Leadership and Professionalism in Nursing - Coursework Example

Leadership and Professionalism in Nursing Introduction Leadership in nursing is a very important thing that allpeople in this position must consider. For the nurses to be productive and to be professional, they require a leadership style that will help them to achieve their goals (Contino, 2004). Nurse leaders have to be able to know how to help those below them to be able to achieve their professional goals. Leadership in nursing has at least three dimensions. The first dimension is their ability to motivate the nurses to be self efficacious. This is very important in that nurses need to be efficacious in order for them to provide high quality healthcare to the patients. In this article, the role of leadership in nursing has been explored with regard to how such leadership can affect the quality of care that the nurses are able to give tot her patients (Monnig, 1978). Leadership styles have also been considered and how they affect the way a leader is able to provide for leadership in the long run. The role of nurse leaders in building an environment that offers the nurses a way to grow. At the same time, leadership in the context of teamwork has been considered. Leaders also need to be able to help the nursing staff to benefit from peer support. This will help not only the older experienced staff but also the new staff who need all the support they can get. Giving the nursing staff as much autonomy as possible will also be an important way to help them fain self efficacious. Practice situation Working in placement as a student in job placement helped me to be able to see how leadership can affect the way nursing can benefit from good leadership and how it can suffer from bad leadership. In my time in the placement, I was able to identify some good and some not so good leadership styles that were displayed. In the first instance, what I liked about the lead nurse, (the chief executive nurse) in the institution I was working in was the fact that she was very concerned in making sure that all new nurses were supported by the older experienced nurses. Her intention was to make sure that all the new nurses and those of us who were on job placement were able to fully understand the ins and outs of the institution. She was also concerned with helping us to develop self efficacy in order for us to be able to serve the patients better. Giving us autonomy but at the same time making sure that we were well managed was important in making sure that we could develop and be self efficacious while at the same time avoiding the mistakes that a new nurse is likely to make in her job. The adverse side was the fact that the leader was not able to create an environment where teamwork was effectively used to bring all the resources together. She also had a dictative leadership style that did not work so well with regard to helping the nurses to be able to self efficacious. Literature indicates that leadership in nursing can improve their performance and can also motivate the nurses and health workers not only to be technically productive but to also be professional in their work. Nursing staff are more likely to be effective and to subscribe to professionalism if they are confident and competent in what they do. Confidence and capability are two sides of the same and it is not possible for nursing staff to have one and not the other (Wynd, 2003). In this regard, good leadership in nursing involves motivating the nurses to be better at what they do on a daily basis. They instill confidence by giving the nursing staff challenging work to do in order for them to explore and use their skills and competencies. As a result, the leaders would be able to motivate their nurses in order to help them achieve self efficacy (Earnest, 2012). Nurses who are aware of their own behaviors, strengths and areas for development are also likely to be more effective and productive than those who are not (Miller, Adams, & Beck, 1993). In this regard, the it can be said that nursing leaders should do more than delegate, direct and dictate how those under them will be able to perform. As James (2012) says, they must go beyond the technical definition of a leader to be able to provide an environment that is able to make them more capable in their work. In this regard, leaders should be able to do the following; Motivate the nurses to be self efficacious A great leader should be able to motivate the leaders to be self efficacious (Maxwell, 2014). The nursing profession is very complicated and the nurses have to make diverse decisions every day. In this case, the leader should be able to motivate the nurses to be self efficacious so as to be capable of becoming good nurses (Adams & Miller, 2001). Nurses require to be able to act and make very many decisions on their own without having to depend on their doctors or their leaders. How the nurses are going to be efficacious will be determined by the kind of leadership within the working environment. Leaders in nursing have to be therefore very careful to make sure that this is achieved. For instance, they must be able to avoid micromanagement in order to show the nurses that they believe in their capabilities (Bailey, 1987). If they micro manage, they are likely to make the nurses to fail to become self efficacious and for them not to have the confidence to act on their own. Yet, this is not a desirable outcome since nurses need to be very self efficacious. Motivate the nurses to be professional in their work Professionalism in nursing and in healthcare in general is something that is very important (Brooks & Shepherd, 1992). Motivating the nurses to be professional is of highest important for any leader in nursing. Good leaders are concerned with motivating the nurses to be effective and to be professional. There exixts various factors that may contribute to nurses not being able to be as professional as may be required. In this case, the nurses must be able to be professional. Good leaders understand that professionalism in nursing and social care is important in that it determines the kind of care that the patient will be able to get (Burl, Bonner, Rao, & Khan, 1998). In this regard, creating an environment where the nurses can be able to professional is important in ensuring that the quality of care offered meets standards (McGuirre, 2014). In this case, leaders must lead by example in order to help the nurses especially those who are beginning their careers to be professional. The difficulty with this is that there is no clear definition of what professionalism is and in this makes it is necessary to make sure that there are clear guidelines for nurses to follow so as for them to be professional (Moses, 2011). With regard to leadership and how it can affect the way the nurses are able to become professional, it is necessary to point out that professionalism can be seen as a dual issue where it has to be both in terms of the standards that each institution has set as well as the conviction of each nurse in the way they are able to serve their patients (Cary, 2001). With regard to the first one, the leaders have the mandate and the responsibility to help the nurses to understand the standards of the institution they are working in and how to subscribe to these standards. They will have to provide an environment where the nurses are able to know what is expected for them in any situation, especially the expected situations where the nurse can know in advance what is expected of them (Patrick, 2013). With regard to the second situation, this is where the nurses have to be able to use their own self efficacy to be able to know what should be done in any kind of circumstances that can come up in any situation. Motivate the nurses to be competent and to seek constant improvement of their work Continuous professional development is a necessity in nursing (Castledine, 1998). The nurses have to keep updating their skill in order to keep informed in the industry and this is the best way they can be able to offer quality service. Yet, this is not a simple task to do. With regard to continuous professional development, nurses have two options (Wiston, 2011). The first option is through the formal process such as taking more formal courses by going back to college to update their skills. The second is by self-education through reading and doing studies as well as making clear efforts to learn from their daily work. In both of these circumstances, it is important for the leaders to be able to provide the nurses with the tools as well as the environment that will help the nurses to be able to engage in continuous professional development. This will in turn help the nurses to be able to achieve professionalism in their job. Providing the right leadership will therefore be necessary for these nurses to be able to improve their skill as well as to be able to learn from their own work (Clinton, 1995). Creating team work Good leaders know that when nurses work as a team, they are more able to achieve their goals (Costante & Marcontel, 2002). Good leaders realize that when individuals work in positive collaboration with their team members and when they are patient-focused, they can be not only be more effective but also be able to apply more professionalism in their work. Such nurses are also able to improve their self-efficacy because the work environment becomes a learning environment where each nurse can learn from the others (Bill, 2014). At the same time, team work is important for nurses because their work involves sharing responsibility for patients (Anderson, 1996). As each nurse closes her shift every day, they leave the patient they were serving on the hands of the other nurses. Knowing how to collaborate and work as a team is very important for nurses in order for each nurse to be able to continue the shift. For instance, if a patient is brought to a hospital during the day and his or her medical history is taken, the nurse who will take over in the evening shift will have to be able to know this in order for them not to do something that will affect the patient in a negative way. If the admitted patient is allergic to a certain drug, this information has to be shared in order for the nurse not to make a mistake that will affect the patient in a negative way. This is only achievable where there is total collaboration and this kind of teamwork and collaboration is only possible where