NURS 6051 THE NURSE LEADER AS KNOWLEDGE WORKER

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Introduction 

In most cases, knowledge workers have technical skills, thinking skills, management skills, ability to engage in teamwork, and communication skills. Knowledge workers have got deep skills and knowledge in a given subject. There are many different jobs that require some degree of knowledge (Kianto et al., 2019). Therefore, employees labelled as knowledge workers are mostly differentiated by the ability provide solutions to different problems and develop unique resources in different areas of expertise. Over the years, there are different employees that have been recognized as knowledge workers, this is due to the rise of different professions and specialization areas. Knowledge workers are important in the workplace since they provide technical guidance that lead to the successful outcomes in the operational processes. Knowledge workers are different from other workers due to their emphasis on non-routine problem solving processes (Karr-Wisniewski & Lu, 2017). The knowledge workers often consider a combination of divergent and convergent thinking. However, because of the amount of research and literature applied in the modern work environment, it has become very difficult to define the term. 

The Nurse Leader as Knowledge Worker

Nurse leaders are always involved in the organization of nursing workforce to ensure that there is quality healthcare delivery to the patients. They normally apply data collection and analysis techniques to undertint the trends in the infectious diseases and other forms of complications that ensure the recruitment of an elaborate or skilled nurses. Nurse leaders often have the role of directing and controlling work environment. Further, they are considered to be the agent of quality healthcare delivery. They therefore have the technical knowledge of identifying areas of weaknesses and implement quality measure that can ensure effective healthcare delivery. Also, nurses are involved in the research processes to provide counseling, education and assistance/guidance among the nursing workforce. Managing knowledge workers can sometimes prove to be a very difficult tasks give their advanced skills and perceptions. In most cases, knowledge workers prefer some levels of autonomy. In other words, they do not like being managed or overseen (Acton & Golden, 2018).   ​

Concept of a Knowledge Worker

​Majority of knowledge workers have specialty in different subjects. In other words, they have specialized skills and knowledge in a particular subject. In most cases, they have spent years gaining and developing their knowledge and skills, as well as resources in the workplace or through formal education. Some knowledge workers work from experience they have acquired during their long years of practice. In the current society, there is a constant change in the acquisition of access of information. For the employees, there are always a lot of materials needed to ensure improvement in the job performance (Švarc, 2016). To access these sources of information, there is always the need for the knowledge workers (Chen et al., 2019). In the healthcare practices, knowledge workers often engage in the evidence-based practices to ensure that effective care is delivered to the patients to enhance quality of healthcare outcomes. Incorporation of research is necessary in the current healthcare practices; this require the intervention of knowledge workers to ensure efficient healthcare delivery.  

Nursing Informatics

With the development in technology and evidence-based practices in the healthcare system, nurse informatics have increased roles to play in the delivery of healthcare. Nurse informatics are able to apply data to determine trends in the healthcare system and to enhance healthcare delivery. The knowledge of nursing informatics is therefore critical in performing complex procedures that go beyond common nursing practices (Saba & McCormick, 2015). Nurses involved in the nurse informatics specialty are always positioned at the intersection of computer science, nursing science, as well as information science where they can better manage and communicate information, data and general knowledge in the practice of nursing. In most cases, the analysis and interpretation of data is critical in the improvement of quality treatment processes. However, to be able to interpret these data, there is always the need for expertise. Knowledge workers are critical in these areas given their ability to enhance the acquisition of application of knowledge (American Nurses Association, 2015).   

Hypothetical Scenario

Nurse leaders can apply clinical reasoning and judgement in the establishment of accurate nurse to patient ration to enhance the management of patients. In other words, nurse leaders can apply the knowledge of nurse to patient ration obtained from data analysis to establish enough nurses and other healthcare workers in the management of patients. Knowledge workers can play critical roles in the identification of the problems in the healthcare system that require solution; this scenario is possible through the collection and analysis of data to obtain essential information. Nurses with technical skills are always needed in the research processes to ensure that there is enough information to enhance treatment processes. The knowledge of nursing informatics is therefore critical in performing complex procedures that go beyond common nursing practices. Nurses involved in the nurse informatics specialty are always positioned at the intersection of computer science, nursing science, as well as information science where they can better manage and communicate information, data and general knowledge in the practice of nursing.  

References

Published by Lisa