Can We Afford to Remain Uninvolved?
By Cory Sorio, Professor; Research Medical Center School of Nursing T he theme of the MONA (Missouri Nurses Association) Biennial Convention last October was "Taking Charge of your Nursing Practice". It was a 2-day convention filled with dynamic and nationally known speakers who addressed current issues of nursing practice. Beverly Malone Ph.D., RN, FAAN, the current President of ANA, delivered the keynote address. Norma Metheny Ph.D., RN, FAAN, who holds an Endowed Chair in Nursing Research at the St. Louis University School of Nursing, talked about "Nursing Research: Power for Change". Judith Shindul-Rothschild Ph.D., RN, CS, Assistant Professor at Boston College of Nursing and prolific author of numerous articles on health and social policy, presented "Money Talks": The dollar and Sense of Health Care Delivery.The central message of the convention is control. What will nursing be like ten to twenty years from now? Today, we need to make decisions proactively and consciously, not by default, but with a vision for the future nursing generations. We've been called the "sleeping giant" of health care. We have endured the intrusions, and manipulations of outsiders, aided by the internal conflict among ourselves. It is imperative for us to take control now, on behalf of our profession and the public we serve. Several realities need to be faced. Hospital numbers will shrink, limited resources will be rationed and financial realities will demand the most economical providers. The present downsizing, merger and acquisition phenomena reduced both the number of nurses at the bedside and in the managerial positions. Today, Health care is not necessarily designed with the patient or nurse in mind. To survive, we need to individually and collectively, actively harness and nurture the resources that we have. Let us use our informational power strategically. Our connection to our patient is our power base. Nursing is "caring for the whole person" - the capacity for the most intimate ministrations, the talent to empower patients to care for themselves. Claim and declare your vital role in your patient’s healing. Let us strengthen our legitimate power. Our professional licensing body ensures that only qualified and safe practitioners are authorized to practice nursing. If we do not support our State Board of Nursing, it is possible that another governing body can acquire rights over our nursing practice. How would you like doctors, hospitals, health insurance companies or even private, for-profit business to set guidelines for our practice, and compensation? Do we want to surrender our professional autonomy to other groups? Let us develop our referential power. Nursing is not a solo experience. Now is the time to build bridges within our profession, to establish collegial and collaborative relationships with fellow staff nurses, clinicians, nurse practitioners and administrators in order to strengthen our influence in both the clinical and administrative arenas. Let us increase memberships in our association, to provide the organizational power and well-developed grassroots network that allows us to forge ahead aggressively on our own behalf. Let us apply, support, and contribute to nursing research. Health needs are numerous and have far-reaching human and economic impact. We can deal with these challenges more effectively and safely if we keep abreast with the state of knowledge in our field. There is an urgent need for studies on nurse staffing/skill mix and its effect on patient care. We need tangible evidence to justify our claim for declining quality in patient care due to inadequate staffing. We need nursing researchers to provide rationales and measurable outcomes for nursing interventions, and to challenge nursing actions that have become automatic. Critical thinking skill is the distinguishing hallmark of the professional nurse. Entertained ideas on obtaining further studies? Earn that degree and dare to fulfill your dreams. Seek to understand the nursing role in the changing health care system. Health care financing, nurses' working conditions and nursing practice are closely interrelated. Hand-in-hand with more autonomous practice, Registered nurses are now being held more accountable for their actions and decisions. This impacts quality and cost. Business sense is no longer just the purview of those in the business field. Let us face the challenge of learning to manipulate systems and networks to address our own needs as skillfully as we coordinate services for our patients. We are at a critical point in nursing history. The present health care is demanding a transformation of the nature and scope of nursing service to the public. To take control means to be aware of trends and changing values, and to act on realistic and tested principles. Control is further maximized when we look for solutions within ourselves and suppress the natural tendency to place blame. We must collectively promote the values, image, and vision that will usher nursing into the 21st century. Be the best nurse you can be! Meeting this challenge is critical to the health of our patients- and to the health of our nursing profession. |
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