Nurse Leadership Styles
Rachel R Steanburg
Lake Michigan College
Abstract
Nursing leaders are able to take on many different leadership styles in their management positions. Such types of leadership include Democratic style, Affiliative style, Transformational style and Authoritarian style. Leaders that are able to switch between different leadership styles are able to lead their teams in all different situations and will in turn gain the respect of their team. Nurse leaders need to lead in a way that allows their team to have full confidence in the leader’s ability to keep calm and maintain working conditions that ensure patient safety and compliance.
Nurse Leadership Styles Leadership is just one aspect of nursing. Leadership can be something as simple as leading your “team” of nursing staff through a particular shift all the way to becoming a Director of Nursing in a hospital. One way the success of a leader can be measured is by the influential ability to get employees to reach the same goals of both the leader and the organization. Leaders are able to use many different styles to direct their employees. The situation, end goal and particular leader will help determine which type of leadership is warranted.
A leader establishes a vision, autonomy and empowers employees to think critically in every situation. A leader should have many different roles such as clearly communicating expected standards to their team members and encouraging team members to be actively
The role of a nurse leader is invaluable to the performance and ultimate success of an entire nursing team whose goal is to provide excellent patient care. There are a few key characteristics that define a nursing leader. The first characteristic is one who communicates effectively and is accountable on all levels, from the patient and their family to the interdisciplinary members and senior staff. Effective communication and accountability are characteristics of an individual who
In this essay I will discuss the leadership style of 3 nursing leaders, which I chose from Nursing Leadership DVD (Orazietti & Singh, 2014). I will then describe impact the leaders ' style has on improving nursing care, organizational processes, and inter-professional collaboration. In addition, I will provide some examples of a change process or difficult situation which leaders encountered. Finally, I will explain how I have dealt with difficult situation involving my colleague and one of physician in the hospital department where I worked. Throughout this essay I will analyze what leaders should have done differently. 3 Leaders which I have chosen were Debra Bournes from group 1 because of her political and administrative success, Mina Singh from group 2 because she is renowned for her educational style at York University, and Esther Green from group 3 because she is the sound and knowledgeable practitioner.
Leadership is encountered in every occupation and in everyday life. In nursing, leadership is not only prevalent; it is crucial to patient care and employee satisfaction. The nurse leader that was interviewed was a nurse at the Newport Hospital in Newport, Washington. This is a small hospital in a rural community. She is a charge nurse in the acute care unit, as well as in charge of leading infection control in the hospital. With these roles comes a lot of responsibility, and tasks that must be completed in a timely manner to create a workflow for the rest of the staff. There is a lot of juggling and balancing everything that is included in all of those positions.
Leadership is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “the power or ability to lead other people” (Merriam-Webster, 2017). A leader may also be thought of as a guide or a director. Our sixth president, John Quincy Adams quoted that "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader" (GovLeaders.org, 2017). But what makes a nursing leader? In the book “Leadership & Nursing Care Management”, Huber defines a nursing leader “…as the ability to inspire confidence and support among followers, especially in organizations in which competence and commitment produce performance” (Huber, 2014, p. 4).
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
First let’s start with the meaning of leadership. Leadership is the ability of an individual to influence the behavior of others (ATI leadership pg. 2). As a leader it is important to form goals and to follow through with them. As a nurse you are a part of a team and it is
Leaders are not merely those who control others, but act as visionaries who help employees to plan, lead, control, and organize their activities. As states by (Hood, Leddy, & Pepper, 2006), “leadership is a complex term with multiple definitions but is normally defined as a process of influencing others or guiding or directing others to attain mutually agreed upon goals” (as cited by Agnes, 2005). There are several recognized leadership styles such as bureaucratic — where the leader rigidly follows rules, policies, and regulation; or participative — where the leader allows the staff to participate in decision making and seek the
Leadership comes in many different forms, and is a curtail element of a health care organization. This paper will describe leadership styles, management theories, and my style of leadership in reference to the self-assessment completed. I will discuss what leadership styles align with my style and what type of work environment and behaviors that will help me be a successful leader. I will also discuss different types of leadership theories. There are many aspects to being a leader and every good organization has good leaders behind it. Leadership is a key element in nursing due to the fact that nurses are often working in teams (Huber, 2014, p.3).
Nurse leaders inspire others to work together in quest of a shared goal, for instance, improved patient care. The nurse leader is a critical thinker, sets goals, uses effective communication, and recognizes the emotional needs of others (Roskoski, 2012). Nurse leaders carry out any changes that are to be made that have been implemented by management.
The kind of nursing leader I will be a nurse who can collaborate with a team of staff who will care for patients. According to Rose Sherman, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, CNL and Elizabeth Pross, PhD, RN, author of Growing Future Nurse Leaders to Build and Sustain Healthy Work Environment at the Unit Level, gives descriptions of nurse leaders. To be an effective leader, there are characters leading to a type of nurse leadership. Whether I 'm dealing with a struggle between co-workers or an intimidating personality on the team, I want to successfully manage the relationships around myself.
Every organization has a management team, with the success the organization in the hands of these leaders and managers. How the organization is run is generally determined by the executive leaders and filtered down through a series of positions on an organizational chart. In hospital healthcare, at the end of the chart is the care provided by the nursing staff. The purpose of this paper is to discuss Participative Nursing Leadership (democratic) style, nursing leadership and management theories, and finally this paper will explain what is required of the nurse leader to create an environment for nurses in which the nurse feels gratified and hospital goals are met.
The role of a nurse leader is a complex and multi-dimensional phenomenon that requires a nurse leader to have a diverse and experienced background. A nurse leader also needs to know how to communicate and collaborate with other health care providers, patients, and departments (Montuori, 2010). In my opinion, nursing is a challenging and an evolving profession that required a nurse leader to have three important attributes: transformative, culturally sensitive, and computer competent.
Being a leader is not a simple task. It involves planning and professionalism. A leader must have the trust and respect of its members to be able to form a strong system. A manager must be able to lead and communicate employees to achieve goals. Nursing involves strong leadership because the aim is to care and nurture patients. Chaotic work environments will not allow nurses to prosper in providing proper care. The right leadership and management style allow for more efficiency among members. Leadership is critical and should have a clear vision, inspire, and
The Nurse Manager’s leadership style is Shared (democratic) Leadership. I believe that this leadership style is most like hers because she empowers the staff to be decision makers. Empowering the staff to make their own clinical decisions while still abiding by hospital policies gives people the opportunity to have more control. This style of leadership also makes people more accountable for their choices (Marquis & Huston, 2015).
Excellence in nursing leadership continues to be the adhesive force that holds the health care system together. Effective leaders have the ability to motivate and engage the people they lead. ‘The leader who is engaged and passionate about work will communicate this to staff who will then feel the contagion and the excitement’ (Kerfoot 2016). ‘The leader who is engaged and passionate about work will communicate this to staff who will then feel the contagion and the excitement’. Transformational leadership is most generally the preferred style of leadership