Leadership is a process of influence in which nurse leaders guide others toward goal achievement skills to enhance patient safety and improve quality of patient outcomes. Concepts are included in the curriculum to provide knowledge of health care policy, finance, delivery systems and regulatory environments needed in decision making and demonstrate professional standards of moral, ethical, and legal nursing practice (AACN, 2021). The World Health Organization (2014) recommended that educational institutions should consider using educational pathways that are streamlined for the advancement of practicing health professionals. As discussed in the Institute of Medicine report (2011), the program serves as an educational pathway to the attainment of graduate degrees in nursing. Continued education and professional development are encouraged and expected of students and nursing faculty. The students are introduced to a wide range of concepts and theories including community, public, global health, leadership, and quality improvement. Recommendation 7 calls upon nursing education programs to “integrate leadership theory and business practices across the curriculum” (IOM, 2011, p. 5). Leadership and management concepts are included throughout the curriculum. Based on Florence Nightingale’s philosophy of nursing the nursing program has developed the OMEGA-7, which is an acronym for a nurse assessment and caring of person’s health and environment: Orientation, Medication, Emergency, Gait, Allergies—the 7 are: air, food, water, safety, hygiene, pain, and sleep. The OMEGA-7 elements provide the conceptual framework for critical thinking in approaching healthcare and the nursing process. The essentials of “OMEGA-7” provide the conceptual framework for critical thinking in approaching health and the nursing process. OMEGA-7 is an acronym for a practical nurse approach in nursing assessment and caring of the person’s health and environmental basic needs: Orientation, Medication, Emergency, Gait, Allergies—air, food, water, safety, hygiene, pain and sleep. The elements of OMEGA-7 are based upon the theory of the pioneer of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale (1820 – 1910). The OMEGA-7 data collection or assessment includes: Orientation: Is the person oriented to person, place, time, and situation? Medication: Does the person know what medications they are taking and for what? Are there any special instructions, monitoring, side effects to watch for, or nursing interventions for any of the medications Emergency: What is the person’s code status? Full code? Part code and conditions? No code? When is the last time they had an emergency need? Gait: Does the person require any assistive devices for ambulation? What risk does the person have for falling? Allergies: Does the person have any allergies to medications or anything in the environment? Air: Does the person require any assistive devices for breathing? Is the person able to breathe on his/her own? Are there any potential or real air toxins or pollutants that could affect the person? What is the appearance of the person’s skin or oxygenation level? Food: Does the person require a special diet related to allergies, diabetes (sugar), hypertension (salt), heart disease (fat/cholesterol), edentulous (soft foods), dysphagia (pureed foods), NPO (nothing by mouth), small amounts (gastric procedure), parenteral feedings (unable to eat on own)? Does the person appear hungry? Weight? Water: What is the recommended amount of water intake for this person? What sources of water has the person had to drink today? Are there any potential toxins or pollutants in the environment to affect the supply of water? How does the person prefer the water (hot, cold, icy, room temperature)? Any signs or symptoms of dehydration? Safety: Is the person’s safety at risk? Are there potential factors for the person’s safety? Is the patient hard of hearing or having visual problems? Is the floor cluttered or wet? Are there toxic chemicals in the environment? Is the person under the influence of drugs? Hygiene: Is the person able to care for self? When was the last bath, shower, or linen change? Are the linens damp or wet? What are the environmental factors that affect the person’s hygiene? Is oral care being completed? When was the last clothing change? How is the person’s skin integrity? Pain: Is the person in pain? Have the person rate the severity of the pain (0 – 10). What has worked in the past to relieve this pain? Is the pain chronic or acute? Does the person have prescribed pain medications? What else in the person’s environment can be modified to promote comfort (fresh air, water, food, rest)?
38 Sumner College Student Handbook
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