Empowering Nurses through Innovative Practice Workshops: A Case Study

Empowering Nurses through Innovative Practice Workshops: A Case Study

Initiating Innovation in Nursing through Workshops

Innovation is a pivotal aspect of any sector, and nursing is no different. A recent study focused on introducing 50 new nurses at a tertiary hospital in Chengdu City, Class 2021, to an innovative practice workshop. This pioneering teaching strategy was based on creativity component theory and the Outcome-Based Education (OBE) concept. It’s worth noting that none of these new nurses had previously been part of any innovation-related training.

Building a Competent Teaching Team

The workshop was facilitated by a nine-member team comprising nursing and laboratory technicians. This team included three professors, three associate professors, and three registered nurses. All of them had substantial experience in innovative practice. Their collaborative effort sought to construct a preliminary teaching program plan that would effectively impart the teaching contents, methods, and forms of the workshop.

The Five Stages of Creativity in Innovation Practice

The course’s design revolved around the five stages of creativity: questioning, preparation, practice, verification, and evaluation. This integration of theoretical knowledge points, innovation-related skills, and motivation provided the participants with materials and methods necessary for innovation.

Stage One: Questioning and Preparation

The first stage involved the establishment of teaching groups, each consisting of 5-6 members. A group leader was elected to organise the group members and follow up on the group’s project. Then, theoretical teaching and case lectures were given. The participants were taught about innovation’s overview and methods, patents’ concept, role, and implementation. This was aimed at helping them understand that patents are a significant component of scientific research results.

Stage Two: Practice and Validation

The second stage involved group discussions, problem presentations, analysis, and proposing solutions. Teachers would guide and intervene if necessary. The groups analyzed the problems encountered in their clinical work or operation and brainstormed potential optimization and improvement methods.

Stage Three: Evaluation

The third stage comprised the presentation and critique of each group’s case. The teacher evaluated the presentation based on content, form, language expression, information retrieval use, and teamwork.

Stage Four: Continuation and Output

In the continuation and output stage, the teacher acted as a mentor, guiding each group’s innovative project, and offering necessary assistance. The team leaders were responsible for organizing team members, dividing the work among them, reviewing the data, and revising the innovation plan.

Evaluating the Impact of Innovative Practice Workshop

The study used a self-administered questionnaire to collect general information about the participants and evaluate the workshop’s effectiveness. This assessment aimed to understand how such innovative practices could enhance the nursing profession and improve patient care.

The Future of Healthcare: Nurses as Innovators

As healthcare is in an era of disruption, nurses are at the epicenter. Their leadership in redesigning care across various nations has never been more critical. The innovative practice workshop is a step towards empowering nurses and pushing them to the forefront of healthcare innovation.

The Role of Creativity in Nursing

About 18 months into a nursing job, confidence and critical thinking replace the fear of making a mistake. This shift allows nurses to appreciate how creativity can enhance the patient experience as well as job satisfaction. Creativity in nursing can lead to innovation in tools, improved efficiency in the delivery of care, or greater effectiveness in patient education. Therefore, opportunities to apply creativity into clinical practice significantly improve job satisfaction and potentially patient satisfaction.