Introduction
Advanced nursing practices are guided by some essential blueprints that draw from scientifically proven information by making use of evidence-based strategies to inform all aspects of nursing practice. A Nurse faces numerous challenges in their clinical operations, some of which are not always easy to find solutions to, therefore, warranting the need for more knowledge to inform clinical actions. Informed knowledge is a vital component in healthcare delivery, as the marker that separates layman healthcare provision from professional nursing practices. Nurses perform numerous roles, some of which include patient and colleague educational activities.
Philosophy of Science in Clinical Nurse Educator
According to Carvalho et al., (2017) doctoral, programs are the means through which professionals, including those pursuing Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNPs), utilize the important ability to teach the future professionals. In this regard, DNPs while making use of the philosophy of science opportunities re-enforce the blueprints of nursing practice by informing better and quality care practices as well as the chance for continual knowledge dissemination. One study concluded that the philosophy of science can be useful to professional nursing practice as it allows for the expansion and the inclusion of new information relevant for enhancing scientific education and theory developments (Carvalho et al., 2017). New knowledge in healthcare delivery follows a specified path before the knowledge becomes generally accepted as one that can be adopted in care settings. In my current nursing practice, working as a clinical nurse educator in a community hospital, the philosophy of nursing has been vital in helping interact and get information to the care providers in the community hospital. As a Doctorate nurse, the knowledge of philosophical approaches to nurse education has helped me in making a critical analysis of situations while posing questions concerning care practice. The philosophical knowledge can also be used to prop group discussions among healthcare providers in various matters concerning safe patient care practices and the other cases of concern. According to Krishnan (2018), philosophy prepares nurses with skills relevant to clinical decision making and to raise awareness over nursing practices that needs a change or which have been outdated. As a clinical educator nurse, it is the DNP’s responsibility to initiate nursing care communications while observing ethical nursing practice protocols among the healthcare providers.
Effect of Educational Intervention on Preceptor Satisfaction to New RNs
In my DNP applied project, I seek to understand the effect of educational interventions on preceptor satisfaction with teaching newly graduated registered nurses (RNs). Preceptors are generally better placed to offer educational materials and to relay evidence-based practices to new RN graduates. As a philosophy nurse, I enjoy helping the new RNs in setting their practice objectives, introduce the professionals to new and upcoming practice procedures as well as offer them timely informed feedback over their operations within the care facility. According to Jacobs (2018), having an informed and highly qualified preceptor has been reported to cast a visionary perspective on the next generation of nursing professionals. The outcomes of having nurse preceptors are therefore more pronounced over the new RNs, as they help mold the professionals thought patterns and their analytical capabilities, which are critical in their clinical practice both presently and in the future. One of the skills that I believe differentiates most nursing care professionals is the ability to ask questions. As an example, I noticed that most nursing care professionals in my community hospital are reluctant seeking more information through questions with the patients as well as with colleagues. Therefore, I resorted to reverse the trend by allowing room for vulnerability in questioning where more knowledge is needed. Besides, most problems that emanate from the care environment, such as those related to hospital-acquired infections were not being properly handled. This is because most of the newly graduated nurses do not critically analyze their patients and their care environments. DNPs’ role in addressing such care concerns and challenges being experienced by the young graduates is timely for impacting the future of healthcare.
Conclusion
The education interventions offered by DNPs go a long way in informing clinical practice, policy implementation, and protocol adherence in the line of care. This, therefore, means that DNPs are essential not only by offering education to new NPS but also in reaffirming quality healthcare access and increased patient safety concerns. In conclusion, newly graduated Registered Nurses are a vital force in the healthcare system, especially in the nursing field, and should not be neglected, but should be encouraged and supported to steer the future of nursing and healthcare in general.
References
Carvalho, D. P., Azevedo, I. C., Cruz, G. K., Mafra, G. A., Rego, A. L., Vitor, A. F.,… & Júnior, M. A. F. (2017). Strategies used for the promotion of critical thinking in nursing undergraduate education: a systematic review. Nurse Education Today, 57, 103-107.
Jacobs, S. (2018), “An analysis of the evolution of mentorship in nursing”, International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, Vol. 7 No. 2, pp. 155-176.
Krishnan, P. (2018). A philosophical analysis of clinical decision making in nursing. Journal of Nursing Education, 57(2), 73-78.