The Benefits of a Nursing Journal Club
Higher Education Articles August 27, 2013A Nursing Journal Club is the best method for keeping up with advancements in the medical field. Medical technology has made rapid and extreme changes throughout the years, and it is vital that medical staff keep up with hospitals evidence-based care in an effort to provide up-to-date competent treatment. Many facilities are now creating a nursing journal club for its staff members, and the benefits are numerous.
Forming Your Club
A nursing journal club is used to incite discussion about the latest research and strides being made in the medical field. This keeps nursing and other staff members knowledgeable about new treatments, medications, alternative therapies, and technology, that is helpful for providing advanced care for clients. This club is beneficial to all medical staff, but it is especially beneficial for critical care nurses such as emergency room or ICU nursing staff members. The best way to establish a club is to:
•Appoint a nurse educator to lead the group
•Pass out journal articles amongst members
•Set up a meeting time
•Meet and discuss the research topic
•Discuss the best way to implement the changes discussed
•Evaluate the effectiveness of the club
The best way to hold these discussions is within the medical facility during staff working hours. The sessions can last anywhere from thirty-minutes to an hour. Another alternative is to create an online discussion group, as this will give all medical staff the opportunity to participate and learn about the latest research.
The Benefits
Continuing education is very important within the medical field. Only through maintaining a constant learning environment, can medical personnel continue to offer the best care. A nursing journal club gives staff members the opportunity to increase their skills through the evaluation of the newest research. This also creates strong leadership skills, as the nurses who participate in this club can pass on the knowledge to other staff members. It teaches nurses to comprehend and evaluate research, and to assess their own facility to visualize where change can be implemented.
A nursing journal club is not a new idea, but a reemergence of this type of continuing education is being seen in several prominent medical facilities. It is a way for nurses, doctors, and other medical staff members to learn from hospitals evidence-based care programs. The main goal is to provide competent, effective care based on the latest research that is proven to benefit clients in their goal to maintain good health and well-being. Clients rely on medical staff to know the best options for treatment, and clients depend on the medical staff to offer holistic medical care that is based on not only treating of existing conditions, but preventative therapy as well.
Medical staff owe it to the patients they care for to maintain an environment that is constantly changing and evolving as new medical research is being developed. New therapies and healing techniques are being discovered rapidly, and this can only lead to a healthier community and a brighter future for the clients of today and the children of tomorrow.
