Hospital boards would gain a valuable perspective on the experience of patients, staff and help accomplish the Institute of Healthcare Improvement’s Triple Aim.
The Triple Aim aims to improve patient experience, health populations and cut the per capita cost of healthcare.
The suggestion was made by Joanne Disch, R.N., who directs the University of Minnesota’s Katharine J. Densford International Center for Nurse Leadership. “The nurses’ lens brings a specific viewpoint to decision-making,” she said. “This perspective is informed by the fact that nurses need to understand people to treat patients, and can engage a diverse group of stakeholders with their wide range of interpersonal skills.”
The American Hospital Association (AHA) has compiled a list of other reasons why boards should include nursing staff.
Proximity to the science of medicine
Owing to their scientific understanding of care processes, nurses can provide an insight to boards when leaders want to change the care systems. Nurses are also experienced in working successfully in tandem with other health professionals and this wealth of knowledge can also be a credit to decision making on changes where physicians are impacted.
See Also: Millennial Nurse Leaders Must Learn Empathy
Knowledge on patient safety and quality.
One of the chief responsibilities of a hospital board is to ensure that patients are getting the safest and highest-quality care. Nurses have frontline experience on what works best for patients and can offer these insights to a board for strategic and financial improvements.
Community contact
Similarly, nurses have direct contact with patients and families - links that are valuable for improving AHA-recommended community links.
According to FierceHealthcare, at present, nurses make up only 6 percent of board members and more say is needed in board decision-making. The AHA says that the presence of doctors and a Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) are not sufficient. The perspective of doctors is different from that of nursing staff and the CNO is a hospital employee so unable to play a directors’ role independently.
Other recommendations are that nurses should gain experience for a board presence by seeking similar voluntary positions at non-profits.
Source: Fiercehealthcare
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The Triple Aim aims to improve patient experience, health populations and cut the per capita cost of healthcare.
The suggestion was made by Joanne Disch, R.N., who directs the University of Minnesota’s Katharine J. Densford International Center for Nurse Leadership. “The nurses’ lens brings a specific viewpoint to decision-making,” she said. “This perspective is informed by the fact that nurses need to understand people to treat patients, and can engage a diverse group of stakeholders with their wide range of interpersonal skills.”
The American Hospital Association (AHA) has compiled a list of other reasons why boards should include nursing staff.
Proximity to the science of medicine
Owing to their scientific understanding of care processes, nurses can provide an insight to boards when leaders want to change the care systems. Nurses are also experienced in working successfully in tandem with other health professionals and this wealth of knowledge can also be a credit to decision making on changes where physicians are impacted.
See Also: Millennial Nurse Leaders Must Learn Empathy
Knowledge on patient safety and quality.
One of the chief responsibilities of a hospital board is to ensure that patients are getting the safest and highest-quality care. Nurses have frontline experience on what works best for patients and can offer these insights to a board for strategic and financial improvements.
Community contact
Similarly, nurses have direct contact with patients and families - links that are valuable for improving AHA-recommended community links.
According to FierceHealthcare, at present, nurses make up only 6 percent of board members and more say is needed in board decision-making. The AHA says that the presence of doctors and a Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) are not sufficient. The perspective of doctors is different from that of nursing staff and the CNO is a hospital employee so unable to play a directors’ role independently.
Other recommendations are that nurses should gain experience for a board presence by seeking similar voluntary positions at non-profits.
Source: Fiercehealthcare
Image Credit:
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Hospital boards should include nurses for better management
