Reflect on a Nursing Leadership or Patient Advocacy Project You Completed in FlexPath—What Impact Did It Have?
Reflect on a Nursing Leadership or Patient Advocacy Project You Completed in FlexPath—What Impact Did It Have?
One of the most meaningful projects I completed in FlexPath was a patient advocacy initiative focused on improving transitional care for elderly patients being discharged from the hospital. As part of a leadership course, I was tasked with identifying a problem in my workplace, developing a proposal, and implementing an intervention to address it.
I noticed that many of our older patients were being readmitted within 30 days due to preventable complications—missed medications, unmanaged symptoms, or lack of follow-up appointments. My project aimed to create a structured discharge checklist and a follow-up phone call system to ensure patients understood their care plans and had access to necessary resources.
I began by gathering data from our unit’s readmission rates and conducting informal interviews with staff and patients. This research confirmed my suspicion: while discharge instructions were given, they were often rushed and not tailored to the patient’s health literacy level. My proposal involved a nurse-led discharge education session, accompanied by a simplified printed guide and a follow-up call within 48 hours.
After implementing the project on a trial basis, we saw a noticeable drop in readmissions for the patients who received the intervention. Beyond the numbers, the feedback from patients and families was overwhelmingly positive. They felt more supported and confident in managing their care at home. The project also strengthened interdepartmental collaboration, as social workers and pharmacists became more involved in discharge planning.
Completing this project showed me how academic learning in FlexPath could directly influence patient outcomes. It also deepened my commitment to patient advocacy, reinforcing my belief that nurses have a powerful role in shaping policies and practices that extend far beyond the bedside.
4. How Have FlexPath Nursing Courses Influenced Your Bedside Practice or Leadership Role?
FlexPath has had a profound influence on how I approach both bedside care and leadership responsibilities. The self-paced model allowed me to dive deeper into topics I was passionate about, and the knowledge I gained started influencing my practice almost immediately.
For example, after completing a course on Evidence-Based Practice, I became more intentional about questioning long-standing routines on my unit. I started bringing current research to staff meetings, encouraging my colleagues to re-evaluate interventions that might be outdated. This shift in mindset elevated my role from simply following protocols to actively participating in their development and refinement.
In leadership contexts, FlexPath strengthened my ability to think strategically and communicate effectively. Assignments often required me to present proposals or policy recommendations in a professional format, which mirrored the type of work nurse leaders must do when advocating for changes at the administrative level. I became more confident in presenting my ideas to management, supporting them with data, and anticipating counterarguments.
At the bedside, my patient education skills improved significantly. Courses on health literacy and communication taught me how to tailor information to each patient’s background, making my teaching more effective. I found myself spending a few extra minutes explaining not just what to do, but why it mattered, empowering patients to take ownership of their health.
Overall, FlexPath has helped me bridge the gap between academic theory and practical nursing, enabling me to influence care at both the micro level (individual patient interactions) and the macro level (unit-wide initiatives).