there is good leadership (Colnelson, 2014). Nurses, more than anything, need to have to work in close collaboration. Unfortunately this is not usually an automatic effect due to social dynamics. For people in any working place, including a nursing environment to be able to work together as a team, they have to know how to know how to deal with their differences, whether it is professional differences of opinion or it is personal differences (Davies, 1996). This is where leadership comes in. Leaders must provide the nurses with the kind of leadership that will help them to set their disagreements aside and be able to work together as a team (Colleetk, 2011). Teamwork is only achieved only when and if the leaders provide the kind of leadership that is necessary to bring cohesiveness in the team (Hall, 1968). Without this, it can be very hard for leaders in nursing to help their subordinated to be able to work as a team. In this regard, the kind of leadership theory are going to be able to present to the nurses is very important. Good teamwork is never an accident and it takes good leadership for the nurses to work as a team (Kimball & O’Neill, 2002). In this regard, it can be contended that good leadership goes beyond just delegating and commanding what should be done. Leaders should be able to harness the power of teamwork and motivate as well as make it possible for the nurses to work as a team as opposed to operating as individuals. In this regard, it is necessary for these leaders to be able to know the team dynamics and also be able to negative factors that can affect the team. Leaders who are able to use their leadership skills and leadership styles to the teams they manage have a major impact on performance of their team (Kinnear, 1994). Leaders have to know the kind of team they manage and the social dynamics that are within the team in order for team to be able to able to sour these team to the highest level. Each team may need a specific kind of leadership and the leaders have to be flexible enough to know which the best ways to manage their teams are. Instead of being rigid, they must be able to learn fast and change with regard to the needs of the team. The different personalities of people within a team determine how the team is going to be effective. Depending on these personalities, the leaders must be able to know which type of leadership he or she will provide in order to manage the nurses effectively. This is very important for the teams. Peer support in nursing and the role of leaders As Manojlovich and Ketefian (2001) says, peer support is very necessary for nursing. This is especially so for the nurses who are not experienced and who are just joining the profession because they have to depend on the more experienced nurses in order for them to be able be affective. This peer support however does not come on its own and the leaders have to be the ones driving the process of peer support. The leaders have to be on the front line in making sure that they can provide the nurses with a platform to deliver peer support. Peer support and team work are very closely related and any nursing leader who wants to help the nurses to engage in peer support for the nurses has to be able to drive teamwork. It is definitely important to make sure that these nurses are able to work in support of each other, since it is only through this that they can be able to be effective as individuals (McCloskey & McCain, 1987). As Mechanic (2000) argued, good leadership in nursing has to help the nurses, especially the new nurses to realize that no nurse is an island. Each and every nurse has to be able to work with others in order for them to be effective and to grow their career and professional nurses. It is the role of the managers to be able to present this kind of leadership that will help the nurses to be able continue with their professional growth. Nursing leadership as a shared responsibility According to Beck (1993) nursing leaders have to know that leadership is a shared responsibility. Intend of them being the ones making all the decisions, they should give the nurses the chance to make decisions and to also be able to drive their career with regard to self efficacy as well as the professionalism. This is very important for any nursing environment. Conclusions Leadership is an important aspect of nursing. With good leadership, nursing professionals are able to be more efficacious and to also practice professionalism. Good leadership in nursing goes beyond just directing and dictating what needs to be done. A nurse leader should be a motivation to those under them and not just one who decides what needs to be done. It is also clear that providing effective leadership in the context of nursing is not an easy thing. For instance, giving the nurses autonomy should be done with consideration in order to make sure that even as they get the autonomy, they will not make the kinds of mistake that can adversely affect the quality of care giving. At the end of the day, leadership in nursing is a balancing act and must be handled with care. Failure to do this can lead to chaos that can lead to devastating situations. This indicates that leadership in nursing is no easy thing to