Question

Should nurses at the bedside (involved in direct patient care) be involved in the unit budget process? Explain your answer and provide rationales with examples from clinical practice (such as staffing, patient outcomes, equipment, etc.).

Answer 1

Budget is an annual plan that includes organization's goals and objectives, lists all planned expenses and revenues and guides the organization use annually for budget planning. Budget planning promotes use of the best methods to achieve financial objectives while ensuring that patients receive high quality, cost effective services.

ROLE OF NURSE IN UNIT BUDGET PROCESS:

• Budget is especially relevant to nurses because they are more closest to the patients and know what is needed to provide appropriate care and services on daily basis.
• Budget mainly involves expenses on day to day activities, resources, personnel and supplies, typically over a period of one period.
• Unit nurse interacts directly with patient so she has more knowledge of expenses include medical supplies used for patient care( such as I.V tubing and dressings), pharmacy costs for stock medications and syringes, equipment repair costs and staff travel for educational process.
• Unit nurse helps in modifying the expenses ensuring that each department stays within budget for the year and expenses are controlled.
• Nurse should also needs to determine what the patient outcomes are and whether there are plans to change the services or resources utilized.
• Collaboration with nursing staff on the unit as well as other parties involved with budget process hepls create a powerful tool in controlling the day to day operations of the unit and providing quality care to the patients.