Theories Of Nursing Leadership

There are numerous change theories that nurse leaders can use to help make a change. According to our textbook, one of the most useful theories is Lewin’s change theory. This theory of change is described in three stages, (a) Unfreezing, (b) Moving, and (c) Refreezing (Grossman & Valiga, 2012). First, in the unfreezing stage, a problem is identified, analyzed and the start for change begins. Second, in the moving stage, this is where you make the change, new policies are developed and implemented. Last, in the refreezing stage, the change has been made and this is the new way of doing things now. Lewin’s change theory also mentions the driving forces, restraining forces and equilibrium, in order for organizations to remain in balance.

Leadership, to me, is more than being someone who gives orders and makes decisions. Being a leader means setting a standard and holding up the values and principles that they stand for. A leader should motivate others to be better in their work and life practices. In the nursing profession, leaders are necessary to make sure that processes can run smoothly and effectively all while making exceptional patient experiences.

Per Gaudine and Lamb (2015), transformational leadership is “inspirational and based on motivating followers to achieve a high level of performance” (p. 6). As nursing promotes excellence in standard of care, this style of leadership is beneficial for a leader to demonstrate as inspiring and motivating followers will create the drive for a

As with other aspects of healthcare, the leadership theories that guide much of the nursing profession today were influenced by leadership theories of the past. As explored by Marquis and Huston (2015), many aspects of nursing leadership have shifted from an autocratic style to one focused on relationships. Combining the early leadership skills and beliefs that centered on obtaining knowledge, power, and control with the more contemporary leadership skills found in servant and authentic leadership designs focused on communication, cooperation and shared knowledge, the 21st-century nurse leader has the opportunity to utilize the most appropriate leadership skill for the occasion (Marquis & Hudson, 2015). When a national disaster or catastrophic event occurs, the autocratic leadership style may best fit the scenario

Change is constant in the health care system. When new evidence is proven to be better, it is being implemented to improve quality care (i.e. effective, safe, and efficient.) The change agent use leadership skills to affect change and bring the expertise and resources to the table to help create healthier and global communities. “The Nurse of the Future will influence the behavior of individuals or groups of individuals within their environment in a way that will facilitate the establishment and acquisition/achievement of shared goals (Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, 2010). An effective leader must have the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary and be able to anticipate how followers will respond to change and choosing

A transformational leader encompasses the idea of shared governance. “The stated aim of shared governance is the empowerment of employees within the decision-making system. In addition, shared governance can be used to improve communication and joint decision making between nursing and other members of the interprofessional health-care team” (Marquis & Huston, 2017, p.309). The idea of sharing power opens the floor for better communication between nurse managers and staff and incorporates the ideas of staff in policy changes and rules. A transformational leader motivates their staff to participate in shared governance as well. Fisher et al. (2016) focuses on the relationship of shared governance and its role in retention of nurses. They conclude

Effective leadership is an important quality to create a functional workplace environment. When it comes to the healthcare system, specifically nursing, transformational leadership is the most qualified form. Its main principles inspire confidence, personal and organizational goals, innovation and support. (Hamstra, Van Ypern, Wisse, & Sassenburg, 2014). It is very effective at enhancing the client care and professional performance of the nurse leader’s followers. (Doody & Doody, 2012). Transformational leadership has many unique benefits, that other forms of

Nursing Management and Nursing Leadership while both having similar attributes are two different concepts, with two different characteristics, roles, and responsibilities, the Manager is more in charge of smooth operations, financing, and policy adherence, while a Leader is in charge of understanding current situations affecting healthcare, developing alternative and efficient changes, and promoting this changes for others to follow. There are multiple Management and Leadership qualities, in which ethical considerations must be addresses, this include promotion of quality services and performance, and meeting the needs of those of any culture who seek service. As new changes are so frequent in health care the Institute of Medicine have recommended a new form of leadership called Transformational Leadership, which have shown to be very efficient by implementing flexible and adaptable leadership. Nurse Leaders involves strategies, such as empowerment, organizational management, and more in Transformational Leadership to effectively communicate their vision for the future with others. To be an effective leader one must use competencies that are relevant in the field of nursing, such as being creative and developing interpersonal skills. Those individuals who desired to become Nurse Managers and Nurse Leaders should attend a development programs that focus in educating skills such as leadership skills, organizational skills, and interpersonal

Transformational leadership is highly effective at changing a nursing culture and motivating other staff members to make every effort toward the change or goal at hand. Transformational leaders have the ability to inspire, motivate and lead on the behalf of others. “Transformational leadership espouses intellectual stimulation and individual considerations to empower staff and enhance patient care" (Murphy, 2005, p. 128).

