The Nurse Leader as Knowledge Worker

The Nurse Leader as Knowledge Worker

Hello, today’s presentation will reflect we’ll leaders as knowledge workers. The term “knowledge worker” was first introduced by management consultant and author Peter Drucker in The Landmarks of Tomorrow (1959). We will discuss the concept of a knowledge worker, nurses as knowledge workers, and a hypothetical scenario. Welcome!

In 1959, Peter Drucker developed the term “knowledge worker.” Knowledge workers are highly skilled individuals who need specialized knowledge to meet their professional obligations. He coined this term to respond to the increasing awareness that specific professional responsibilities required certain skills (Drucker, 1959). This means that knowledge workers have the relevant experience, skills, and knowledge, differentiating them from other professionals. Having specific skills makes knowledge workers the best individuals to complete tasks related to their profession (Drucker, 1959). Moreover, knowledge workers have formal training and are regulated by professional bodies.

Nursing informatics is a field colleague that incorporates nursing, computer, and information sciences to maintain and develop medical data and systems to support nursing practice and improve patient care outcomes (Mcgonigle & Mastrian, 2022). Nursing informatics facilitates the use of information to improve the quality of care. Additionally, informatics is a growing field in nursing due to the technological advancements incorporated in the healthcare industry. Subsequently, informatics will enhance nursing, facilitate healthcare information exchange, improve efficiency, and reduce medical errors (Kaihlanen et al., 2021).

The emergence of technology has reinforced the identity of nurse leaders as knowledge workers. They must acquire informatics competencies to enhance patient outcomes. Technology has improved nurse leaders’ clinical knowledge and information management capacity (Byrne, 2021). Further, informatics requires nurse leaders to acquire technical skills in using information technology to make sense of data. Informatics allows nurse leaders to incorporate technology into nursing practice to improve the efficiency of care (Kritz, 2019).

Informatics reinforces JK’s ability as knowledge workers since it allows them to conceptualize and manage healthcare data to enhance healthcare outcomes. Ultimately, nurse leaders must apply specialized skills to identify data analysis methods that inform nursing practice.

In this case scenario, the 48-year-old male, J.K., is a new patient who was brought to the emergency room for hyperglycemia and hypertensive crisis. The patient has an established medical history of diabetes and hypertension. The patient further complains of having regular shortness of breath and dry coughs (sometimes with mucus), especially after he smokes or does a little exercise. Providers identified that the patient had not been consistent with medications or checkups. JK has also not been following the recommended diet to manage his diabetes mellitus condition. After appropriate tests, JK is officially diagnosed with COPD in addition to his existing diabetic and hypertensive disorders, thus requiring urgent medical attention. Upon reviewing the previously requested health records from his Primary Care Provider (PCP), it is clear that the patient has no recently updated EHRs. The last update was done a few months ago because JK was not consistent in his follow-up appointments with his PCP. The lack of this data hampers the necessary action to provide JK emergency care and hinders providers from knowing the recent trends of JK’s health conditions. Therefore, lack of knowledge requires collecting new patient data based on lab tests and observations within the hospital settings to provide a baseline and develop a new EHR profile for JK.

Byrne, M. D. (2021). Nursing informatics specialist: Role in the Perianesthesia environment. Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing, 36(1), 90-92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jopan.2020.02.012

Drucker, P. F. (1959). The Landmarks of Tomorrow. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.

Kaihlanen, A., Gluschkoff, K., Laukka, E., & Heponiemi, T. (2021). The information system stress, informatics competence and well-being of newly graduated and experienced nurses: A cross-sectional study. BMC Health Services Research, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-07132-6

Kritz, F. (2019). Technology is transforming work for nurses and care for patients. AJN, American Journal of Nursing, 119(3), 18-19. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.naj.0000554030.43840.b3

Mcgonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2022). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (5th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning

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The Nurse Leader as Knowledge Worker

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 (a graphic that visually represents information, data, or knowledge. Infographics are intended to present information quickly and clearly.) to educate others on the role of a nurse as a knowledge worker.
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 a knowledge worker.
Your PowerPoint should Include the hypothetical scenario you originally shared in the Discussion Forum. Include your examination of the data 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.

Hypothetical Scenario – In this case scenario, the 48-year-old male, J.K., is a new patient who was brought to the emergency room for hyperglycemia and hypertensive crisis. The patient has an established medical history of diabetes and hypertension. The patient further complains of having regular shortness of breath and dry coughs (sometimes with mucus), especially after he smokes or does a little exercise. Providers identified that the patient had not been consistent with medications or checkups. JK has also not been following the recommended diet to manage his diabetes mellitus. After appropriate tests, JK is officially diagnosed with COPD in addition to his existing diabetic and hypertensive conditions, thus requiring urgent medical attention. Upon reviewing the previously requested health records from his Primary Care Provider (PCP), it is clear that the patient has no recently updated EHRs. The last update was done a few months ago because JK was not consistent in his follow-up appointments with his PCP. The lack of this data hampers the necessary action to provide JK emergency care and hinders providers from knowing the recent trends of JK’s health conditions. This lack of knowledge requires collecting new patient data based on lab tests and observations within the hospital settings to provide a baseline and the development of a new EHR profile for JK.

McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2022). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (5th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.