Posted: September 2nd, 2022

The Nurse Leader as Knowledge Worker

The Nurse Leader as Knowledge Worker
A knowledge worker is a person who utilizes their thinking to develop solutions to complex problems and develop new ideas. Knowledge workers are expected to innovate new ways of accomplishing tasks to enhance customer satisfaction (Drucker, 1959). Knowledge workers include engineers, accountants, lawyers, informaticists or nurse leaders. The differentiation from other workers is that knowledge workers think to earn a living. Knowledge workers are essential in the healthcare sector to ensure they apply relevant knowledge to solve different problems. For example, in research professionals are looking for better ways of solving the increased demand for better healthcare at a reduced cost and better efficiency.
A knowledge worker must communicate with the customers, colleagues, and stakeholders to acquire the necessary information. Their work is to speak, write and hold discussions with stakeholders or colleagues when necessary (Park, Howard & Gomulya, 2018). The communication with customers, colleagues, and stakeholders is meant to provide the required information. They provide technical support to the patients by answering questions raised. Their role is handling unique issues raised by the different stakeholders. For example, a knowledge worker can analyze data derived from the medical errors experienced and hence develop the right solutions to be used to arrest the situation and provide the necessary assurance to patients.
Nursing informatics is the process of integrating nursing science with information management analytics. The focus is to identify, define, manage and report nursing data in a concise and comprehensive manner (Park, Howard & Gomulya, 2018). Nursing informatics is a role that involves using information to enhance the quality of patient care. It involves efficient management of data and technology systems. It is important in the current age of healthcare services since it enhances the collection, analysis, and application of data. Nursing informatics is a field of knowledge workers to employ skills to develop innovative solutions. Nursing informatics analyze statistics nationally and even at their healthcare organization to develop the right solutions.
Nurse leaders are knowledge workers due to the scope of their work. Nurse leaders employ theoretical and analytical approaches to develop solutions. For example, nurse leaders can analyze data regarding staffing ratios to develop a friendly shift program for all nurses. They are involved in gathering and analyzing data about the provision of healthcare services (Catteau, Piaton, Nicolas, Hennequin & Lassauzay, 2016). The focus is to enhance the welfare and satisfaction of the patients by improving quality of care or efficiency of operations. Nurse leaders must take the role of knowledge workers to ensure they add value to the nursing profession. For example, nursing sector cannot operate without knowledge workers who will analyze disease trends and recommend solutions.
Mayo Clinic is a classic example of a healthcare organization that focuses on nursing informatics. The nurses are knowledge workers. The role of the nurse leaders is to apply research data in developing solutions that will enhance efficiency. The data is analyzed to promote the accuracy of the changes that should be applied. The research involves massive data, but the nursing leader siphons relevant sections of data applicable to patient care (Ronquillo, Currie & Rodney, 2016). For example, cancer research is one of the priority projects that the organization carries out. The focus is to ensure the research is used to enhance treatment and efficiency of medication for the different patients including children, middle-aged and the aging population.
References
Drucker, P. (1959). The landmarks of tomorrow. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.
Catteau, C., Piaton, S., Nicolas, E., Hennequin, M., & Lassauzay, C. (2016). Assessment of the oral health knowledge of healthcare providers in geriatric nursing homes: additional training needs required. Gerodontology, 33(1), 11-19.
Ronquillo, C., Currie, L. M., & Rodney, P. (2016). The evolution of data-information-knowledge-wisdom in nursing informatics. Advances in nursing science, 39(1), E1-E18.
Park, H. D., Howard, M. D., & Gomulya, D. M. (2018). The impact of knowledge worker mobility through an acquisition on breakthrough knowledge. Journal of Management Studies, 55(1), 86-107.

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