Explain the concept of a knowledge worker. Define and explain nursing informatics and highlight the role of a nurse leader
Explain the concept of a knowledge worker. Define and explain nursing informatics and highlight the role of a nurse leader Explain the concept of a knowledge worker. Define and explain nursing Assignment: The Nurse Leader as Knowledge Worker The term “knowledge worker” was first coined by management consultant and author Peter Drucker in his book, The Landmarks of Tomorrow (1959). Drucker defined knowledge workers as high-level workers who apply theoretical and analytical knowledge, acquired through formal training, to develop products and services. Does this sound familiar? Nurses are very much knowledge workers. What has changed since Drucker’s time are the ways that knowledge can be acquired. The volume of data that can now be generated and the tools used to access this data have evolved significantly in recent years and helped healthcare professionals (among many others) to assume the role of knowledge worker in new and powerful ways. In this Assignment, you will consider the evolving role of the nurse leader and how this evolution has led nurse leaders to assume the role of knowledge worker. You will prepare a PowerPoint presentation with an infographic (graphic that visually represents information, data, or knowledge. Infographics are intended to present information quickly and clearly.) to educate others on the role of nurse as knowledge worker. Reference: Drucker, P. (1959). The landmarks of tomorrow. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. To Prepare: Review the concepts of informatics as presented in the Resources. Reflect on the role of a nurse leader as a knowledge worker. Consider how knowledge may be informed by data that is collected/accessed. The Assignment: Explain the concept of a knowledge worker. Define and explain nursing informatics and highlight the role of a nurse leader as a knowledge worker. Include one slide that visually represents the role of a nurse leader as knowledge worker. Your PowerPoint should Include the hypothetical scenario you originally shared in the Discussion Forum. Include your examination of the data that you could use, how the data might be accessed/collected, and what knowledge might be derived from that data. Be sure to incorporate feedback received from your colleagues’ responses. Below is the scenario I shared Shift handover is a key tool in ensuring continuity of care The patient handover process in my facility is manual, and much of the data has to be written down in the patient reports. Some nurses in charge of chronic patients, however, feel that the paper work has become too much, yet the patients’ condition are the same (Smith et al., 2018). Ms. Winnie, one of the nurses refuses to write a full patient report for a diabetes patient who has been in the facility for the last three months, claiming that we all know her needs, and we should attend to her without the written continuation instructions. She also claims that she will do the paper work once she finds free time. Before reporting Ms. Winnie to the nurse manager, I happen to realize that what she did was a grave mistake, as it would be a risk to the patient life (Anastasi, 2019). If, for instance, the patient turnover in the facility increases during the night, and the facility hires another group of nurses to help on locum basis, it is likely that the patient whose data was not reported will not be attended to. This can lead to delay in treatment. The involvement of clinicians is essential to developing a sustainable electronic handover system. One of the ways that a physician would use clinical judgement to form knowledge from this experience is examining possibilities. It should be understood that no one ever anticipates or prepares for medical errors (Mosadeghrad & Woldemichael, 2017). However, occurrence of experiences of negligence such as that of Ms. Winnie would increase the chances of medical error. Also, this experience is enough reason to justify the implementation of an automated system. References Anastasi, E. (2019). How to become a locum. Dental Nursing, 15(6), 278-280. Mosadeghrad, A. M., & Woldemichael, A. (2017). Application of quality management in promoting patient safety and preventing medical errors. In Impact of Medical Errors and Malpractice on Health Economics, Quality, and Patient Safety (pp. 91-112). IGI Global. Smith, J. G., Morin, K. H., Wallace, L. E., & Lake, E. T. (2018). Association of the nurse work environment, collective efficacy, and missed care. Western journal of nursing research, 40(6), 779-798. By Day 7 of Week 2 Submit your completed Presentation. Submission and Grading Information To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following: Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK2Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name. Click the Week 2 Assignment Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment. Click the Week 2 Assignment link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area. Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK2Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open. If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database. Click on the Submit button to complete your submission. Expert Answer and Explanation A knowledge worker is a person who collects, analyzes, and applies the analyzed information to improve processes or the organization as a whole, and in the case of nursing, to improve patient outcomes. Nurses are considered to be knowledge workers by default. In the nursing setup, nurses are required to collect information from their patients, use the collected information to assess the needs of the patient, evaluate the best possible evidence-based intervention (data) and apply that intervention to better patient outcomes (Bergren & Maughan, 2020). Regardless of the adoption of technology in the collection and analysis of data, it is the nurse leaders and the nursing staff who choose which data to collect from patients, and which information is useful and relevant to influence the intervention given to the patient. Using the words of Peter Drucker, the inventor of the term, a nurse is supposed to apply both “theoretical and analytical knowledge acquired through formal training,” The application of nursing research and appreciation of evidence-based practices further emphasizes the