Nursing and Midwifery specialization: drivers and blockades By: Salome Tettey Frimpong Student ID: 11366909 OUTLINE • • • • • • • What is Specialization in Nursing and Midwifery? Types of Specialization in Nursing and Midwifery? Key areas in specialization ? Importance of nursing specialization What drives nursing specialization? Blockades to Nursing and Midwifery specialization? Conclusion Objective By the end of our interaction, we would appreciate the various areas of nursing and midwifery specialization, understand what is driving nurses and midwives to specialize and some blockades to nursing and midwifery specialization. A Nurse Specialist Introduction • Uncertainties and role confusion exist with regard to specialist and clinically advanced nursing and midwifery practice globally and in most healthcare settings (Trend in Nursing, 2012). • This misunderstanding requires clarification in such a way that advanced nursing and midwifery practice are clearly defined. Introduction • Nursing profession has grown over the last century, including the introduction of specialization for nurses and midwives, with specific knowledge and experience to practice in certain fields (Smith, 2023). • There are now many possible areas that a nurse may choose to specialize in. What is nursing specialization? • “Specialization involves focusing on nursing practice in a specific area, identified from within the whole field of professional nursing. ANA and specialty nursing organizations delineate the components of professional nursing practice that are essential for any particular specialty” (ANA, 2010 ). • Specializing provides the opportunities for nurses to pursue career ambitions in leadership roles. What is nursing specialization? • Specialization gives you greater responsibilities and a potentially higher salary and a new level of confidence to do what you love most (ANA , 2015). • The decision on what to specialize depends on what the person is interested in. Key Areas of specialization? • There are many areas of specialization within the nursing profession. • Each specialization is a leadership designation. These include; Nursing Management Nursing Education Clinical care leadership Nursing Administration Nursing Informatics Key Areas of specialization? Nursing Management: This is a supervisory role and can also move to administrative role to handle recruitment of nurses and decision regarding budget and it management. Nursing Education: A nurse educator is responsible for teaching and guiding nursing students to develop professionally. They teach prospective nursing professionals clinical skills, patient care methods, and best collaboration practices. Key Areas of specialization? Nursing Administration: Oversee the entire units of nursing teams. Nursing informatics: is the specialty that integrates nursing science with multiple information to identify, define, manage and communicate data information in nursing practice. Nursing informatics Key Areas of specialization? Advanced practice registered nurse Cardiac nurse Oncology nurse Mental health nurse practitioner Public health nurse Paediatric nurse Genetic nurse Key Areas of specialization? Critical care nurse Geriatric nurse Infection Control/prevention nurse Dialysis nurse Nurse/Midwife Specialist Ambulatory nurse Types of specialization Nursing ? Acute care nurse Neonatal nurse Trauma nurse Case management nurse Nurse advocate School nurse Types of specialization Nursing? Advanced practice registered nurses have advanced skills and knowledge through a master’s degree and this distinguishes them from other nurses and enable them to work as clinical nurse specialist (CNS),nurse practitioner (NP), nurse anesthetist or certified nurse-midwife. Cardiac nurses care for patients with cardiovascular disease or health problems related to the heart due to specialized knowledge acquired. Types of specialization? Oncology nursing take care of patients who have cancer. They help in the treatment and monitoring of the disease, provide support and education to patients and their families. Mental Health/Psychiatric nurses care for patients with mental health, psychiatric or behavioural disorders by providing support to both patients and their families while they recover. Types of specialization? Ambulatory Care Nursing: Ambulatory care nurses provide health services to patients directly in an environment outside of a hospital, wherever it is required. They are responsible for following treatment plans for acute conditions, monitoring signs, communicating with the patient and their family, and promoting overall patient health. Types of specialization? Public Health Nursing: They advocate and teach communities about important health information, educate people on health promotion and disease prevention. Paediatric Nursing: nurses care for young children and their families. They have specialized knowledge about the function of young bodies and the health conditions that may affect them by assisting in the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of these patients. their life and have specialized knowledge about the Types of specialization in Nursing? Genetic Nurse care for patients with genetic condition. They have in-depth knowledge about the role of genetic in the pathology of these conditions. They carry out family risk assessments , analyse genetic data, conduct research and provide support affected clients and their families. Geriatric nurses care for elderly patients. They have understanding of health and treatment of conditions that commonly affect them. their life and have specialized knowledge about the Types of specialization