Learn to Manage Yourself

Curricular and Clinical Innovation Engaging Undergraduate Nursing Students to Build a Resilient Primary Care Workforce

BACKGROUND

Primary care health settings provide access to services for underserved populations, yet baccalaureate (BSN)-prepared nurses are currently underutilized on the primary care health care team.

PROBLEM

BSN curricula often focus on acute care settings for clinical experiences, and students may not be aware of the scope and impact the RN has in a primary care setting. This gap in experiences may lead to overlooking primary care employment opportunities.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this article is to describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of an innovative course that builds the primary care nurse workforce capacity.

APPROACH

An undergraduate elective course focusing on primary care didactic and clinical experiences was created.

OUTCOMES

Qualitative student feedback regarding the course was positive, while quantitative data revealed an above-average course outcome rating.

CONCLUSIONS

An effective intervention to increase workforce capacity in primary care settings is to immerse students in primary care concepts and experiences in a formal, combined didactic and clinical course.

Business acumen for nursing leaders, optional or essential in today's health system? A discussion paper

Background

Over the last number of years, the healthcare system has become more complex in managing increasing costs and outcomes within a defined budget. To be effective through reform, especially moving forward from the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare leaders, specifically in nursing, have an increased need for business acumen beyond traditional leadership and management principles.

Aim

This paper examines the concept of business acumen in the profession of nursing, specifically for managers and higher nurse leaders, establishing whether these skills are optional or essential.

Discussion

Nurses learn and develop broad skills in leadership and management, but less specifically about business or the broader system. With a contemporary Australian health system aiming to be more effective, nurses may require a greater level of business acumen to adequately understand the mechanics of business decision making in the system when designing care models, as well as representing the business potential of nursing in balance with clinical outcomes through reform.

Conclusion

The modern nurse, in addition to clinical skills, may need a foundational understanding of business evolving throughout their career, to maximise innovative growth across the system, in meeting the healthcare needs of our community now and into the future. Without a foundation level of business acumen and an understanding of the system across the profession, nurses may not be empowered with their full potential of being a strong voice influencing health system reform.