Shared activity : reflection
Module 1 Unit 6
When I started this Master of Public Health (MPH), I had great expectations, and I knew that I had to do it because it would help me progress as a health care professional (Roehampton-online.com, 2015). I was coming in with an experience both as an International Volunteer Leader in a Relief Organization for the past 20 years and with an experience in health care as a visiting nurse, additionally being the president of the Staff Committee. The Module One of the MPH has helped me tremendously in bringing together both angles of experience and showed me how to blend them in order to improve my leadership and feel more secure in both my roles as it is very important to be confident while leading (Barron Stark, 2012).
Previously, I often felt like my experience as a volunteer leader was not really recognized or valuable in my nursing job (Working with Volunteers and Managing Volunteer Programs in Health Care Settings, 2003). However, at the end of this Module One, I have taken steps to influence more confidently as a leader in my nursing job as well as in my role of president of the Staff Committee. For example, when it comes to the Staff Committee’s role, I have asked the Committee members to consider this role as significant
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and be willing to give the necessary time to make a difference in our organization, as some of the former members were sometimes not attending the meetings or not doing what they were supposed to do. I am also in the process of asking that we all work together on a two-year plan as it is very important to have the same vision as a team (Sotunde Olalekan, 2012). I learned a lot through my colleagues' posts in the Shared Activities sessions.
For example, I was very interested to read that in Saudi Arabia, the government wants to make healthcare more approachable and therefore is building more hospitals (Harris, 2015). It contrasts with Switzerland, which government is closing down regional hospitals with the pretence to reduce costs (Buchs, 2013), while elderly and disabled people are then having a difficult time accessing health care facilities. In this aspect, it was very enlightening to study the financing of public health care and evaluate it, as it helped me understand what could be done to reduce costs more effectively while not cutting down on
quality. Module One was also an encouragement to reflect on my earlier opinion that a Public Health Care Leader, to be effective, must have a health care background. Harris (2015) gave the example of a good Public Health Care Leader in Saudi Arabia who is not from a health care background. In addition I studied the life of Henry Dunant, founder of the Red Cross, whose background was in banking, and yet he greatly improved Public Health Care in countries affected by war (Bradley, 2009). Both examples helped me understand that in Public Health Care, it is more important to consider first the qualities of a leader and then the skills in health care, provided that the leader is aware of his need to be surrounded by others who are from a health care background (Harris, 2015). Reading about the importance of studying and understanding health care systems in order to evaluate how they can be changed (Merson et Al., 2011) was also very valuable, as it encouraged me to realize that I am not helpless but can play a role in changing the health care system in Switzerland and beyond. The Professional and Personal Development plan (PPDP) is probably the learning experience in this module that still has the greatest influence on my thoughts regarding my future as a leader in Public Health. It has pushed me to consider everything I was learning and write on paper what was in my mind and heart. It has helped me to clarify my vision and to see the steps to be taken to start moving in the direction I now feel I should take.
When I learned that one individual can only do so much while a group of passionate individuals can even move mountains, I took on the role of a shift leader to moderate volunteers and joined the emergency department to study a new environment the hospital offer. During that time, I trained numerous volunteers and assisted countless staffs in saving lives at an effective rate with quality services. Many volunteers I trained are continuing their ardent determination to thrive in the small volunteer room alongside with zealous
In the beginning of my senior year I was eager to expand my understanding of how it would be to work in a hospital. An opportunity arose allowing me to volunteer in the hospital at the University of Chicago. I was able to volunteer at the children's playroom, which consisted of a weekly commitment. The daily tasks I had to perform where to enlighten the spirits of children and reduce the amount of anxiety that developed within them when they approached a hospital visit. I would play games, read books, or just company the patients at their bedside. I especially love to interact with the younger patients because their laughter and innocence warms my heart up.
The knowledge that I will obtain in the public health portion of the program will allow me to be better prepared to understand the social and environmental determinants of health that contribute to the development of diseases, and this will allow me to care for my patients more effectively. As these and other public health issues become more prominent, having a well-trained workforce that is equipped to address community-level health concerns is vital. As a profession, PAs are well educated as primary care clinicians and are able to handle a wide variety of common health care disorders. Adding a master’s degree in public health equips PAs with an expanded skill set which can be used to manage the health of entire communities, specifically those which are
Simpson, M., & Patton, N. (2012). Leadership in Health Practice. In J. Higgs, R. Ajjawi, L.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has been in operation for more than 40 years and has been instrumental in working to improve the status of health and the health care for all individuals within the United States of America. They hold a vision “as a nation, to strive together to create a culture of health enabling all in our diverse society to lead healthy lives, now and for generations to come” ("Robert Wood Johnson Foundation," 2014). The Foundations nursing programs has early initiatives that would improve the profession with the advancement of nurse practitioners, programs improving nursing academics, improved hospital nursing. Currently the foundation is developing leadership skills in advanced level nurses and transforming working conditions of nurses within the hospital setting. In support of nursing and in light of the nation’s severe nursing short...
