Blake K. Smith, MSN, RN, serves as a Clinical Documentation Sr Analyst at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha, NE. He leads inpatient projects on Patient Education/Health Literacy, Plan of Care, Downtime Procedures, and Regulatory Reporting for five hospital systems across Nebraska. He is a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation New Careers in Nursing Scholar alum and served as the first Chair of the New Careers in Nursing (NCIN) Scholars Network as a founding member. Smith also serves as a member of the Nebraska Action Coalition (NAC) Diversity Task Force and Leadership Committee, along with the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action national Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Steering Committee. Smith is an international leader in men’s health and male inclusion issues in the nursing profession and currently serves as the youngest President in American Association for Men in Nursing (AAMN) history.
What is your role and perspective related to COVID-19, and why is it especially important that nurses serve on diverse boards in communities across the nation?
“Technology cannot have a larger role than in the reality we find ourselves in currently. When forced to distance physically, we must leverage existing and innovate new technology applications to bring care to our communities.
In my role, I utilize my experience at the bedside and frontline colleagues to implement technology to protect staff, patients, and families, while reassuring our social structures remain intact. Telehealth has been exponentially forced forward in innovation and will continue after the pandemic has subsided. Telehealth is the new reality that will help increase the level of access for all types of communities to receive the care each US citizen deserves.
Nurses are essential to lead the charge for process and workflow development. We must have a seat at the table to guide strategic decision making for the 21st Century to bring an optimal return on investment to all companies investigating these innovations. Nurses have the unique knowledge and skill base to advise on public health matters. The avocation case for nurse board recruitment is equally vital for financial return and cost savings as public health for companies”.
June 11, 2020
Boards: Nebraska Action Coalition (NAC) Diversity Task Force and Leadership Committee; Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action national Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Steering Committee
