I’m Banking on Nursing Leaders

Recently I went to a bank to make some changes to my accounts. My banker, Jonathan, set out to help me. It was such a pleasure to be able to explain my needs and have him translate the vision of what I wanted my money to do for me. What was really obvious to me was that Jonathan knew what he was doing. He was well versed in the products that the bank offered. He used some critical thinking to determine what products would work for me and he was adept in applying that knowledge. He helped me set up my phone so I could bank by phone. He even went the extra mile to test the apps to make sure they worked before I left the bank.

This experience had me think about healthcare and nursing today. Many nurses, especially the “boomer” nurses, don’t like it, but healthcare is changing to a customer satisfaction, cost containment driven business.

Hospitals, nursing homes, hospices and home cares are now going to have their patient satisfaction surveys published. Poor scores will no doubt lead to difficulty developing healthcare partner relationships and may lead to decreased reimbursement and loss of revenue.

As nursing leaders, today we have to accept that things are changing. As leaders within healthcare organizations, we are becoming responsible for those patient satisfaction surveys along with patient outcomes. First, we need to understand what’s happening in healthcare today and what the trends are. Secondly, we need to understand the products. Affordable Care Act, Medicare/Medicaid/ insurance regulations, evidence based practice and your Nurse Practice Act, to name a few.

Lastly, like my banker Jonathan, nursing leaders need to be adept in applying the knowledge they have. Some long for the days when “Nursing was Nursing” but those times had their challenges also. I remember medications had to be copied each week by hand onto a Kardex (dating myself), now we have electronic medical records that can be shared across the continuum.

Nostalgia has its place. Today we need to operate in the style of servant leadership, where you are the facilitator and translator of the vision.

Mastering balance between your mind, body, soul and spirit is the key to effective leadership. Get the tools, understand the mindset of the big picture, and apply the knowledge with confidence and finesse. This will allow you to do your job well. Your staff, patients and organizations will experience the best nursing has to offer, YOU, the nursing leader. To remain successful and find joy in your work you must secure resources, find a mentor and have a safe place where you can be renewed and find support. This is essential in mastering your legacy of leadership. After all, you can’t give what you don’t have!

How are you navigating the changing world of managing staff in the quickly changing healthcare scene?

About Naomi

Naomi is a Registered Nurse, Certified Life Coach and Motivational Speaker. She is owner and CEO of Consults Unlimited Inc., a Professional Life Coaching company. She is known as the Life Coach RN. As a Life Coach she specializes in helping nursing leadership “Live and Work Smarter not Harder!” With over 30 years of nursing experience, she has been in management for over 19 years. For more information about coaching with Naomi visit http://www.LifeCoachRN.com