I am personally convinced that strong and capable leadership that emphasizes full partnership and collaboration with all stakeholders is essential in not only transforming the nursing profession at the local level but also in advancing the potential for contemporary high-quality patient care. Such a leadership approach will require a unique set of skills, which include open communication, high-level collaborative ability, as well as superior capabilities in coordinating, integrating, and facilitating the team practices required to develop mutual commitment between stakeholders (Porter-O’Grady, 2011). I am of the opinion that the leadership of collaboration and transformation will be instrumental in facilitating action to design and initiate appropriate changes required to enhance quality, access, value, and wellness in a patient-centered care environment at the local level. It is important to note that real collaboration in the interdisciplinary care environments which characterize health care delivery at the local level obliges the assumption of full responsibility for spearheading and coordinating efforts that identify challenges associated with waste, healthcare enhancement, tracking quality improvement, advocating for high-quality patient care, as well as achieving the set objectives and goals.
The necessity for nursing education has been well established and documented, with the available nursing literature showing a relationship between nursing education and the actualization of professional competence among nurses (Smith, 2003). At a personal level, I can say that nursing education fits in my future as it will enable me to not only keep up with the shifting technological and patient care trends brought into the limelight by new medical breakthroughs and threats of emerging or evolving diseases, but also to improve patient care outcomes through continuous exposure to journals, webinars, videos, field experiences, and clinical trials, among other educational content. Nursing education also fits in my future as it provides me with the capacity to demonstrate professionalism by keeping up with emerging evidence-based practices reported in journal articles and other modes of education. Lastly, nursing education assists me to develop the various levels of skills and competencies required in practice settings.
References
Porter-O’Grady, T. (2011). Future of nursing special: Leadership at all levels. Nursing Management, 42(5), 32-37.
Smith, J. (2003). Exploring the value of continuing education mandates. Web.