Leadership

When talking about leadership, one cannot help but wonder how it relates to nursing. If the focus of nursing should be caring for patients who are either well or ill, then why is there a need to tackle leadership? Unlike before, today’s health care environment is complex, rapid and continuously changing. This development prompts an upcoming danger to the nurse’s skills, identity and ability to coordinate with other health care professionals. On the other hand, this also makes nurses challenge their own into taking the lead, developing goals, consolidating a purpose and moving towards an attainable vision. A nurse leader then needs to combine clinical, administrative, financial and operational skills to effectively solve various clinical challenges. These challenges are the rationale behind tackling the need for leadership in nursing.

Leadership is a human engagement activity. It connotes the idea of someone being superior to the other. Leadership can be seen as the practice of small actions that can engage or alienate, nourish or deplete those around us. Others often mistake a leader to have the same title as a “manager.” The difference between the two terms is evident in the popular statement. A leader deals with people while a manager deals with paper. Leadership is considered a unique function also. It can be especially delegated or it can simply arise in a certain group. In the nursing context, the leader is a visionary with a concentration of time and effort who looks outward to how the unit, organization, or profession can go forward (Daly, et. al., 2004). Leadership is also considered a natural element in nursing practice because majority of nurses work in group or units. When an individual receives the license of an ...

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...ial is education. Thru education, nurses will understand their role in the organization’s success. Basic to each nurse is the need to know how to become an effective leader since the health care field is vast and wide. Each has to have autonomy in making decisions since not all the time an appointed leader will be present. Autonomy is fostered when there is empowerment. Studies show that rather than coercion and control, power and authority is much gained when the leader fosters trust among subordinates. This trust is also gained thru empowerment. Thus one the most important nursing leadership role is empowerment. When there is empowerment, power, authority, trust and growth are gained by the leader. The subordinates on the other hand gain fulfillment and value towards work. The end result will then be success of the members, leaders and the organization as a whole.