Ledlow, G., & Coppola, M. N. (2014). Leadership for Health Professionals. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning .
Understanding one’s strengths and weaknesses is essential to becoming and being a good leader. “Purposeful leaders understand who they are” (Mayfield, 2013). The author of this paper has had previous opportunities to lead, and will reflect on her experiences using the assigned inventory. She will evaluate her skill set and discuss ways she can be an advocate for change with the hospital and community in which she is employed. Lastly, she will identify one personal goal for her leadership growth and explore different avenues for obtaining that goal.
In the United States, 44 percent of adults (83.9 million people) volunteer, representing the equivalent of over 9 million full-time employees at a value of $239 billion (Independent Sector 2002). In many organizations, the work of volunteers plays an essential role in effective organizational performance, and thus their training and development are as important as that of paid staff. People volunteer and quit volunteering for a variety of reasons, but studies show that volunteer management and development play an important role. In a UPS Foundation (1999) survey, 40% of volunteers cited poor management practices as a reason for quitting. In a Canadian study (Phillips, Little, and Goodine 2002), the top three ways in which volunteers felt supported were organizational infrastructure, appreciation, and training; personal development ranked only slightly behind appreciation as the most important retention factor. Organizations such as 4-H, the Red Cross, and Big Brothers/Big Sisters have a comprehensive infrastructure and procedures for volunteer development. In smaller organizations, development of both paid and unpaid staff is a challenge. This essay describes successful practices in volunteer development to help organizations make the best use of their volunteers.
My success as a nurse leader will be based on my ability to lead and inspire others. I will . . . “act with integrity, set realistic goals, communicate clearly and often, encourage others, recognize the successes of your team members, and inspire them to provide the best of care.” A winning team can be built only through a shared vision and acknowledgement of each team member’s contribution. (Frandsen, B. 2014). My success as a nurse leader will not be by my work alone, I will have my team of great, effective staff behind me. My success will be
I had the opportunity to pick several different cites to complete our volunteer assignment. In the course of completing the hours, some of them I did on my own and others where done with few students. As new nurses, it is essential that we interact and be involved within our communities. I believe being involved in one’s community is important and will help make us aware of the different cultures and subcultures that surround us. Not only with this will help give us a better understanding about people in our community, but will also make us more compassionate, knowledgeable, and prepared for differences that we may or may not have experienced during our everyday lives.
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 participation in hospital committees was not part of my professional career until I have become a part of the workforce at the VA Hospital. Here, I realized that a partnership among nurses and other disciplines has tremendous value and a strong influence to achieve mutual goals focused on improving patients' care, promoting the safe nursing practice and supporting organization's reforms. Moreover, one must assert that involvement in active committee allows professional development and growth through learning new skills which help to recognize and understand the healthcare system possibly leading to obtaining a managerial position. Furthermore, membership of influencing board paves a road to establishing a professional and open relationship
I have chosen Public Health as my career path because I have a passion for making a difference in people’s lives and helping others achieve their goals. Also, I chose healthcare as a career because health does not only focus on the physical aspects of wellness, but it applies to all areas of wellness, such as, intellectual, social, spiritual, financial, occupational, environmental and emotional wellness. Moreover, Public Health is a challenging, diverse and dynamic field. My philosophy of health is very simple, to prevent, improve and educate the lives of individuals, families, communities and the population. Besides, there is no safer way to touch people’s lives than through public
I have experience in teaching and lecturing on public health and medical topics. Furthermore, I served as a department/teaching coordinator for COPE Heath scholars at Kaiser Permanente in Riverside. The role me and my team played, was overseeing and educating over 60 students, every 3 months on a variety of topics. Including topics such as preventive medicine, cultural competence, diversity, diet and exercise.
The Schulich Interfaculty MPH Program emphasizes public health leadership, policy and sustainability. What are your career aspirations in public health and how will our MPH facilitate these aspirations?