Example Of Leadership In Healthcare

Leadership is a term that takes on a different meaning and visualization for each individual. There may be a standard written definition of “leadership” but to each person it may portray something unique. What leadership means in a New York City office, might not mean the same as leadership at the University of Iowa Hospital. In my opinion, leadership acts a catalyst for new improvements, new accomplishments and meeting goals, which is why leadership is so vital to healthcare. Leadership is necessary for hospitals and staff to continuously progress with new structures, policies, and quality of care. In the healthcare setting individuals in positions of leadership work simultaneously with individuals in positions as followers to bring forth

An example of a leader on a unit would be a charge nurse, and a follower would be a staff nurse. They both have the similar goal in common of providing safe care to patients but they may perform different tasks in achieving this goal. The charge nurse makes patient assignments based on nurse experience, patient acuity, and any procedures needed throughout the day. The charge nurse’s leadership affects how the shift will play out and which nurses will be caring for whom. The nurse is the follower, and accepts responsibility for the patients and has direct interaction with them. In this example both the leader and follower have the same goal of providing safe effective care, while their actions toward achieving this goal are different. Although nurse and charge nurse roles differ, they influence each other in many ways as well. Smith-Trudeau (2017) discusses the importance of followers influence on leaders by giving feedback, challenging ideas and shaping the leaders decisions. This shows that followers have just as much say in decision making as leaders. If the nurse in the above example feels as if she will not be able to handle her patient load, the nurse can discuss and explain her reasoning with the leader, so that the leader can make an informed decision and reassign patients. Leaders and followers also need to support, engage and

I have nothing but great experiences with my clinical instructors, which inspired me to one day, fulfill that position for future nursing students. My instructors have demonstrated strong leadership with their communication skills, commitment to helping me learn, and acting as a role model. (Grossman & Valiga, 2017, pp. 28) With my aspiration to become a clinical instructor for students and then one day a nurse manager, I know that my areas of communication and confidence need improvement in order to work as a strong leader. Improving on my communication skills means being able to discuss difficult topics or disagreeing opinions with others in a professional manner. Improving my confidence means sticking to my opinion, and using my voice to advocate for what I think is right in difficult situations and having a strong determination to reach