Introduction
The participation of nurses in work on caring for patients requires not only specialised theoretical knowledge but also other skills that may be useful in the process of implementing immediate duties. The professional competencies of the junior medical staff are formed by meeting a number of conditions, and the effective application of all required work standards is the key to the successful outcomes of care.
Productive interaction among different members of the nursing team makes it possible to maintain consistently high-performance results and sufficient communication that is necessary for comprehensive patient care. This work is aimed at identifying the merits of effective collaboration among team leaders and subordinates and the ways of measuring the competencies required in the clinical practice of nursing staff.
Communication Perspective
In order to determine the advantages that leaders’ cooperation with team members gives, it is possible to consider an example of the successful interaction of a chief nurse executive (CNE) with other nurses. Regular joint activities provide an opportunity to establish contact and a favourable working environment. The use of this principle of work opens up prospects for more effective, achieving the ultimate goals of care compared to a hierarchical approach with strict subordination to the management.
Communication Benefits for the CNE from Cooperation with Nurses
The example of CNE’s participation in work with staff nurses is the vivid reflection of a correct approach to the organisation of relationships among subordinates and direct management. According to professional standards given by American Nurses Association (ANA, 2010), a leader “communicates effectively with the healthcare consumer and colleagues,” which demonstrates his or her interest in achieving high performance (p. 55).
When interacting with the personnel, the CNE is able to understand the problems that subordinates face better and determine the most optimal range of responsibilities for each of the positions. Moreover, when communicating with the staff nurses, the CNE can be aware of the preparedness and qualifications of each team’s member, which is also the advantage of such interaction.
Nurses’ Benefits from Working with the CNE
When communicating with the direct management closely for several hours in a working environment, the staff nurses have an opportunity to learn how those activities that are aimed at maintaining the stable work of the whole team are organised. The CNE may become a personal example for all employees, and such interaction allows subordinates to ask the leader any questions that they may have. Also, the ethical dimensions of leadership need to be taken into account since, as Marquis and Huston (2011) note, employees’ chance to contact management representatives allows both parties to benefit by assessing the range of responsibilities of each team.
If nurses perform their immediate duties responsibly and efficiently, their leader receives an opportunity to see the professionalism of subordinates and their desire to achieve high results. Ultimately, it has a positive effect on management’s attitude toward staff and the adoption of incentive measures.
Effect of the Chain of Command
In the situation when the staff members work alongside their CNE, the chain of command may have a significant effect. All assigned duties are explained immediately, which speeds up time for their fulfilment and eliminates errors. Also, according to the standard of collaboration mentioned in ANA (2010), a registered nurse “applies group process and negotiation techniques with healthcare consumers and colleagues” (p. 57). It, in turn, gives an opportunity to achieve the goals set and positive patient outcomes successfully, which is the main objective of nursing practice. Therefore, the leader’s cooperation with subordinates in the case under consideration has benefits for both parties.
The Measurement of Professional Competencies in Clinical Practice
Measuring professional nursing competencies that are necessary for quality work requires a careful approach. As Melnyk, Gallagher-Ford, Long, and Fineout-Overholt (2014) remark, “competencies are a mechanism that supports health professionals in providing high-quality, safe care” (p. 12). For instance, to evaluate the medication administration of a specific unit, it is necessary to determine the personnel’s knowledge of the basics of drug delivery (dosage, time) to patients. The task of a competent leader is to adhere to the standard of professional practice evaluation, providing colleagues and subordinates with constructive feedback (ANA, 2010).
The assessment of age-specific measures is to be trusted to experienced employees, and those who have appropriate training should be instructed to perform intravenous medication administration and the care of the I.V. site. The level of preparedness is to be verified by testing personnel in a special environment. Under the same conditions, it is possible to determine how employees cope with care planning and documentation control. According to the results of testing, conclusions can be made regarding the professional suitability of the nursing team’s members in the positions they occupy.
Conclusion
Identifying the benefits of communication among medical leaders and subordinates may help to identify positive effects for both parties. Measuring the professional competence of employees requires a competent approach in accordance with the standards of nursing practice. The use of necessary patient care skills is the evidence of employees’ high qualifications. The neglect of basic standards, including ethical, professional, and other aspects of work, is the reason to think about the suitability of an employee to his or her position.
References
American Nurses Association. (2010). Nursing: Scope and standards of practice (2nd ed.). Silver Spring, MD: American Nurses Association.
Marquis, B., & Huston, C. (2011). Leadership roles and management functions in nursing: Theory and application (7th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Melnyk, B. M., Gallagher-Ford, L., Long, L. E., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2014). The establishment of evidence-based practice competencies for practicing registered nurses and advanced practice nurses in real-world clinical settings: Proficiencies to improve healthcare quality, reliability, patient outcomes, and costs. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 11(1), 5-15. Web.