achieve. These leaders also have to know how to lead from behind as opposed from the front. What this means is that they should take care to lead while not offering too much direction. They must know how to take responsibility where things do not go as well as may be expected and to also refrain from taking credit where the credit should go to those who are below them. More importantly, they should be able to motivate the nurses and to help them to improve their professional development. Any leader must know that the leadership he or she provides will determine the quality of care that the patients will get from the nurses. Because of this, they must be able to understand that their leadership is critical to the success of not just the nurses but also the institution as a whole. Where there is not one-fits-all kind of solution with regard to the kind of leadership that these leaders should provide, it is necessary for such leaders to know that a more democratic leadership is important in that it allows for the nurses to be able to get opportunity to grow in their career. They must provide clear leadership while at the same time allowing the nurses to be in charge of their work. Reference list: Adams, D., & Miller, B. (2001). Professionalism in nursing behaviors of nurse practitioners. . Journal of Professional Nursing, 17 , pp. 203–210. Anderson, M. (1996). The pursuit of excellence in nursing care (What does it mean?) . Journal of Advanced Nursing, 24 , pp. 817–826. Bailey, P. (1987). Factors in academia and service that influence baccalaureate graduates’ membership in the American Nurses’ Association, 26. Journal of Nursing Education, 26 , pp. 25–29. Beck, L. (1993). A behavioral inventory for professionalism in nursing. . Journal of Professional Nursing, 9 , pp. 290–295. Bill, P. (2014). Nurson Leadership and Practice in Healthcare Delivery. New York, NY: Pearson Books. Brooks, K., & Shepherd, J. (1992). Professionalism versus general critical thinking abilities of senior nursing students in four types of nursing curricula, 8. Journal of Professional Nursing , pp. 87–95. Burl, J., Bonner, A., Rao, M., & Khan, A. (1998). Geriatric nurse practitioners in long-term care (Demonstration of effectiveness in managed care). Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 46 , pp. 506–510. Cary, A. (2001). Certified registered nurses (Results of the study of the certified workforce). American Journal of Nursing, 101 , pp. 44–52. Castledine, G. (1998). Nursing professionalism (Is it declining?). British Journal of Nursing, 7 , p. 352. Clinton, M. (1995). The organization (A problem for the professionalization of nursing). Contemporary Nurse, 4 , p. 5. Colleetk, F. (2011). Nursin and Professionalism. New York, NY: Pearson Books Publishers. Colnelson, P. (2014). How Leaderhip Affects Nursng Porfessionalism. New York, NY: Pearson Books. Contino, D. (2004). Leadership Competencies: Knowledge, Skills, and Aptitudes Nurses Need to Lead Organizations Effectively. Critical Care Nurse, 24, 3 , pp. 52-64. Costante, C., & Marcontel, M. (2002). Nursing practice management. State certification for school nurses. Journal of School Nursing, 18 , pp. 102–116. Davies, C. (1996). Cloaked in a tattered illusion. . Nursing Times, 92 , pp. 44–46. Earnest, R. (2012). Nursing Leadership and its Effect on Nurse Efficacy. New York, NY: Guille Books. Hall, R. (1968). Professionalism and bureaucratization. American Sociological Review. ; 63: , pp. 92–104 . James, P. (2012). Modern Nursing Profession and Leadership. New York, NY: pearson Books. Kimball, B., & O’Neill, E. (2002). Health care’s human crisis (The American nursing shortage). Princeton, NJ: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation,. Kinnear, J. (1994). The professionalization of Canadian nursing, 1924–1932 (Views in the Canadian Nurse and the CMAJ). Bulletin of Canadian History Medicine, 11 , pp. 153–174. Manojlovich, M., & Ketefian, S. (2001). The effects of organizational culture on nursing professionalism (Implications for health resource planning). Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, 33 , pp.15–34. Maxwell, P. (2014). Leadership in Nursing. New York, NY: Pearson Books. McCloskey, J., & McCain, B. (1987). Satisfaction, commitment, and professionalism of newly employed nurses. Image, 19 , pp. 20–24. McGuirre, P. (2014). Nursing Leadership in Modern Practice. New York, NY: Pearson Books. Mechanic, D. (2000). Managed care and the imperative for a new professional ethic. Health Affairs, 19 , pp.100–111. Miller, B., Adams, D., & Beck, L. (1993). A behavioral inventory for professionalism in nursing. Journal of Professionla Nursing, 9, 5, , pp. 290–295 . Monnig, G. (1978). Professionalism of nurses and physician. The nursing profession, 21, 8 , pp. 35–49. Moses, P. (2011). Nurson Professionlaism and Leadership. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Patrick, P. (2013). Modern Day Nursong and Professionalism, A leadership Hnadbook. New York, NY: Pearspn Books. Wiston, P. (2011). Evaluating Nursing Leadership and Nurse Motivation . london, UK: Cengene Learning. Wynd, C. (2003). Current factors contributing to professionalism in nursing☆. Journal of Professional Nursing, 9, 5, , pp. 251–261 . Read More