Nursing Leadership Goals

As a motivated workforce and role model in the dynamic and rapid changing of health care system, leadership skill is one of the most important competencies of advanced practice nurse (APN). This skill should be taught, practiced, nurtured and enhanced during APN education more than ever before. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) state that nurses are important full partners and leaders in the transformation of health care (Hamric, Hanson, Tracy, & O’Grady, 2014). According to Hamric et. al (2014), nurses should take on more leadership roles to have their voices heard. APNs not only have a stake in these efforts, but also have the clinical expertise and leadership that can ensure success (Hamric et. al, 2014). This paper aims to examine the

3). In this relationship, each must work through phases including conflict resolution and negotiation as part of the process. Transformational theory further explains leadership must include exhibiting a degree of emotional intelligence. This occurs when perceiving how others feel, understanding how the feelings lead to thinking, understanding the emotions, and managing emotions internally. In respects to this theory, emotional intelligence enhances this bi-directional relationship between the leader and the followers (Spears, 2002).

Karen is a graduate of University of Massachusetts with Bachelors of Science in Nursing 1991, a graduate of University of Massachusetts with Masters of Science: Acute Care/Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) 2011, and is enrolled at University of Massachusetts Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) anticipated graduation 5/19. After graduating with her CNS degree, Karen had an educator position at a community hospital, then transitioned to an academic hospital, as the clinical educator in the ED. Karen attends leadership forums and is currently attending the leadership academy offered at her institution. The DNP program she is enrolled

Nurse leaders are the background to the nursing care. Effective nurse leaders can promote a positive workforce and a healthy work place for other nurses. Workplace dynamics is an essential part of how each nurse functions. Nurses, being mentally and physically stressed, need to have support and guidance from a nurse leader to feel confident about performance. The impact of nursing leaders can be a positive and guiding force for the younger or more inexperienced nurse. Having strong relationships with solid leaders can instill values in the beginning stages of a newer nurses’ career. Gaining insight and core concepts from a more experienced leader can make a world of difference in the way a new nurse performs, provides patient care, and sets future goals for themselves. A newer nurse with a positive role model and nurse leader can model themselves to become a leader for future nurses.

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 at times can be a complex topic to delve into and may appear to be a simple and graspable concept for a certain few. Leadership skills are not simply acquired through position, seniority, pay scale, or the amount of titles an individual holds but is a characteristic acquired or is an innate trait for the fortunate few who possess it. Leadership can be misconstrued with management; a manager “manages” the daily operations of a company’s work while a leader envisions, influences, and empowers the individuals around them.

I am applying to the Walden M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. I plan to practice as a licensed professional in counseling and Higher Education. I have always wanted to be a Clinical Mental Health Psychologist, working with individuals to help improve their mental and emotional health is something that I am committed to. Starting this program now is the best time because the information that I learned from my undergrad career would help me to be more successful in my grad career by learning more but at an advanced level. Once I receive my degree I plan to go back to school to get my doctorate degree in psychology, and utilize the skills that I have learned to open my own private practice that helps individuals who suffer with mental and emotional disabilities, within my practice I plan to let each individual patient talk about their issues and come up with a strategic plan for treatment. The personal qualities that I possess are having self-confidence and the ability to work and collaborate with others having the ability to be receptive to feedback while maintaining a positive attitude.

My nursing leadership philosophy is based on transformational leadership to which I ascribe. Transformational nurse leaders have a vested interest in the success of those they lead and their organization’s vision. They are visionaries in the pursuit of cutting-edge ways of completing the tasks and goals of the team and organization. They are able to inspire, encourage, open to mentorship, see the potential in those they lead while challenging them, and knowing their strengths and weaknesses. I am cognizant of my own limitations, strengths and weaknesses, acknowledge my mistakes and open to change.

