensive clinical experience together with administrative experience.

Qualifications

A master of science in nursing with business administration training is required. Besides, the successful candidate must have attended a short-term course on nursing communication certificate. To fill the position one must have worked for a minimum of three years as an assistant manager.

Duties and responsibilities

Supervises all human capital in the unit including registered, licensed nurses, nursing instructors, and medical clerks. They allocate responsibilities; appraise worker performance, discipline employees in addition to developing policies and procedures. They set goals and standards, mentor less experienced nurses and offer career advice.

The manager will be in charge of standards for digital and social media communication by applying evidence-based communication research. He/she will monitor the implementation of the curriculum and assess learner records to evaluate the efficiency of the teaching offered by the unit. He/she will address any complaints from students and education and solve any disputes that may arise.

The holder of the position will generate and manage the unit budget including supplies, human resources, and other expenses. They guarantee the equipment required for the successful instruction of the course is available in addition to taking accountability of the assets under their watch.

Skills and Competencies

Apart from the technical skills of digital and social media communication, the holder of the position will be required to have excellent communication skills, interpersonal and leadership skills.

References

Ferguson, C. (2013). It’s time for the nursing profession to leverage social media. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 69(4), 745-747.

Jean Barry MSN, R. N. (2012). Advancing nursing practice through social media: A global perspective. Online journal of issues in nursing, 17(3), 1_9.

Neuman, B. M., & Fawcett, J. (2002). The Neuman systems model. Pearson Education, Incorporated.

Schmitt, T. L., Sims-Giddens, S. S., & Booth, R. G. (2012). Social media use in nursing education. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 17(3).