Behaviors in Nursing Management Professional - Term Paper Example

Behaviors in Nursing Management Professional Outline The paper will begin with an introduction that outlines the critical responsibilities of managers in the nursing profession. Some of the identified roles include communicators, creating relationships with internal and external stakeholders and scanning the work environment to identify challenges faced by staff. The other responsibilities of managers are that they are organizers, coordinators and administrators of various resources. After introducing the responsibilities, a general introduction pointing out that for successful accomplishment of these roles, nurses require values, behaviors and qualities. Values, qualities and Behaviors in Nursing Management Professional In this section, the value of effective leadership in nursing will be discussed. The difference between leadership and management will be discussed briefly. The specific type of leadership needed in nursing management practice will be analyzed and its advantages presented. The form of leadership recommended in nursing is democratic leadership. After this, the importance of emotional and cultural intelligence will be discussed. Emotional intelligent managers are leaders with ability to identify and understand personal emotions and develop strategies to manage them. Cultural intelligence is critical in nursing management practice as one strives to create an influence in an environment with different cultures. After a discussion on the leadership styles, the specific qualities needed will be presented. Some qualities identified include integrity, courage, attitude and ability to take initiative. The other qualities identified are optimism, ability to strike balance in all areas of life and ability to manage stress. The behaviors needed in nursing management practice include prioritization, behavior of solving problems and desire to develop others and individually. The next part will be a discussion on values, qualities and behaviors in relation to management process, communication, team building, orientation of new staff and caring and ethics and empowerment of staff from a personal perspective. In the management process, values refer to the principles that the manager upholds and advocates. Qualities and behaviors refer to personal attributes that make a person an authentic leader in the organization. These values, behaviors and qualities in management process include being of integrity, promoting open communication, teamwork and managing organizational change. In communication, the values and principles needed include the ability to foster communication throughout the organization. In nursing management practice, individuals must demonstrate application of key values, behaviors and principles in caring and ethics and this entails being supportive, upholding the professional code of conduct and being of integrity. The issue of orientation and values will be discussed. Orientation is based on the value to promote personal growth and to help the staff attain their desired levels in the professional. Other strategies of enhance the performance of nurses and empowering them is to delegate responsibilities, offer periodic retraining and carry out employee surveys. The paper will be concluded by a metaphor of what is the vision for best practice in nursing management. In this, ten salient areas that managers should uphold are presented and they include be a firm decision maker, fostering teamwork, ability to communicate well, ability to manage conflicts, stress and crisis. The other areas include be a person of integrity, promote individual growth and that of the overall group, empowering the team and emotional and cultural intelligence. Introduction Nurses operate in an environment having diverse workforce and patients from varying backgrounds. Effective management of the nurses is a key to the overall success of health organizations. The kind of management adopted also determines whether patients receive quality care and the workforce retention. Managers in the nursing professional play various roles such as they act as communicators (Stone, Traynor, Gould and Maben, 2011). Managers share information with all stakeholders including those inside and outside the organization on matters of common interest. Nursing managers also create relationships with the stakeholders to enhance collaboration and position the organization strategically. Managers in the nursing professional scan the external environment and help the organization in adapting in the work environment. The other critical role of a manager is being an organizer with ability to develop processes and structures in sharing of responsibilities and authority. Nursing managers must ensure that all activities are well coordinated (Stone, Traynor, Gould, and Maben, 2011). Nursing management practice also involves administration of resources where the manager is supposed to harness technological, human and physical resources needed to facilitate provision of quality care. Nursing management practice also demands that one is able to carry out evaluation of the services provided and supervision. It is also critical for an individual in the nursing management practice to have skills on advocacy, team building and facilitation to ensure that the overall goal and mission of the organization is achieved (Meehan, 2012). To accomplish the responsibilities outlined above effectively nursing management, there are particular values, qualities and behaviors that one must have. In this paper, this values, behaviors and qualities will be discussed. Values, qualities and Behaviors in Nursing Management Professional Management and leadership in nursing practice have a direct influence on the quality of health care offered to patients consequently determining the patient outcome. Reliable management and inspiring leadership are needed in all levels of the organization to accomplish all the responsibilities (Meehan, 2012). In the light of the above statement, one of the most important values in nursing management is the ability to offer effective leadership. In this context, the concept of leadership is broader than that of management (Meehan, 2012). As management refers to focusing on achieving organizational goals, leadership is described as the case where a person strives to influence the behaviors of a person or a group of persons regardless of the underlying reasons. Leadership calls for mastery of three critical abilities, that is, ability to understand a particular situation, ability to adapt and accommodate ones behaviors and resources in order to reduce the gap between the present situation and what the person hope to achieve and communication (Whitehead, Weiss, and Tappen, 2010). A leader must also demonstrate four traits including the ability to communicate the vision