Nurse coaching is an established practice in many health care organizations. It directly impacts patient and employee satisfaction outcomes and the bottom line. Nurse Coaches are registered nurses with specialized training and education in coaching. They collaborate with patients to empower them to make positive choices for their health. Nurse coaches also work with staff to build resilience, improve morale, and develop skills.
Who is a Nurse Coach?
A nurse coach is a registered nurse who acts as a consultant, educator, and coach to other nurses. Nurses in direct care roles may seek out a nurse coach for help with improving their competencies, preparing for career advancement, and understanding the latest health care policies. Nurse coaches can also advise managing stress and dealing with difficult colleagues. Nurse managers may also work with a nurse coach to improve their leadership skills and coaching abilities.
Benefits of Nurse Coaching
Hospitals that have invested in nurse coaching report numerous benefits:
Improves quality of life
Nurse coaching is a method to improve health outcomes and quality of life by coaching patients on various topics related to their health, wellness, and lifestyle. Nurse coaches are usually registered nurses with advanced education and nursing and health coaching training.
Compels patients to make healthy lifestyle changes
A nurse coach can provide information and support to help you make healthy lifestyle changes. In addition, a nurse coach can give you the tools you need to improve your well-being and encourage you to set realistic goals for your health.
Other benefits include;
- Lower readmission rates
- Improved patient engagement
- Increased staff satisfaction
- Decreased costs and time to train new employees
Nurse Coaching Effect on Seriously Ill Patients
Patients with serious illnesses often require repeated hospitalizations. Nurse coaching can help reduce readmissions for many conditions by improving physician recommendations and self-care adherence.
Nurse coaches are trained to identify patients’ specific barriers in following their physician’s recommendations. These may include fear, lack of knowledge or understanding, or other issues that impede progress. This is especially true with patients with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and congestive heart failure.
Reducing readmission rates is a key component of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Hospitals with high readmission rates may be penalized 2% of their Medicare reimbursements. The ACA allows hospitals to pay attention to reducing readmissions by employing nurse coaches, which will help prevent penalties.
What’s the Exact Role of a Nurse Coach?
The role of a nurse coach is to help people change their behavior, especially with regard to diet, exercise, and stress reduction. Nurse coaching is growing in popularity as the Baby Boomer generation ages and seeks to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
It is also gaining ground in the healthcare profession as more nurses are trained to teach patients about behavioral changes that may reduce their need for more expensive interventions, such as surgery or hospitalization.
Finally, nurse coaches work with patients to provide education on improving their health through lifestyle changes like diet and exercise. They also provide support when patients struggle through difficult situations such as grief or loss of independence due to illness or injury.