A healthy and safe work environment within the health care industry is extremely crucial in maximizing patient outcomes and ensuring staff satisfaction. Policies and regulations are often set in place to help meet these goals, yet are sometimes neglected through inattention or lack of proper motivation and education. Such associated factors can give rise to the need for change. One area in particular that has been observed as needing change among various units of Banner Thunderbird’s Hospital is the lack of compliance for hand washing. This issue has been observed among numerous health care workers and places the health of the patients and employees at risk. Therefore, intervention is necessary to increase the compliance rate and help decrease the potential spread of disease. In order to implement an intervention, the proper approach is necessary to create an actual impact. Leadership demonstrated by nurse leaders and managers can directly impact staff performance which in turn can influence safe patient outcomes and staff satisfaction. For nurse leaders and managers to be successful leaders it is important to have a firm theoretical understanding of leadership in order to deliver an effective leadership style that will help to inspire staff and stimulate change.

The nursing profession is advancing rapidly and change is common and essential. Nurse leaders hold an important position and influence the success of organizational change. Organizational change occurs as a result of imposed outside restrictions or as a result of internal pressures or opportunities that result in changes and modifications in the organizations goals, structure, environment, technology, or programs.(Kelly & Crawford,2013). Planned organizational change involves effective leadership to ensure the change is successful.

Healthcare is and will always be an ever changing field. As patient’s needs, technology and insurance requirements change, the direction of an organization must also change. For an organization to successfully adapt to change, the organization will need strong leaders to guide the staff through these changes. For nurses, it is essential that Nursing Leaders understand how to manage change so they can help the nurse in the acceptance of this change. Also, the Nurse Leader will need to understand innovation to help lead nurses in change.

The funding spent for nurses’ turnover is between $10,000 and $50,000 per Canadian, which is a great deal of loss to the government and organization (Lobo, 2010). This financial burden also leads to decreased quality of patient care and increased job stress for nurses. So, there is an urgent need to address the nurses’ turnover. Nurse leaders could take effective leadership roles to address the prevailing causes regarding nurses exiting their profession and work toward strategies to retain them. Moreover, a transformational leadership style could be an effective way to retain nurses because the transformational leader engages the emotions of their followers, build higher level of trust in their mission and help nurses become empowered (Lobo, 2010). Also, transformational nurse leaders can work at different levels to promote better work environment and job satisfaction among nurses to retain them in the workplace. A leader can take leadership roles in micro (downstream), meso (midstream) and macro (upstream) level.

Leaders come in all different shapes and sizes. Determining the kind of leader one will be most successful and best received by his peers can be challenging. After reviewing Northouse’s Leadership Theory and Practice, I have selected two different leadership styles that I believe will help me utilize my best attributes as a nursing leader. Transformational leadership was selected for the qualities of helping change and transform individuals at all levels of their development. The next leadership style I will be focusing on is team leadership. I feel everyone is part of a team and if we focus on working united we will have better outcomes.

My leadership style is dynamic and transformative, fitting in perfectly with the transformational leadership theory and model. The theory of transformational leadership suggests that leaders with strong visions can communicate those visions in order to empower others and thereby transform the organization. This can entail a transformation of organizational culture and norms. However, for the most part nurse leaders will not be in a position of power strong enough to impact change on such a deep level until they become involved with public policy and politics. Until such a time, nurse leaders can focus on the transformative and transactional skills that are necessary for developing team cohesion, resolving conflicts, anticipating problems, and fostering in-group communication.