¶ … Interviews Contribute to My Professional Development

From the two interviews, it is clear that the relevance of embracing teamwork cannot be overstated regardless of the specialty area one operates in. This is more so the case given the nature of our practice. We largely operate in an environment that calls for collaboration among various health professionals. The two interviews also underscore the relevance of nursing research. Both interviews clearly indicate that the influence nursing research has on the promotion of optimal nursing care is immense. For this reason, I am convinced that the future of professional nursing practice is in one way or another hinged on nursing research. It is important to note that ultimately, we as nurses are responsible for the provision of high-quality care to patients. However, there is no way we can evaluate how effective nursing treatment modalities are without nursing research. Based on the responses given by respondents with regard to the relevance of nursing research, I am now more appreciative of the role of nursing research in the promotion of the overall well-being of patients under our care.

It is also important to note that the two interviews I conducted brought to the fore not only the need for cost containment in nursing practice but also the various approaches that could be adopted in an attempt to contain costs. Creativity in this case is vital because different specialties have different needs. Cost containment initiatives must not therefore ignore the unique needs of distinct departments, cost centers, and units. What is also clear from the two interviews is that information technology is likely to remain an important component of nursing going forward. I am now more convinced that there is an urgent need to be more appreciative of information technology in nursing practice. This is more so the case given the role it plays in the improvement of patient safety, hospital efficiency and by extension, quality of care.