THE NURSE LEADER AS KNOWLEDGE WORKER

Posted: April 4th, 2019

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.

The concept of a knowledge worker was first introduced by Peter Drucker in 1959. Knowledge workers are high-level professionals who use their expertise to create products and services. They apply theoretical and analytical knowledge, often acquired through formal training, to solve complex problems and make decisions. Nurses have evolved to become knowledge workers, as they now have access to vast amounts of data and tools that enable them to apply their theoretical knowledge in new and powerful ways.

Nursing informatics is a specialized area of healthcare informatics that focuses on the use of technology and data to improve patient care outcomes. Nurse leaders are instrumental in the implementation and management of nursing informatics systems. They use their knowledge and expertise to identify data that is relevant to patient care, and then access and analyze that data to make informed decisions.

As a knowledge worker, a nurse leader has the ability to collect and analyze data from a variety of sources. For example, in the hypothetical scenario discussed in the discussion forum, a nurse leader could collect data from patient records, lab results, and medication orders to identify trends in patient outcomes. This data could then be used to make informed decisions about patient care, such as identifying interventions that are most effective for a particular patient population.

The role of the nurse leader as a knowledge worker is visually represented in the infographic provided. This infographic highlights the various skills and knowledge areas that are required for nurse leaders to be successful in their role as knowledge workers. It also illustrates the steps involved in the data analysis process, from data collection to knowledge synthesis and application.

In conclusion, nurse leaders have evolved to become knowledge workers who use their expertise and data analysis skills to make informed decisions and improve patient care outcomes. Nursing informatics is a critical component of this role, enabling nurse leaders to access and analyze large amounts of data to inform their decision-making. As healthcare continues to evolve, the role of the nurse leader as a knowledge worker will become increasingly important in achieving positive patient outcomes.

References
McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. (2018). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Drucker, P. F. (1959). The landmarks of tomorrow. HarperCollins Publishers.
Institute of Medicine. (2011). The future of nursing: Leading change, advancing health. National Academies Press.
American Nurses Association. (2015). Nursing informatics: Scope and standards of practice (2nd ed.). American Nurses Association.
Thede, L., & Sewell, J. (2017). Informatics and nursing: Opportunities and challenges (5th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.