In nursing practice, nurse leaders must understand their situations to incorporate the right approaches by learning about core leadership theories and behavior (Smith & Johnson, 2018). There is no perfect combination to be an effective leader, but it does not mean that one cannot be one or learn to be one. This paper will post two critical insights from scholarly resources that explicitly describe the behaviors and skills of a leader witnessed in practice to describe their effectiveness and how they impacted the workplace.
Lim &Moon (2021) conducted a study to investigate how evidence-based practices (EBPs) are implemented and how it affects performance. This is insightful because it shows that health organizations that had high capacity were more likely to implement EBPs, leading to strong leadership, financial flexibility, partnerships, and workforce development abilities (Jambawo, 2018). Leaders in these organizations could influence others and show strong competence skills when the institutions were changing. Also, such leaders involved groups when making decisions to incorporate the other staff’s ideas to help make the best decision. Besides, participants in these organizations noted that the administration was more concerned with doing research and ensuring that nurses receive the best training so that they are up to date with the current best practices. Bright (2019) agrees that nurses are influenced and show a willingness to rely on the leader if they are involved in significant decision-making and knowledge sharing processes. Moreover, the article states that effective leadership was evident in nurse leaders concerned with the psychological empowerment of the practitioners at the individual level.
Before my associate degree, I had a supervisor who allowed me to voice my opinions even when the question exceeded my level of knowledge. For instance, he asked me to give my ideas and voice out my opinions about situations. He allowed me to participate in the meeting, which allowed others to think for themselves rather than just following his directives. Also, this type of leadership allowed change because the supervisor was confined to his knowledge and the ideas of his juniors.
James et al. (2021) provides a fresher review of nursing leadership by focusing on how an influential nurse leader is derived from transformational leadership. The article provides insight by describing that an excellent leader in nursing practice uses health informatics, embraces technology, integrates models of care delivery, and approaches patients as an integral part of planning. Masood and Afsar (2017) add that transformational leadership is closely related to innovativeness and motivation in practice because the style of authority allows training and sharing experiences and mistakes.
After graduation, I practiced at a hospital where the chief nursing officer (CNO) was intent on training and developing nurses with the ability to offer quality services. Every three months, nurses receive training on the latest technology to assist those who had difficulties in using software such as electronic health records (EHR). This approach motivated physicians and allowed them to know what needs to be changed, thereby maximizing their capacity and ability. Moreover, it was easier to approach the physician, especially for new employees who had not grasped all the hospital operations. Conclusively, the concept encouraged learning and allowed retention because of unquestionable motivation.
References
Bright, A. L. (2019). Practicing Leadership Skills through Peer Mentoring and Teaching: the Lived Experience of BSN Students. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 16(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1515/ijnes-2019-0022Links to an external site.
Jambawo, S. (2018). Transformational leadership and ethical leadership: their significance in the mental healthcare system. British Journal of Nursing, 27(17), 998–1001. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2018.27.17.998Links to an external site.
James, A. H., Bennett, C. L., Blanchard, D., & Stanley, D. (2021). Nursing and values‐based leadership: A literature review. Journal of Nursing Management (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.), 29(5), 916–930. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13273Links to an external site.
Lim, J. Y., & Moon, K.-K. (2021). Transformational Leadership and Employees’ Helping Behavior in Public Organizations: Does Organizational Structure Matter? Public Personnel Management, 50(4), 485–508. https://doi.org/10.1177/0091026020977565Links to an external site.
Smith, C. M., & Johnson, C. S. (2018). Preparing Nurse Leaders in Nursing Professional Development: Theories Applied to Leadership in Nursing Professional Development. Journal for Nurses in Professional Development, 34(1), 38–40. https://doi.org/10.1097/NND.0000000000000404Links to an external site.
