Triumph of the spirit

Conflict in Triumph of the Spirit

Have you changed who you are as a leader? As a leader, my style and philosophy has changed dramatically, but perhaps in subtle ways that would go unnoticed by most others. I have a good basic background in management, and have been a leader in both professional and personal organizations since High School. That said, the course, the readings, and above all, the observations and reflections have made it clear to me that it is the process of becoming a leader that keeps on vital, and on track.

Do you feel you are still the same kind of leader you were when you started the course? No, I am not the same "type" of leader as when I started the course. The course has helped me find ways to utilize different styles of management (leader as servant, congenial management, SixSigma, etc.). I believe I am now more of a coach; directive when necessary, but believing in teamwork and the intelligence and commitment of staff who know what needs to be done rather than having their lives managed for them. My attitude I s harsh in a way -- no one belongs in a healthcare organization if they have not mastered the basic job skills of attendance, focus, details, and patient respect. If I respect and value staff, I expect them to respect and value their clients and co-workers.

What do you think the role of nursing organizations such as ANA is for the nurse leader? In contemporary healthcare, we must be realistic about a few things: 1) We cannot properly advocate for nursing and patient rights ourselves, we must band together to do so, 2) There is far more information available on a daily basis than anyone can possibly review -- any help with sorting that information, or providing life-lines is welcome, 3) Sometimes it is difficult to share details and needed mentorship internally, organizations like the ANA allow professionals to network, dialog, and improve performance by interacting with other professionals.

Do you believe being credentials as a board certified nurse executive is important for a nurse leader/manager? If so, why? If not, why not? In many cases, professional nurses with long and varied experience do not necessarily need credentials to prove their expertise. However, that being said, there must be a national standard at which the profession holds up as the rubric necessary for a certain level of expertise. Similar to becoming a Board Certified Physician, credentialed nurses bring a far higher quality of professionalism to the field, and allow the public and medical community a standard by which staff must be held.

Do think it is important for clinical nurses to obtain certification in their specialty areas? If so, why? If not, why not? Yes, I actually do, for many of the same reasons as above, but actually more. The half-life of information and resulting changes in technology, procedures, appropriateness of care, and pharmacology are such that changes in specialties are so regular it is necessary to receive the highest and most specific level of training possible. Starting with a base curriculum and graduation is not the middle or the end, but only the beginning -- once the basics are mastered; it is time to continue to improve.

Do you believe the nurse leader/manager position is an advanced practice role? If so, why? If not, why not? The very nature of the changes in both expectations and professionalization for nurses in contemporary healthcare almost insist that nurse managers are an advanced practice role. Not only are the intellectual and courseload requirements far more substantial than ever, the expectations in cross-discipline fields are expected and enormous (e.g. business, psychology, human resource management, logistics, distribution, marketing, and more). Continued professionalization of the nursing industry cannot help but raise the bar for all practicing nurses, thus improving the internal vision as well as external perception.