Dear Editor,

I really enjoyed the article "Use of Video-Feedback, Reflection, and Interactive Analysis to Improve Nurse Leadership Practices."1 The author describes an approach to reduce nurse turnover and decrease vacancy rates in the acute care setting that would lead to the desired results of improved safety and quality of care.1 As a supervisor in the community health setting, I would like to add that nursing satisfaction and quality of care are not issues exclusive to the acute care setting. The Affordable Care Act of 2010 is changing how health care is delivered. This Act has authorized up to $1.5 billion in new grants over the next 6 years to increase home visits by nurses and social workers to expectant mothers in high-risk communities. It will also provide grant funding for community-based nurse-managed health centers. It is expected that as a result of the establishment of a federally supported health center system the patient base will increase to 40 million people and nurses are the single largest group of workers in this health center system. More support for health centers means more people accessing primary care, which translates into thousands of new nursing jobs.2 The current nursing shortage makes recruiting and retaining nurses to fill these positions challenging. The role of the community health nurse is generally more autonomous than a hospital-based nurse and requires creativity on the part of the supervisor to provide a supportive, positive work environment.

The suggested pilot program of using video feedback with reflection in an operational setting as a way to improve leadership skills is an innovative and cost-effective approach.1 Reflection is a valuable tool that builds critical thinking and decision-making abilities. Personal reflection and providing reflective practice to staff is a part of my daily practice, but I have never recorded the process. I can certainly see how this approach could be beneficial to improve my leadership practice and have farther reaching effects of improving nurse satisfaction leading to improved quality of care in the community health setting.

-Alison Collazo, BSN, RN

YWCA of Metropolitan Dallas

Dallas, Texas

[email protected]

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