It is a moment that the nurses should move their roles from care management to health care policy making. Nurses have good communication and leadership skills. These skills are of importance to the bedside just like in the boardroom. Nurses are an untapped resource in the board of governance (Buchbinder, 2014). Engagement of nurses in the board of governance is very important. This is because it allows the nurses to participate in decision making processes that directly or indirectly affect their work.
The specific contributions that nurses serve in the board of governance include; providing the board with knowledge on specific issues, clarifying needs and identifying needs of the key players. Also, they share the patients’ needs and wants to the board. This extends their impacts beyond the patients to the broader population. In addition, nurses help to develop policies and guidelines framework (Buchbinder, 2014).
Nurses have important qualities that can be used as a natural asset to the board. For instance, they understand the health needs of the local people. They work with other nurses across organizations to improve outcomes for patients. Similarly, the nurses coordinate and integrate patients in different services. In addition, they involve the local people to improve services.
Participation of nurses in the board of governance impacts their roles. For instance, it improves the patients’ welfare. Also, it allows nurses to provide timely health care services. Similarly, the participation enables nurses to improve health, safety and quality of services. Further, it allows nurses to develop effective teams (Buchbinder, 2014). This enables the nurses to achieve higher levels of competency. As a result, there is improved patients’ welfare.
It is important to have a representative governing board in order to achieve success. Therefore, nurses should be included in decision making process to enhance the patients’ welfare.
References
Buchbinder, S. B., Shanks, N. H., & Buchbinder, D. (2014). Cases in health care management. Sudbury, Mass: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
National League for Nursing (1977). Role expectations: Nurse administrators, governing boards, chief executive officers. New York: National League for Nursing.