Leadership occurs when an individual is able to affect the behaviour or actions of others without having to make threats or use violence to implement changes (Ellis & Abbott, 2013). Nursing leadership involves all roles and aspects of nursing practice. It revolves around the ability to use critical thinking related to patient care, act upon those decisions and advocate for change whenever necessary. Nursing leadership has an important role in the lives of nurses’, influences the entire health care systems and the delivery of care (Canadian Nurses Association, 2009). Values and beliefs are what form and guide an individual’s thought processes and actions in everyday life. Being open, honest and sensitive are my values that guide my behaviour in my everyday life. I value openness because it allows me to feel comfortable to express my feelings and ideas. This value became important to me in my previous clinical setting. I was always afraid to openly inform my clinical instructor about whenever I did not agrees with changes that were being made on the unit. I was always scared that if I did voice my opinion and she did not agree with me, it would lead to failure of clinical. Honesty and being sensitive to one’s emotions is a value I believe are important. This value is imperative because the truth is known, but at the same time, it allows for one to be aware of individual feelings in relation to how to deliver this truth. This creates the knowledge of which tone of voice to use

Learning is a vital aspect of growth and development of a human being. Humans learn to adapt to new environment and conditions through continuous learning. The healthcare system is an ever-changing world. Healthcare practices have become dynamic throughout ages. Thus more nursing leaders are needed to shape the modern healthcare scenario and provide efficient nursing practice.

In the increasingly complex, ever changing environment of today’s healthcare, effective leaders are essential to help drive positive change resulting in increased access to care with positive outcomes for as many as possible. In its 2010 report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recognized that nurses are well positioned to play a key role in the transformation of our healthcare system in the United States (U.S.) (Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2010). In The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) specifically identifies organizational and systems leadership as a core competency for advanced

One of the most influential ways a nurse can be an active leader is through mentorship (Cherry & Jacob, 2011). A mentor helps new nurses through the many transitions they will encounter. The mentor guides a new nurse both emotionally and clinically. New nurses need to develop relationships which will be their foundation for future skills as communicators and leaders. Furthermore, nurses rely on mentorship to enhance their clinical skills and critical thinking. Besides mentorship, it is valuable for a nurse leader to participate on committees. A shared leadership committee, also known as a clinical practice council CPC is composed of staff nurses from each discipline, educators, directors, and managers. A CPC promotes a professional

Leadership may mean different things to different people, the consensus opinion of experts in this field is that leadership is using power to direct and influence activities of people to achieve set goals or targets. Nursing leadership is all about every nurse providing, facilitating and promoting the best healthcare services to client and to the public. Leadership is a shared responsibility. (CNO 2012). The nursing profession need leaders that can build the capacity of nurses through mentoring, coaching, supporting, developing the expertise and management skills of nurses to make a difference to the quality of patient care at all levels of the profession ( McIntyre & McDonald, 2014 ). At the core of every leadership either political or managerial is power and how the leader uses it. While it is practically impossible to lead without power, how the nurse leader uses this power not only determine the leadership style but also the results or outcomes of what is achieved through the process.

I knew that I wished to be a nurse towards the end of my time in high school. While I enjoy the opportunity to help people I found that nursing is heavily based in scientific and system theory. Many years ago as a young lieutenant I attended a leadership breakfast with the Air Force Chief of the Nurse Corps. Over the course of the breakfast she opened the discussion up to our questions. I was pursuing my Clinical Nurse Leader Master’s degree and I asked her why the Air Force had chosen to focus on the Clinical Nurse Specialist track. Her response was that nursing was still considered a job or a trade; rather than a profession, in large part due to the varied educational tracks. My encounter with Major General Siniscalchi and continuing

Nurses have a significant impact on health care development. Multiple factors could affect the nurse’s abilities and intuitive to be involved in larger scale of leadership within the health policy. I agree with some point was mentioned by Khoury et al. (2011). I believe that Lacking of leadership opportunities is one of the biggest concerns secondly after the stereotype views that Anthony discussed. Comparing nurses educational background to physician, nurse’s shortage and the misguided perception by the media or other health care providers play a significant role in that reduced opportunities. Although, nurses educational background is different form physicians, they both have the essential courses, training, skills and experiences to obtain