in Nursing? Infection prevention/control (IPC) nurse is a specialty nursing role focused on identifying and controlling outbreaks of infection in a healthcare setting. Dialysis nurses care for patients who need dialysis as part of their treatment, example is a patient with kidney disease. They monitor signs and progress, administer treatment and provide support to patients. Types of specialization in Nursing? Nurse/Midwife Specialist : A specialist nurse/midwife practitioner is a registered nurse/midwife clinician who has acquired the expert clinical knowledge and skills that include complex decision-making abilities and clinical competencies for expanded practice. • The advanced nurse/midwife practitioner is a clinical specialist who has the appropriate credentials to practice autonomously. Types of specialization? Case Management Nurse: care for patients who require ongoing support and work to develop and implement a treatment plan that aims to stabilize health and minimize hospitalization. Critical Care Nurse : Critical care nurses work with patients who are critically ill or injured and require close monitoring and care. They are responsible for looking after patients with potentially fatal conditions and following the treatment care plan for the best outcomes. Other specializations? • • • • • Gastroenterology nursing Holistic nursing Medical-surgical nursing Midwifery nursing Neuroscience nursing Other specializations? • • • • Obstetrical nursing Occupational health nursing Orthopaedic nursing Ostomy nursing Importance of specialization? • A specialty focus can motivates and encourage nurses and midwives who want to pursue professional growth from a novice provider toward professional expertise in their chosen field. • Proficient and confident health care providers willing to learn and demonstrate humility in their professional roles are the bedrock of effective teams. What drives nursing specialization? QUESTION???? What drives nursing specialization? • Nurses choose to specialise to get more practical experiences, which favours the acquisition of the competences and technical skills needed for professional practice (Nery, 2015). • Nurses and midwives specialise to gain professional credentials for an easier placement in the job market. • Rojas (2012) asserted that when employees specialize in specific tasks of production, they develop an expertise in the work performed. Drives to specialization? • The biggest benefit derived from job specialization is the expertise employees develop over time in their chosen task. • The demand for nurses is continually increasing and the nursing career path offers many useful benefits such as; a)Strong salaries b) Numerous opportunities and c) Feeling of fulfillment. Blockades to nursing specialization? • • • • • Let’s Discuss Financial constraint Lack of interest in approved areas Lack of study leave Family roles or responsibilities(women) Unavailability of specialty of interest. Blockades to nursing specialization? • A major challenge in specialisation is the tension that is created by the promotion of interdisciplinary practice. • The promotion of team-based approaches has led to the development of multi-disciplinary or multi-professional standards and competencies where skill sets are often shared and the specific, discipline-unique elements of practice may be less discernable. Blockades to nursing specialization? • A growing interest in generic competencies also prompts a reevaluation of which skills are shared and which ones differentiate groups of health workers. Within this context, it may be necessary to re-examine how we conceptualise nursing and midwifery practice in specialty areas in the near future. Blockades to nursing specialization? • Due to the repetitive nature of the work performed, employees can be subject to boredom and burnout. • Units of specialized workers also have a tendency to be insular and may refrain from collaborating with other units. Nursing informatics Conclusion • The nursing profession has evolved considerably over the last century, including the introduction of specializations for nurses, with specific knowledge and experience to practice in certain fields. • There are now many possible areas that a nurse may choose to specialize in, and these continue to grow. • Nurses are now taking on specialized roles to become leaders, educators, researchers, and advocates for their patients. Conclusion • In summary, we have looked at specialization in nursing and midwifery. • Some key areas of specialization • Importance of specialization • Drives and blockades . • Audience contributions THANK YOU Reference • Adeyoyin, S.O., Ajiboye, B.A., Adegun, A.I. & TomomowoAdeyinka, S. (2013). Division of Labour and Job Specialization as Catalysts for Better Job Performance among the Staff of a Nigerian University Library. Information and Knowledge Management. 3 (12). Available online at: www.iiste.org. • Benner, P. (1982). From novice to expert. American Journal of Nursing. 82(3), 402-407. Reference • Costa AANM, Schirmer J. The role of nurses graduated at the course of expertise in obstetrics, in the northeast of Brazil - from the proposal up to the operationalization. Esc Anna Nery. 2012 Apr./June.; 16(2):332-9. • Nery A. Expectations, motivations and perceptions of nurses on the nurse-midwifery specialization course in the residence modality. 2015;19(4):593-599 Reference • http://www.allnursingschools.com/nursingcareers/article/careers/ • https://nursinglicensemap.com/ • https://www.researchgate.net/publication 286703397 • http://www.villanovau.com/resources/nursing/list-of-nursingspecialtiescareers/#.
