Biomaterial Database

Should nurses be leaders of integrated health care? 2007

Paul Thomas, and Alison While

Centre for the Study of Policy and Practice, Thames Valley University, London, UK. paul.thomas@tvu.ac.uk

OBJECTIVE To examine the role of nurses within integrated health care. BACKGROUND Healthcare planners are overly concerned with the treatment of diseases and insufficiently focused on social cohesion vertical rather than horizontal integration of healthcare effort. These domains need to be better connected, to avoid medicalization of social problems and socialisation of medical problems. RESULTS Published literature, related to theories of whole system integration. *When conceptualizing whole system integration it helps to consider research insights to be snapshots of more complex stories-in-evolution, and change to be the result of ongoing community dance where multiple players adapt their steps to each other. *One image that helps to conceptualize integration is that of a railway network. Railway tracks and multiple journeys are equally needed; each requiring a different approach for success. *Traditional nursing values make nurses more attuned to the issues of combined vertical and horizontal integration than medical colleagues. CONCLUSIONS Nurses should lead integration at the interface between horizontal and vertical activities. CONCLUSIONS Nursing managers and universities should support the development of nurses as leaders of whole system integration, in partnership with local healthcare organizations.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007373	Interinstitutional Relations	The interactions between representatives of institutions, agencies, or organizations.	Interagency Relations,Interagency Relation,Interinstitutional Relation,Relation, Interagency,Relation, Interinstitutional,Relations, Interagency,Relations, Interinstitutional
D007857	Leadership	The function of directing or controlling the actions or attitudes of an individual or group with more or less willing acquiescence of the followers.	Influentials
D009718	Nurse Administrators	Nurses professionally qualified in administration.	Nurse Executives,Nurse Managers,Administrator, Nurse,Administrators, Nurse,Executive, Nurse,Executives, Nurse,Manager, Nurse,Managers, Nurse,Nurse Administrator,Nurse Executive,Nurse Manager
D009936	Organizational Innovation	Introduction of changes which are new to the organization and are created by management.	Organizational Change,Change, Organizational,Innovation, Organizational,Changes, Organizational,Innovations, Organizational,Organizational Changes,Organizational Innovations
D010344	Patient Advocacy	Promotion and protection of the rights of patients, frequently through a legal process.	Patient Ombudsmen,Patient Representatives,Clinical Ombudsman,Patient Ombudsman,Advocacy, Patient,Ombudsman, Clinical,Ombudsman, Patient,Ombudsmen, Patient,Patient Representative,Representative, Patient,Representatives, Patient
D010686	Philosophy, Medical	The underlying rationale or theoretical basis for the principles of MEDICINE.	Medical Philosophy
D010687	Philosophy, Nursing	The underlying rationale or theoretical basis for the principles of NURSING.	Nursing Philosophy,Nursing Philosophies,Philosophies, Nursing
D011320	Primary Health Care	Care which provides integrated, accessible health care services by clinicians who are accountable for addressing a large majority of personal health care needs, developing a sustained partnership with patients, and practicing in the context of family and community. (JAMA 1995;273(3):192)	Primary Care,Primary Healthcare,Care, Primary,Care, Primary Health,Health Care, Primary,Healthcare, Primary
D003266	Continuity of Patient Care	Health care provided on a continuing basis from the initial contact, following the patient through all phases of medical care.	Continuum of Care,Continuity of Care,Care Continuity,Care Continuity, Patient,Care Continuum,Patient Care Continuity
D004509	Education, Nursing, Continuing	Educational programs designed to inform nurses of recent advances in their fields.	Education, Nursing, Post-Basic,Education, Nursing, Post-Registration,Nursing Education, Continuing,Nursing Education, Post-Basic,Nursing Education, Post-Registration,Post-Basic Nursing Education,Post-Registration Nursing Education,Continuing Nursing Education,Education, Continuing Nursing,Education, Post-Basic Nursing,Education, Post-Registration Nursing,Nursing Education, Post Basic,Nursing Education, Post Registration,Post Basic Nursing Education,Post Registration Nursing Education