The Importance Of Effective Leadership In Nursing

In the healthcare setting the registered nurse (RN) is required to assume a leadership position, the RN needs exhibit numerous leadership skills to effectively lead within a healthcare team. This essay will reflect and critically discuss the leadership role of the RN in ensuring quality and safe patient care, with ideas drawn for Dr Lucy Cuddihy interviews (2015). Effective communication is an essential leadership skill that is required by the RN to provide quality and safe as in the healthcare setting if communication is misconstrued it can cause irreparable damage or increase the risk of unnecessary mistakes. Patient centred care is also an important leadership skill for the RN as it ensures that patients receive the best possible care.

The registered nurse (RN) is required to act as a leader in many situations, whether in an official capacity or non-official capacity. In addition, effective leadership demonstrates consistently superior performance; it delivers long term remunerations for those involved, either in the recipient of care or in the delivery of care (Makaroff et al. 2014). It is important for the RN to acknowledge that leaders are not only those who may control others; they are visionaries who help implement others with goals, leadership, organisation and planning of activities (James Ree, 2014). In the healthcare setting it becomes highly relevant for the nurse to have the ability to lead, as it is important to be able to work within or lead a team to facilitate quality and safe care for patients (Coelho Amestoy et al. 2014). Coelho Amestoy et al. (2014) also reflect on the challenges that the rn can face in trying to assume the leadership role in the healthcare setting, as there are many health professionals in in this setting there may be conflicting ideas in relation the care. Influential leadership skills are needed by all RNs, from those in management positions and especially to RNs providing direct care to patients (Curtis, DeVries and Sheerin, 2011). Makaroff et al. (2014) also deliberates that clinical nursing leaders are those involved in the direct patient care who continuously

Arrangements need to be made so that they understand what is happening clearly, whether getting in a translator or just taking slightly more time so that there is a clear flow of communication happening. This will improve the quality of care that they are receiving. A study conducted by Hemsley, Balandin and Worrall (2012) has shown that time is an important factor in communication and where there are barriers nurses may avoid opening the communication channel directly with their patient rather than focussing on the patient’s carer or family to relay the message. This is a less effective way of communicating with a patient, as it does not create an environment where a patient will feel able to communicate freely to discuss any problems they may be having. Anthony & Vidal (2010) point out that the use of correct information is vital, as registered nurses rely on information to conduct quality and safe care. There may be issues with that information if it is not communicated correctly which can lead to common nursing