and goal for the organization from which they are able to attract attention. In nursing management practice, the leader should also be able to communicate the meaning of the vision clearly and demonstrate a sense of purpose. Individuals involved in nursing management should be consistent and reliable as this helps to create a sense of trust among their followers (Whitehead, Weiss, and Tappen, 2010). Leaders are required to know how to manage themselves by first understanding their strengths and weaknesses. Emotional and Cultural Intelligence The current workforce is ever changing in terms of age and cultural background, and so are the patients. Moreover, such an individual works under stressful conditions given the number of roles that one should accomplish (Whitehead, Weiss, and Tappen, 2010). Consequently, it is critical for a person in the nursing management practice to have emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligent managers should be able to identify and understand personal emotions and develop strategies to manage them. For instance, when resolving conflicts, a nursing manager must have the ability to remain calm, have a clear mind and avoid making judgment until all facts on the issue are available (McNeese-Smith & Crook, 2003). By being emotionally intelligent, the manager is also able to accept constructive criticism and seeks for help whenever there is need. Such a person is also able to accomplish various responsibilities without losing sense of the vision and can turn organizational problems into opportunities. For instance, when a manager realizes that there are problems with scheduling of nurses, the leader can introduce the use of technology to develop a superb scheduling chart in consultation with the staff. An emotional intelligent leader takes time to receive input from others that is critical in democratic leadership (Miles and Vallish, 2010). In addition, such individuals are able to understand the unspoken concerns and is able bring all the staff to work together in an environment of mutual respect and cooperation. In nursing management, one should always be caring, supportive and enthusiastic as these feelings are able to trickle down to the overall team. Cultural intelligence builds on emotional intelligence discussed earlier. Cultural intelligence is critical in nursing management practice as one strives to create influence a setting of people from different cultures (Miles, 2010). A culturally intelligent person is able to understand the link between cultural ties and the way they influence organizational performance. To be culturally intelligent in nursing profession, it is important that one must value openness to ideas and experiences. It is also critical to sensitive of different cultures to promote better relationships and provision of care. In nursing management practice, it is critical that for one to be able to learn and adapt to cultural that will ensure that such an organization is able to attract and retain staff and patients from diverse cultures. Qualities in Nursing Management Practice One of the qualities expected in nursing management practice is integrity. Integrity refers to being trustworthy, honest and abiding to the laws. A manager in the profession must adhere to the professional code of ethics, as this is an essential component in moral leadership. The other desirable quality in nursing management practice is courage where as the manager may be called upon to take risky decisions. In addition, attitude is required in nursing profession as this goes a long way in fostering effective leadership. The attitude of the manager should be noted by the team even before their actions are noted. The other quality of an effective leader is the ability to take initiative. According to McNeese-Smith and Crook (2003), it is not adequate to come up with good ideas but one should be able to act on the ideas. Leadership requires one to invest time and energy in undertaking a particular initiative. In nursing management practice, one has to remain optimist even in times of crisis. When discharging the responsibilities of a manager in nursing, one may go through times of crisis and it is easy for one to get discouraged. However, it is critical that the discouragements and crisis do not put a manager and the team being led but should be a chance to explore ways of dealing with the problem. When striving to become effective in the nursing management profession, it is possible for one to forget the other aspects of life. One may forget to create time for recreation, being with family and friend because of getting too engrossed in the profession. However, Meehan (2012) asserts that one requires the ability to strike a balance in all areas of life. This means that one needs to have good time management skills. The other quality of needed in nursing management practice is ability to manage stress. This is because in this area, one may get overwhelmed by work. Nevertheless, ensuring that one lives a balanced life is a sure way towards handling stress (Whitehead, Weiss, and Tappen, 2010). Emotional and cultural intelligence in the nursing profession is supported by the quality of self-awareness. Behaviors Required In Nursing Management Practice There are various behaviors that a professional needs in the nursing management practice. One of the critical behaviors is the ability to set priorities as the manager will be required to develop strategic plans for the facility that require attention (Whitehead, Weiss and Tappen, 2010). The manager should therefore have the ability to eliminate, evaluate and estimate which are needed in prioritization. The other behavior of needed in the nursing management practice is the ability to think critically where reasoned analysis is used when making decisions. In nursing management practice, it is critical for one to have the behavior of solving problems. The person must never leave any issue unresolved for all problems affecting clients and the staff. The other behavior desired of a person in the nursing practice is respect for all individuals. The person in such a position should recognize that staff has different goals and inspirations in life. Another behavior of a person in nursing management practice is the desire to promote others and individually. This is achieved through training sessions and continuous learning outside the school to remain abreast with the new development in the sector (Whitehead, Weiss and Tappen, 2010). Values, Qualities and Behaviors In Relation To Management Process, Communication, Team Building, Orientation of New Staff and Caring and Ethics and Empowerment of Staff In the management process, values refer to the principles that the manager upholds and advocates. The values in management refer to the leadership style adopted and the strategies employed to ensure that every staff