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Self-Scheduling Process

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For our final clinic of this course Ms. Smith desired that I review the new self-scheduling policy she drafted. She tells me she asked one of her staff members to write up a document reflecting the existing self-scheduling process. While the staff member did a fair job in outlining the unit’s self-scheduling rules the format and language used was not sufficient enough to stand as a unit policy.
Ms. Smith has given me both the source document and the policy she drafted and has asked me to proofread the document, identify the differences between the two documents, and critique the rationale for the changes made.
In proofreading Ms. Smith policy I identified only two spelling typos. The language was clear, professional, and maintained a smooth …show more content…

Smith’s policy. While the nurse who wrote the source document clearly put effort into accomplishing this task, it unfortunately fell short of Ms. Smith’s and the organization’s standards for professional communications. This is most likely due to a lack of knowledge about how these documents should be written. As a nurse who has moved through all levels of nursing from CNA, to LPN, to ASN, to RN, and soon a master’s prepared nurse, I can attest that academia does not provide nurses with formalized education on policy writing. This is a major disservice to nurses and more importantly to aspiring nurse leaders. The insight I gained today about my own knowledge deficit in this area of Nursing Administration has elicited a new interest in learning more about the mechanics of policy writing. I now understand that irrespective of the type of healthcare institution private or public, profit or non-profit, organizations require effectively written policies to communicate clear expectations, roles, and responsibilities. Furthermore effective policies serve demonstrate the organization’s commitment to quality and excellence to patients, staff members, stakeholders, and regulatory bodies. Understanding the importance of policies and participating in policy development is consistent with Standard 15 of the Nursing Administration Scope and Standards of Practice (ANA, 2009). I thoroughly enjoyed this practicum experience and look forward to the NUR 625 in the months to

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