Research Topic
The article “The Impact of Nursing Leadership on Patient Safety in a Developing Country” reports the study of the ways nursing management influences patient safety in the example of the Fiji Islands. The research topic focuses on how organizational structure change may affect patient care. It analyzes the culture of nursing leadership in Fiji and its effect on the sort of care.
The Literature Review
The literature review has revealed that poor staffing, lack of resources, and difficult conditions have led to problems with healthcare in developing countries. Besides, the tendency to focus on a leader and a staff rather than a patient has contributed to unsafe care. The literature review has also found that the style of leadership shapes the culture of the whole organization (Stewart & Usher, 2010). That is why, despite resource constraints, developing countries can participate in improving the quality of patient care when they change their leadership style and move their focus toward patient safety.
Methodology and Results
The study is a qualitative analysis of data collected from six semi-structured interviews. Six senior registered nursing leaders from the Head Office of the Fiji Ministry of Health participated in the research. Interviews were analyzed using a critical ethnography theory perspective with respect to the social and political system of the region (Stewart & Usher, 2010). The following issues emerged as the result of the study: the empowerment of nursing leaders, the increased attention to patients, the need to explore the nursing environment, and a direct link between improved care and patient safety.
Discussion and Recommendations for Future Research
The study has shown that strong nursing leadership may be a driving force in the improvement of healthcare in Fiji. The current organization of nursing management in the Fiji Islands, as well as in other developing countries, illustrates the influence of social and political factors on patient care. The Fiji Ministry of Health is trying to follow the universal health system, but it struggles not only with insufficient resources but also with the bureaucratic structure of the healthcare system (Stewart & Usher, 2010). This research also provides direction for the further study of nursing care and patient safety issues in developing countries. More research in this field will draw the attention of the international community to this problem.
Critique of the Article
The research has used a critical ethnography theory as the main quality assessment tool. This approach is relevant to the study since it seeks to understand the cognition and behavior of nursing leaders within historical, cultural, and social structures (Stewart & Usher, 2010). The culture of healthcare and nursing in the Fiji Islands has also been studied, as well as the cultural implications of implementing patient safety principles. Besides, Habermas’s theory of communicative action was used as the basis for data analysis (Stewart & Usher, 2010). The results fully reflect the critical ethnography theory since the history of Fiji colonization has influenced the view on nursing in the region. That is why bureaucratic structure is still built-in in the healthcare system of Fiji.
Clinical Implications and Findings
Since most of the current literature focuses on the impact of nursing leadership on patient safety in the developed world, it is necessary to study this issue in developing countries as well. This research is important to the healthcare system in Fiji and other developing countries, especially former colonies (Stewart & Usher, 2010). Patient safety is a major global health concern and the international community must be increasingly aware of the importance of this issue, paying close attention to it. The desire to protect the citizens of developing countries should force reform of the healthcare system, as well as other state and interstate institutions.
Personal Reflection
This article has changed my views on the impact of social, cultural, and political factors on the style of nursing leadership. I believe that the quality of healthcare is among the most important dimensions of universal health coverage. Ensuring patient safety requires a comprehensive effort, including a wide range of interventions to improve performance, safe clinical practices, the change in the structure of nursing management, and intensive focus on patient care.
Reference
Stewart, L., & Usher, K. (2010). The impact of nursing leadership on patient safety in a developing country. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 19(21‐22), 3152-3160.