Re Topic 4 DQ 1 An environment that does not support its nurses through education training and debriefing of

Re: Topic 4 DQ 1

“An environment that does not support its nurses through education, training, and debriefing of high-risk practice behaviors may lead to increased errors, decreased accountability, and poor patient outcomes.” (Thomas, 2018).

This quote from our text says a lot to me about leadership. Nurses need to be advocates for their patient’s care plans and safety of all the patients in the facility. The nurse also needs to be an advocate for the employer to be able to boldly and confidently speak highly of the services offered and how it will help the patient get their diagnosis and assist them in their care plan. If the nurse cannot speak highly or respect the employer, I believe this shows from the nurse and this will make the patient more leery or untrusting in the employer and the services that they provide. A patient wants to be with a nurse who loves their job and their place of employment so they can feel comfortable and trusting in the care that they will receive. Nurse leaders need to be able to speak freely amongst their staff to ensure the employees are happy with their role and that they can be a good example of the mission and vision statement for the organization.

Reference

Thomas, J., (2018). Chapter 4. Grand Canyon University (Ed.). Nursing Leadership & Management: Leading and Serving. Retrieved from: https://lc.gcumedia.com/nrs451vn/nursing-leadership-and-management-leading-and-serving/v1.1/#/chapter/34
Reply 2

Nurse leaders wno adovcate for their emploees with the use of education and training, and provide a supportive environment of behaviors that could reduce patient errors and increase accountability, are likely to have produce better patient outcomes.  Leadership in nursing, can drive these patient improvements, by advocating for nurse staffing issues (ie, patient ratio related to accuity, having ancillary staff, allowing nurses to self schedule).

As a surgical nurse, there has been a push for many years, to make surgical smoke evacuation for procedures which have the likelyhood to generate more smoke plume.  Electrocautery devices, laser prodedures and laparoscopic devices all have the capabiility to gerare surgical smoke.  Brething surgidal smoke plume, without evacuating the smoke during ertain cases is the equivalent to smoking up to 27 to 30 cigarrettes (Vortman, & Thorlton, 2020). 

Without the support from nurse leaders, regarding smoke evacuation in the Operating Room (OR), these hazards will continue to exist.  Leaders should be cognizant, and plan to budget for smoke evacuation devices.  Surgical patients, may not be aware of the hazards generated by inhaling surgical smoke plume.  Toxins in surgical smoke have been found to be toxic and harmful.  Surgiclal staff members have a much greater exposure for longer time frames, making them even more at risk during certain cases (Vortman, & Thorlton, 2020).  I believe you provided a well written post, and I do believe trust must exist between nurse leaders and staff members.  Good information, well done post!

Reference

Vortman, R., & Thorlton, J. (2020). Empowering Nurse Executives to Advocate for Surgical Smoke–Free Operating Rooms. Nurse Leader. https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2020.10.004