Based on your experience, explain how systems thinking helps leaders to build strong interprofessional and organizational relationships NUR 514
Based on your experience, explain how systems thinking helps leaders to build strong interprofessional and organizational relationships. Discuss some system thinking tools nursing leaders can apply to increase interprofessional collaboration to benefit patient outcomes or organizational initiatives. Make sure to incorporate the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) competencies in your response
Systems thinking has been around in nursing for a long time, this is because nursing is a collaborative field. Systems thinking always reminds me of the butterfly effect, because one action could have a reaction spanning a multitude of ways, whether positive or negative. Nurses who work as system thinkers have the ability as leader to create strong relationships and outcomes. “Systems thinkers are those who have an acute awareness of the current system, an appreciation for behind-the-scenes patterns and structures, a willingness to challenge systems and boundaries despite existing hierarchies, and an understanding of how system relationships are linked to system improvements (Trbovich, 2014).” These types of nurses work to create system thinking tools that are patient centric in through evidence-based research and practice in order to provide patient inclusive healing environments, with patients involved in the plan of care, and work to remove barriers that inhibit top notch nursing care and modify practice to meet patient and nurse’s needs (Stalter et al., 2018). Many nursing leaders will likely use the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) guidelines to help develop and achieve their competencies during their systems thinking approach. These guidelines include four main core competencies: Values and ethics for interprofessional practice, roles and responsibilities, interprofessional communication, and teams and teamwork (Slusser et al., 2018).
Stalter, A. M., & Mota, A. (2018). Using systems thinking to envision quality and safety in healthcare. Nursing Management, 49(2), 32–39. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.numa.0000529925.66375.d0
Slusser, M., Garcia, L. I., Reed, C. R., & McGinnis, P. Q. (2018). Foundations of Interprofessional collaborative practice in health care. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Trbovich, P. (2014). Biomedical Instrumentation & Technology, 48 , 31-38.
Hello Stephanie,
I enjoyed reading your response, I think you did a great job! I really liked that you mentioned the Butterfly Effect. Every action that is made has a reaction and this is definitely the case in health care. Most of us learned in school how the patient mortality rate heavily decreased after the implementation of handwashing, so we can see how one simple action a such a huge reaction can have; in this case, it was a positive reaction. I think it is so important for all leaders to be aware and take the time to evaluate what is going well on the floor or in the organization and what changes could be made. I also think that decisions should be made with input from a representative from each party involved. I know that there are organizations that have patient representatives present on boards, committees, or in administrative meetings, which I think is wonderful Health Center Program, 2018). This allows for the voice of the patient population to be heard and also allows for someone outside the health care realm to understand why some changes that sound great in theory do not work well in reality; this also goes for all parties involved.
References:
Health Center Program. (2018). Chapter 20: Board composition. Chapter 20: Board Composition | Bureau of Primary Health Care. Retrieved November 21, 2022, from https://bphc.hrsa.gov/compliance/compliance-manual/chapter20
The qualities needed by healthcare professionals which have been organized by the Healthcare Leadership Alliance (HLA), is comprised of various healthcare organizations that have categorized competencies into five core domains and healthcare administrators are required to be able to effectively communicate and relate to a different kinds of individuals such as patients, physicians, vendors, investors, fellow administrators and industry leaders.
Healthcare administrators must be capable of demonstrating to each of the above individuals that they are equally important, which can be challenging when these various parties have competing interests. This is why relationship management, necessitates good communication skills, which is an essential quality of any healthcare professional.
Successful leaders must be mindful that communication involves more than verbal skills, it also includes the ability to listen, write, and effectively present information. Therefore, ultimately, in communicating and managing relations, healthcare professionals must be able to ensure that each of the parties with whom they correspond are focused on a primary goal that adheres to the organization’s values.
Tus leadership is about more than being “the boss”; leadership is about demonstrating class, character, and “practicing what you preach.” Or by leading by example. A good leader will recognize that the personal needs and priorities of staff and find creative ways to approach the fostering of teamwork while encouraging other individuals to align their priorities with the organization’s aspirations.
