Nursing Leadership
Nursing is an ever changing profession, making strong leadership a crucial aspect. “Nursing leaders play a significant role in creating positive work environments for nurses” (Young – Ritchie, Laschinger, & Wong, 2007, para 1). This paper will define the concept of leadership in nursing. Many qualities are required to be a successful nursing leader. Some of the qualities discussed in this paper are: supporting and empowering team members, being well organized, remaining consistent with their expectations, and being able to effectively communicate with their team. Furthermore, this paper will identify the relationship between leadership qualities and role of the Practical Nurse.
“Nursing leadership is about critical thinking,
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“Effective leadership behaviors require preparation, professional leadership attitudes and behavior” (Arnold and Boggs, 2011, p. 228). This requires a strong and knowledgeable leader who inspire others and support professional nursing practice. Furthermore, “leaders that have access to strong interpersonal relationships, information, support, resources, and opportunities empowers employees to accomplish meaningful work” (Young – Ritchie, Laschinger, & Wong, 2009). All these qualities are also important for a practical nurse to have access to in order to empower patients to achieve their optimal well-being. Saskatchewan Association of Licensed Practical Nurses (SALPN), states that Licensed Practical Nurses standards encourage leadership through self-awareness and reflection, commitment to individual and professional growth (2013). Practical Nurses have a big part in supporting and empowering their patients as well as novice nurses. The novice Practical Nurse may feel overwhelmed with work and unsure of themselves at the beginning of their career. A gentle guidance and support form a Practical Nurse can make a transition from a student to a nurse …show more content…
It is important for nurses to be well organized and if leaders are strong in organization, the team will be as well. “Nurse leaders at every level and position must develop organizational and management skills, whether they are managing human, fiscal, policy, time, material or other resources” (Canadian Nurse Association, 2008, p. 9). “Exerting good management skills is part of being a good leader – and leadership skills are necessary for good management” (Canadian Nurses Association, 2008, p. 9). When nurses are able to organize their time, they are able to assess their patients thoroughly. Following these assessments, nurses are able to organize and prioritize which patient is in most need of assistance or immediate attention. If a leader is not well organized themselves, patient care may be affected. Practical Nurses like any other nurses need to have strong organizational skills, especially, if a practical nurse is working on a demanding, fast paced unit. Patient’s health and well-being depends on their ability to manage information and multi-task. It is easy to become overwhelmed and make mistakes if a practical nurse lacks in good organizational skills. Being well organized is even more important when working short staffed. In this instance the practical nurse would have to be able to organize her patients in priority order and be able to divide her time accordingly to provide safe and competent
Whitehead, D. K., Weiss, S. A., & Tappen, R. M. (2010). Essentials of nursing leadership and
Murphy J, Quillinan B, Carolan M. "Role of clinical nurse leadership in improving patient care." Nurs Manage 16, no. 8 (2012): 26-28.
In healthcare it is very important to have strong leaders, especially in the nursing profession. A nurse leader typically uses several styles of leadership depending on the situation presented; this is known as situational leadership. It is important that the professional nurse choose the right style of leadership for any given situation to ensure their employees are performing at their highest potential. Depending on which leadership style a nurse leader uses, it can affect staff retention and the morale of the employees as well as nurse job satisfaction (Azaare & Gross, 2011.) “Nursing leaders have the responsibility to create and maintain a work environment which not only promotes positive patient outcomes but also positively influences teams and individual nurses” (Malloy & Penprase, 2010.) Let’s explore two different leadership styles and discuss how they can enhance or diminish the nursing process.
In healthcare profession, leadership is defined as utilization of personal characteristics and experiences to communicate effectively with the patients suffering critical health problems for which there are no specific answers and to direct health care team in developing policies to solve these problems. The nurse leader establishes relationships to encourage others to set and accomplish clinical or administrative goals. An effective leader provides guidance, use moralities to direct the process, and develop self-confidence in others (Yoder-Wise, 2010).
During my clinical practicum hours at Fresno Surgical Hospital (FSH) with my preceptor, Heidi Honeycutt, I have gained a better understanding of the role of the clinical nurse specialist (CNS). Although all of the roles of the CNS are important, to be an effective and competent advanced practice nurse (APN), a CNS must have strong leadership skills. Leadership in a CNS role includes the ability to perform clinical research, guide change, model behaviors that lead to best patient outcomes, and develop trusting relationships with staff and patients in order to promote the facilitation of learning and communication. My preceptor has the knowledge and theoretical framework to accomplish the CNS role on a day-to-day basis, but what sets her apart and makes her a competent APN are her strong leadership skills. The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the role of the CNS as a leader and how having a better understanding of this role contributes to my professional and personal growth.