in the team is treated with dignity. On the other hand, qualities and behaviors refer to personal attributes that make a person an authentic leader in the organization (Miles and Vallish, 2010). For instance, a person would require being of integrity and promoting open communication. The other qualities include ability to work with people from different cultural background. The other quality in management process is the ability to introduce organizational change and manage any of its effects. When it comes to communication, the values and principles needed include the ability to foster communication throughout the organization. Open communication is a critical behavior in nursing management practice. By fostering open communication, the manager is able to receive inputs from others and offer feedback (Miles, 2010). Such a person must have the ability to listen to other people and encourage sharing of information. The person should also be able to give feedback as this is used by other staff to assess their effectiveness. When giving negative feedback, it is critical to ensure that this does not hurt others. The other area in nursing management practice that requires individuals to demonstrate application of key values, behaviors and principles is on caring and ethics. Values in this area refer to ability to respect all the staff and patients. The manager should be of integrity and must never disclose information of patients or staff with others without their consent. It is also important to uphold the professional code of conduct. When caring in nursing practice, it is critical to be supportive of all the staff (McNeese-Smith and Crook, 2003). Nursing practice requires that the professionals work as a team. Consequently, it is important for a person in the nursing management practice to promote team building through effective leadership style and open communication. Open channels of communication helps to ensure that the professionals are able to collaborate when offering services to clients. In addition, by having effective leadership the organization is able to achieve a strong team when developing plans and implementing programs. A leader must adopt an effective leadership style that focuses both on completion of tasks and fostering better relationships. The most desirable leadership style to be adopted in nursing management practice is democratic leadership otherwise referred to as participative leadership. Under this approach, a leader allows the nursing team to get involved in developing plans and when making decisions affecting their profession. In participative leadership, the leader will only act as a guide instead of controlling the team. Democratic leadership is desirable in nursing management practice as its outcomes are high quality and creative decisions and plans that enhance the quality of service. According to Miles and Vallish (2010), democratic leadership works at transforming the group to achieve the goals of the organization. Democratic leadership is also to help the manager in the nursing profession to strike a balance between accomplishing the task and maintaining good relationships. The overall effect of this behavior is that all the staff get motivated (McNeese-Smith & Crook, 2003). The ability to offer orientation of new employees is required whenever one is nursing management practice. Orientation is based on the value to promote personal growth and to help the staff attain their desired levels in the professional. Orientation is also based on the need to provide support to the staff as orientation helps new employees to settle fast in the organization. In addition to the strategies discussed above to enhance the performance of employees, it is critical to offer retraining to the staff given that the nursing professional is ever changing. Consequently, by organizing retraining, the nurses are able to acquire emerging information and enhance their ability to offer care (Whitehead, Weiss, and Tappen, 2010). The other strategy to empower nurses is to give them a chance to operate under minimal supervision. This is critical in developing trust in the staff and, therefore, they become acquainted to working independently. The other strategy that can be adopted to empower workers is by carrying out assessment of their view through employees surveys as this facilitates to identify areas that need to be streamlined, thereby making their work easier. A Vision of the Ideal Manager Based On Personal View Analysis of literature and values of nursing management practice indicates ten critical areas that a manager must address to foster effective nursing practice by staff. The manager must be a firm decision maker who takes into account the views of staff. The manager must also have the ability to form a team given that the profession demands teamwork. The other requirement of an effective manager in nursing is the ability to communicate well and foster exchange of information in the organization (Whitehead, Weiss, and Tappen, 2010). It is also critical for one to be a person of integrity as he is charged with responsibility of managing many resources. Another vision that one should inculcate in nursing is the ability to manage conflicts, stress and crisis. The ability to develop priorities for the team is also required to those in nursing management practice. In nursing profession, emotional and cultural intelligence are also desirable qualities as this group works in a setting that has employees and patients from diverse backgrounds. The ability to develop strategic goals for the organization and clearly articulate vision of the organization is the other requirement of persons in the nursing management practice. It is also critical for one to promote individual growth and that of the overall group. This will help the staff to achieve their professional goals. Lastly, it is critical to continuously empower and motivate the team so that their output remains maximized. References McNeese-Smith, D. K., & Crook, M. (2003). Nursing Values and a Changing Nurse Workforce: Values, Age, and Job Stages. Journal of Nursing Administration, 33(5), 260-270. Meehan, T. C. (2012). The Careful Nursing philosophy and professional practice model. Journal Of Clinical Nursing, 21(19/20), 2905-2916. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2702.2012.04214.x Miles, K., & Vallish, R. (2010). Creating a Personalized Professional Practice Framework For Nursing. Nursing Economics, 28(3), 171-181. Stone, K., Traynor, M., Gould, D., & Maben, J. (2011). The management of poor performance in nursing and midwifery: a case for concern. Journal Of Nursing Management, 19(6), 803-809. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2834.2011.01219.x Whitehead, D., Weiss, S., & Tappen, R. (2010). Essentials of Nursing Leadership and Management (5th ed.). F.A Davis Company, Philadelphia. Read More