Introduction
The role of advanced practice nurse (APN) has considerably enhanced lately due to the intense, challenging climate caused by the worldwide pandemic. Nurses present the unexploited potential for serving people and helping society live healthier lives. With this said, it is a fundamental task for nurses to take on leadership roles to deal with the systemic health challenges in the current society.
Themes of Communication Problems, Multidisciplinary Involvement, and Multiple Commitments
The nursing field encompasses a variety of interrelated themes and strategies enabling successful leadership and health outcomes for the target population. First, efficient coordination and communication among the healthcare providers can significantly improve the quality of medical services and patient safety. Thus, meaningful communication skills facilitate patient-focused leadership based on “negotiating, managing conflict, building coalitions, and managing change” (Johnson, Talley, and Watts, 2020, p. 186). Communication is the cornerstone of nursing leadership and is crucial to achieving patient- and organization-focused outcomes. Moreover, effective communication contributes to meaningful partnerships with interprofessional team members and other interested parties in delivering innovative patient care. Throughout multidisciplinary work, each discipline needs to retain its “professional role and perspective” (Johnson et al., 2020, p. 190). Ultimately, strong nursing leaders make ongoing commitments and are responsible for keeping them. The power of leadership in a healthcare system is traced in the persistence and commitment to quality and, therefore, promoting healthcare transformation.
Strategies of Preventive Ethics to Prevent the Conflict or Facilitate its Resolution
One of the core strategies of preventive ethics (PE) in nursing practice might be using a “model of ethical decision making” created by an interdisciplinary team (Grace, 2017, p. 191). It is a critical leadership activity that may help unit nurses guide them in terms of early detection of emerging ethical issues, analysis of these conflicting issues, and potential ways to address the problem cooperatively. Another important PE strategy implies stress management because daily ethical challenges can take a high emotional toll and lead to serious work-related conflicts by creating an excessive workload (Grace, 2017). An effective strategy for APNs would be teaming up with other physicians and allied professionals, whose core ethical concerns mirror their own.
APN Leadership and Policy Area
Successful modern healthcare leaders must develop the political and policy competence to incorporate health-enhancing policies and advocate for crucial changes to deliver fair and just patient care. APNs need to be strongly determined to argue for the ongoing practice of their education and training at the regulatory and institutional levels (Johnson et al., 2020, p. 195). Nurses have the potential to profoundly impact the regulation of healthcare policies at the local, state, and federal levels (Johnson et al., 2020). As such, nurses can be politically active by taking leadership positions or collaborating with elected officials about legislation affecting the healthcare field at the local level. APNs can also engage in city councils and committees to have the maximum power to influence healthcare policy. Nurses also can get involved in a professional nursing organization to impact the legislation from the state and federal perspectives. Most importantly, nurse practitioners require constant support to promote the critical change in healthcare, which starts from every single individual, encouraging political activism.
Conclusion
Nurses are considered the major providers of healthcare to patients, families, and communities in various settings. APNs leaders must communicate the established vision of care and learn to integrate all the competence and knowledge into practice. In addition, the multidisciplinary approach to nursing and determined commitment should be implemented as a daily practice to enhance patient care. Preventive ethics in nursing primary aims to ensure good patient care and prevent the development of ethical concerns. Most importantly, nurses can significantly influence the policy regulation in healthcare at the local, state, and federal levels.
References
Grace, P. J. (2017). Nursing ethics and professional responsibility in advanced practice. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Johnson, J., Talley, M., & Watts P. (2020). A quality and policy focus to academic leadership. In S. B. Hassmiller & J. Pulcini (Eds.), Advanced practice nursing leadership: A global perspective (pp. 185–204). Springer.