Nursing Leadership
Philosophy of nursing leadership
Nursing leadership: Philosophy
When nursing was first conceptualized of as a profession, it was often defined in terms of its 'helping' capacity for doctors as well as patients. Today, however, nurses have been increasingly called upon to fulfill leadership roles as managers, and also to assume many of the tasks once performed by physicians. "Leadership does not rest merely with administrators and high-level managers, but also can be developed and implemented at the bedside. Nursing has a responsibility to encourage and support new members of the profession, as they become competent clinicians. Nursing must also make them competent leaders" (Valentine 2002). Mentorship of younger nurses, leading by example at all levels of the organization, and creating a culture of accountability and responsibility are the cornerstones of fostering an environment that promotes leadership amongst nurses, regardless of the practice setting.
Mentoring: The cornerstone of the next generation of nursing leadership
Mentoring and receiving mentoring is a critical aspect of creating nursing leaders. Yet all too often nurses find themselves locked in adversarial relationships with one another, rather than ones which promote leadership. "Many authors have examined the pervasive phenomenon in the practice of nursing that is widely known as 'nurses eating their young.' The literature reports that a staggering number of registered nurses are leaving professional nursing practice due to feelings of stress, inadequacy, anxiety, oppression, and disempowerment, often a result of horizontal violence" (Bally 2007). Horizontal violence, or the disdainful, intimidating and even abusive treatment of new nurses, is counterproductive on several levels. Firstly, the stresses caused by overburdened nurses at understaffed hospitals are increased when nurses do not encourage others to remain in the profession. High attrition creates more stress. Horizontal violence also makes it more difficult for nurses to organize and demand their rights from administrators. It also impedes communication and thus negatively impacts patient care.
True leadership...
"Long-term, evidence-based solutions such as those strategies aimed at fostering collegial relationships, enhancing nurses' sense of self, promoting professional development, and encouraging feelings of professional worth are required…mentoring programs are exciting avenues for stimulating professional growth, career development, staff morale, and quality within nursing workplaces" (Bally 2007). True leadership also demands occasionally subordinating the interests of 'the self' and one's own ego to the needs of the collective, including the need to take out one's frustrations on new nurses.
Leading by example within the organization
As well as actively mentoring young nurses, all nurses can act as role models to other healthcare practitioners. By treating patients with dignity and respect, and being conscientious and mindful of other's needs, the nurse encourages all organizational members to do the same. A nurse leader must be "visible, identifiable, accessible, approachable, and authoritative to not only your staff but your customers as well. The charge nurse is the conduit for information provided from management to staff and from staff to management" (Cintron 2011). The caring nurses try to show for patients and their sensitivity to patients' psychological and social needs must be an example for the healthcare profession as a whole, given the unique contribution nursing can make in improving patient outcomes and improving patient and family's experiences with healthcare.
Nurses with formal leadership responsibilities must ensure that these obligations are met in a timely fashion. For example, charge nurses must ensure that their subordinates' assignments are completed and covered; that schedules for staff are complete and conflicts or potentially unfair policies are addressed; tasks are delegated effectively and fairly, and above all patient health is never compromised (Cintron 2011). Leaders show sensitivity to the needs of different nurses, such as taking into consideration the lack of experience of some staff members or nurses who have been subjected to routinely difficult shifts and more overtime than other nurses. Leaders do…
