Best Types of Nursing Leadership

Nursing Discussion

The author of this response has been asked to give two different leadership styles that have emerged and flourished in the nursing sphere and with the development of nurses. The two approaches shall be stated and why/how those approaches have contributed to the nursing paradigm. The Nursing Times website directly asks the question about what sort of leadership styles that "senior nurses" should exemplify and exude as part of doing their job and honing their craft. One style espoused in the response is a style that is conducive to helping nurses "apply theory to practice and encouraging them to test new skills in a safe and supportive environment" (Frankel, 2008). Of course, honing and perfecting skills is not always the easiest thing to do given that lives and such are commonly at stake. Even so, chances do exist and/or can be created and they need to be taken full advantage of (Frankel, 2008).

Another approach that is pervasive in the scholarly sphere as well as the talk around the internet is the general development of skills of all nurses and not just the ones that are specifically and knowingly being honed for leadership positions. Indeed, there is always the chance that a nurse can unexpectedly be thrust into a medical situation where someone needs to take charge and be firm. Theresa Criscitelli explains that while it is important for administrators and managers to know these skills well, it is also important for the other nurses to have at least a modicum of leadership skills so that they are prepared if/when they are needed. This can also encourage new nurses to engineer their own leadership aspirations. A huge linchpin of any person learning leadership well is learning the proper analytical skills and these are borne of personal cognitive abilities. Some people innately have the skills present to a good degree but some need to work on it a bit (Criscitelli, 2013).