Good writing skills are important in any professional context, but for nurses, they are especially important. You must be a skilled communicator if you wish to progress in your nursing career. This is true whether you are a nursing student, relatively new in the field, or an established nurse with years of experience. We spoke with Elaina Mahlan, MSN, RN, CNE, and faculty member in the RN-to-BSN program at Purdue University Global, about why good writing is so important in nursing and the types of writing you'll do as you grow in your career. Good Writing Is Vital in Charting, Updating EMRs, and Creating Care Plans Good writing can help allow for better patient care and safety. "Nurses at the associate's level are writing for a very specific kind of audience, one that would connect with a chart, " Mahlan said. Nurses must be detailed and accurate, and it's important to take emotion and subjectivity out of this type of writing. These factors also play an important role in the event that the chart becomes part of an audit or lawsuit.
"When nurses come into education programs that are beyond initial nurses' training and licensure, their writing needs to target the particular audience and purpose that they're writing for, one that goes beyond the chart, " Mahlan said. For example, nurses at the BSN level will commonly interact on a community level more so than they would on an associate's level. You may find yourself creating communication materials, information about where to go to get assistance, or educational materials about disease processes or health management. "You're going to have to create those for the public in a way that takes into account what people's reading levels might be, " Mahlan explained. "How do I appeal to a broad audience? How can I be pithy in my writing, so that people will actually read what it is I'm trying to communicate to them? Can I speak to their interests and their needs in a way that's clear and complete but also concise? " The inclusion of human emotion in writing becomes more appropriate as nurses move into policy-making.
Nurses Must Be Able to Convey Outcomes to Different Audiences Nurses are often in the position of having to measure outcomes and communicate those outcomes to decision-makers in a meaningful way. "If you can't do so, " Mahlan said, "then you're not going to have support for your work on an ongoing basis. " What kinds of outcomes? Maybe it's a technological innovation. Maybe it's a change in practice to implement evidence-based practice. Nurses often write reports for different stakeholders within their own institutions to convey what worked, to what extent, and what didn't work. "Who better to do that than the nurse who is at the point of care and in the best position to see what's working, what's not working, and why that might be happening? " Mahlan said. "If you haven't clearly communicated the way something should be done, the rationale why it's done that way, and your policies and procedures aren't clear, we're in trouble before we ever get to the lawsuit phase, " Mahlan continued.
Clinical Research Coordinator, University of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine "It's thrilling to get to think about writing outside of the academic bubble. I am a clinical research coordinator—this fall, I'll begin a PhD program in clinical-community psychology—and I'll definitely apply what I've learned in the professional writing classes. I plan to continue to research and hope to teach; I would like to be able to reach students with learning tools that are helpful to them. Both embracing the writing curriculum and mastering the online platforms have been very worthwhile. One magical thing about writing is that it's dynamic, and it's everywhere. In my experience, the program has been interested in communication quite broadly—I attempt to think deeply and effectively communicate both in and out of the workplace. "
Professional writing is a type of written communication used in the workplace. Learn its function and examine examples in this lesson. Comprehension will be gauged with a quiz. Definition of Professional Writing Professional writing is a style of written communication used in a workplace environment that allows professionals (e. g. businesspeople, professors, doctors, lawyers, etc. ) to make informed decisions. Professional writing typically has a formal tone and differs from written text that is considered literary or artistic, which generally seeks to entertain and/or convey a philosophical truth. Purpose of Professional Writing The general purpose of professional writing is to convey information to readers within a workplace context. The specific function of professional writing can be one or a mixture of the following, depending on context: To encourage action To instruct To persuade To inform To affirm shared goals Professional writing allows various types of professionals to communicate ideas to each other despite their different areas of expertise.
"Nurses at this level want to influence public policy, " Mahlan explained. "When we're making the case for a change in legislation, that doesn't just involve raw statistical data, we need to be able to convey a human story in a way that moves people to action—and nobody sees those human stories like a nurse does. " Accrediting Bodies Emphasize the Need for Strong Communication Skills "Nurses are communicators, and certainly written communication is an essential form of communication in general, " Mahlan said. "But beyond that common-sense level, the relevant accreditors tell us this is key. For example, the American Association for Colleges of Nursing accredits nursing programs all around the country, and they emphasize the ability to communicate effectively throughout the national accreditation standards. " Similarly, the Joint Commission, which provides accreditation to myriad health care facilities, emphasizes communication skills in their National Patient Safety Goals. The commission lauds good communication for its ability to protect patient safety and the safety of the entire health care team.. "So beyond our common sense, we recognize from an accreditor's standpoint that the ability to communicate effectively is a drumbeat theme, " Mahlan said.
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The Certificate in Professional Writing is a 4-course, 4 c. u. * credit program of study taught by University of Pennsylvania faculty. To earn the certificate, it is recommended that students enroll first in the Fundamentals of Professional Writing course, followed by three additional professional writing courses. Penn LPS Online courses in the Certificate in Professional Writing are offered on an accelerated (8-week) schedule. Courses in the online certificate program are largely asynchronous with some optional synchronous sessions to be scheduled by the instructors. You also have the option to enroll in individual professional writing courses without committing to the entire online certificate, enjoying the flexibility and expertise offered by Penn LPS Online to suit your schedule and interests. Students who complete the basic certificate may pursue an advanced certificate (6-course, 6 c. *) by adding two additional online courses from the course list. Visit the Cost of Attendance page for course tuition and fee rates.
Certificate in Professional Writing About the Online Certificate in Professional Writing The Certificate in Professional Writing gives you a scenario-based deep dive into the kinds of writing essential to business. Our online professional writing courses offer a series of concepts and practical applications that provide an accelerated understanding of the subtle arts of communication, enhanced by tips to make anyone a power-writer—a master of grammar, concision, and clarity. Whether you are in an entry-level position and want to ramp up your writing skills or are an accomplished writer ready to expand and refine your repertoire, our online professional writing courses take you to the next level. We take you beyond the basics of structure and style. Our coursework emphasizes professional expertise and extensive feedback as we share and cutting-edge findings in the field of writing. Find out how to incorporate your personal or corporate brand's story into every piece of communication and discover the best ways to identify and appeal to target audiences.
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