The healthcare system has changed a lot in the past few years. And these changes have revolutionized how we think about patient treatments. Anesthesiologists, doctors, physicians, and orderlies all have a role in modern healthcare. The role of nurses has changed the most. Previously, nurses were only the order-takers of doctors and physicians. However, this cannot be further from the truth in 2021.
Nurses have a lot of responsibilities other than changing beds and bathing patients. They play a more active role in healthcare and make executive decisions on policy and procedure.
Furthermore, they are patient advocates who fight for their patients every single day. Since they spend the most time with their patients, they are a better judge of your condition. According to a recent study, patients in intensive care units spend 86% of their time with nurses. Nurses also play a role as educators to improve the health literacy of the patients.
According to research, there are currently 20.7 million nurses in the world. Compared to 15 million doctors, there are 5 million more nurses in the world. Therefore, it is safe to say that nurses are the backbone of the healthcare system. Not only that, but there are also shortages of qualified nurses in the world. And that is why online DNP programs are becoming more popular.
There are many ways nurses improve health outcomes and save lives daily. In this article, we will discuss just some of these ways.
1. Adding A Nurse Saves Lives, Literally:
It is a well-documented fact that adding RNs to the hospital staff can save lives. According to a study that evaluated results from 27 studies, experts found a strong correlation between more nurses and lower death rates. The review found that adding one full-time RN to a unit can reduce hospital-related deaths in ICUs by 9%. Furthermore, there was a marked reduction in deaths amongst surgical and medical patients. Hospitals with more nurses also improved patient safety. Patients were less likely to get hospital-related illnesses. That is not all; more nurses are directly proportional to shorter hospital stays and more efficient healthcare.
2. Nurses Are Frontline Workers In Global Epidemics:
A nurse plays a vital role in global health crises. They are our first defense against viruses and diseases. As we saw during the initial days of the epidemic, nurses often put the patients above all else. Many retired nurses pitched in during the COVID-19 crises by getting back into the job force. Furthermore, nursing students also volunteered to help save the lives of those at risk. Nurses continued to serve their people despite poor working conditions and attacks on their healthcare workers. Most of them did not get protective equipment, and some contracted the virus in the line of duty. More than 1,500 Nurses have died of COVID-19 in the past year.
3. They Catch Things Other People Miss:
Nurses are in charge of monitoring their patients 24/7. Since they have experience and specialized degrees in healthcare, nurses know which signs to keep an eye on. Therefore, when a patient worsens, nurses are the first ones at their bedside. They make rescue plans and prescribe medications. According to research, continuous monitoring is a tried and tested way to save lives. Through these techniques, clinicians can identify signs of clinical distress in patients. Monitoring can reduce the number of ICU interventions by 65%. Furthermore, better monitoring can also save money in the long run.
4. Nurses Can Promote Health Literacy:
Health literacy not only improves the lives of patients but can also protect them from complications. Most small hospitals do not have any doctors on call. Therefore, nurses often step into the role. The healthcare system is confusing to the general public due to which people run into problems. For example, imagine that a geriatric cannot read the instructions on their prescription. What will they do? They may stop taking medications. They may also take incorrect dosages and put themselves at risk. And more than 1000 deaths per annum are due to low health literacy. Nurses can help patients understand their treatment and prescriptions. They can make healthcare accessible to them and improve healthcare outcomes.
5.Contribution To Childbirth:
New parents are unaware of the complexities of raising a human being. Therefore, RNs are an invaluable source of comfort and knowledge to them. According to the UN, nurses and midwives are the “backbone” of health systems. Nurses provide patients with expert care during childbirth. Well-trained nurses can get half infant mortality rates since they provide patients with essential health services. In countries with a large rural population, nurses bridge the gap between the patients and healthcare professionals. Most of them work in unsuitable conditions and insufficient funds to save the lives of thousands. They often develop innovative health care initiatives to solve issues.
While nurses do save lives daily, they need some help from leaders to help them do so. Nurse leaders provide nurses with the wisdom and guidance they need so that they become better healthcare professionals.
6. We Need Nurses In Leadership Positions:
Nurses are a part of the largest workforce within the healthcare system. Despite this, few nurses get leadership roles within the sector.
Nursing leadership is necessary to improve patient satisfaction and patient engagement. Nurse leaders are usually seasoned professionals who are experts at motivating others. They have to take care of the day-to-day issues and resolve complex policy problems. They may also inform the team about the right methods in healthcare interventions.
How does a typical day of a nurse administrator look? A nurse administrator resolves conflicts on staffing, problems with bedside care, and males improvements for patient safety. They do all this while facing budget constraints and bias. Nurse leaders make it easier for individuals to communicate and collaborate on patient treatments. There are three primary responsibilities of nurse leaders.
First, nurse leaders have to improve the delivery of care. They must know the safety standards and protocols of the healthcare facilities. It helps them advise nursing teams on patient safety.
Second, they must know about the latest advancements in medicine. So they should read peer-reviewed articles to make better choices and improve patient care. Third, nurses must monitor the standard of care provided to the patients. Such checks will ensure that the nursing teams are providing quality care. Nurse leaders bridge the gap between policy and practice. They ensure that patients get the best care possible.
Conclusion:
Nurses are our modern-day heroes. Because they monitor patients, they are the eyes and ears of the healthcare institute. Nurses save lives through communication and the identification of medical problems. They may also save lives off-duty through medical intervention. However, since they confront many distressing situations, nurses must be hard-hitting.