Nurse’s can demonstrate leadership by facilitating outstanding care to patients and it is related to how one’s values and behavior affect others. A leader is all about with success and contribution and a successful leader set his/her standards, goals and strategies at high. One can become a leader by assigned or emerged but both will be working towards a common goal of good or bad. In leadership, positive attitude is the key to success and problems and challenge in healthcare industry demand that nurses seek and fill the gap.
Leadership is defined by Northouse (2013) as a transactional experience between persons whereby one individual influences a group of individuals who have a mutual goal. Leaders may hold authority attributed to them by the group, substantiated by how they are regarded, whether or not they have positional authority. In contrast to management, where the goal is to provide order through control, leadership is concerned with producing change through transformation and practical adjustments (Northouse, 2013). Because of the nature of nursing, its obligation to promoting health and healing of people, nursing leadership concentrates change efforts based on human needs and concurrently ponders the needs of administrations largely because they understand the interrelatedness of the two influences.
Some aspects of the nurse’s job have been made easy and facilitated with the aid of other well trained professionals within their working environments. According to the American Nurses Association (ANA) (2012), registered nurse’s performance has greatly improved over the years as a result of their coordination and partnership with the health care system with other health care providers. As a result, registered nurses are today seen to occupy important leadership positions in the healthcare system and they participate when they are making decisions for patients as well as for other
“Effective nursing leadership is a vehicle through which healthcare delivery and consumer demands can be fulfilled (Doody, 2012).” Being an effective leader is such an important part of the work criteria for registered nurses. It takes someone who is able to communicate with their team, confident and passionate in what they do, and most importantly, someone who is caring and will inspire other to do their best every day. Transformational leadership in nursing is a process that motivates your co-workers by listening to higher ideas and the different moral values of them (Doody, 2012). As a nursing student, it is important that I am able to help/inspire clients and patients, and
Sullivan, E. J., & Decker, P. J. (2009). Effective leadership and management in nursing (7th ed.).
Additionally, the leader motivates, increases job satisfaction, involves the team in decision making, develops team members’ skills, and a role model (Kent, n.d.). The above descriptions fit my informal nursing leadership in the way I act in my practice. For example, I motivate the team to work together and collaboratively on delivering a safe and quality patient centered care thru the organization’s mission and vision. I set a role model on how, and effective communication is essential in relationships. Additionally, I encourage the team to continue their education, and I have demonstrated the last two years working with this organization, I have become certified in hospice and palliative care, preceptorship, and have enrolled in a nursing baccalaureate
...elly, P., & Crawford, H. (2013). Nursing leadership & management. In Nursing leadership & management(2nd ed., pp. 168-177). Canada: Nelson Education.
Introduction Nursing leadership of an undergraduate student is gained through observed leadership and management and through their education. (Curtis, Vries, & Sheerin, 2011) Within my education, I was taught what ideal leadership may be visualized as, but within healthcare that may change on a day to day basis. One cannot be taught all possible situations in the nursing field, and a capstone clinical experience may open our eyes to a fraction of the situations. On the job site and in the field, leadership may be taught and learned.
In today’s society, leadership is a common yet useful trait used in every aspect of life and how we use this trait depends on our role. What defines leadership is when someone has the capability to lead an organization or a group of people. There are many examples that display a great sense of leadership such being an educator in health, a parent to their child, or even a nurse. In the medical field, leadership is highly used among nurses, doctors, nurse managers, director of nursing, and even the vice president of patient care services. Among the many positions in the nursing field, one who is a nurse manager shows great leadership. The reason why nurse manager plays an important role in patient care is because it is known to be the most difficult position. As a nurse manager, one must deal with many patient care issues, relationships with medical staff, staff concerns, supplies, as well as maintaining work-life balance. Also, a nurse manager represents leadership by being accountable for the many responsibilities he or she holds. Furthermore, this position is a collaborative yet vital role because they provide the connection between nursing staff and higher level superiors, as well as giving direction and organization to accomplish tasks and goals. In addition, nurse managers provide nurse-patient ratios and the amount of workload nursing staff has. It is their responsibility to make sure that nursing staff is productive and well balanced between their work and personal lives.
The nursing profession has changed drastically over time. The roles and responsibilities that nurses take on have increased and become far more complicated. Nurses are managers, leaders, supervisors and have become experts in many areas of care. Every day nurses are faced with the task of improving and strengthening professional leadership within their work environment. Managing good quality and eliminating risk is the major challenge in health care. All members of the team must work together to accomplish outstanding patient care. Budget cuts and nursing shortage in all areas of health care leads to less licensed staff, where use of unlicensed personnel have been used widely, where delegation is not an option, but a necessity. Nurses must be aware of delegation guidelines, what tasks to delegate,when to delegate for the safety of patients, liability of nurses and the facility.