Nursing Leadership and Management: Roles and Theories

The Role of the Nurse Manager

A nurse manager's primary role is that of leadership. The position demands a great deal of responsibility, and a person pursuing it must be able to recognize its challenges along with all the duties that come with this skilled, professional line of work. The duties of a nurse manager ultimately center on the nurses assigned to a particular unit. A nurse manager oversees that all work responsibilities within a unit are carried out in accordance with the organization's vision and mission statement. To be successful, a nurse manager must be reliable and possess strong communication skills. They must also be able to work with people from all ethnic backgrounds, ages, and races (Nurse Manager Role, n.d.).

The nurse manager's role also involves building a strong leadership team. Nurses within a particular unit must be able to work well together to ensure the unit's success. A nurse manager must possess creativity, critical thinking skills, and energy, as these are pivotal qualities for the role. Because of the long hours and strenuous demands placed on a nurse manager, they should be aware of potential consequences such as burnout, excessive stress, and fatigue. A nurse manager must have the ability to cope with these challenges so that the job remains not only demanding but also rewarding.

Building a Leadership Team

Role-model behavior is an absolute necessity for anyone in a leadership position. A nurse manager should always represent the organization in an ethical manner. They will often be required to make important decisions within the organization for the benefit of both patients and staff (Nurse Manager Role, n.d.).

There are several theories of nursing leadership, but three that best describe effective leadership are quantum leadership, transformational leadership, and the model of dynamic leader-follower relationships. All three theories embrace leadership at every level of the organization.

Three Theories of Nursing Leadership

Quantum leadership addresses how the changing healthcare system has required new leadership characteristics and roles from nurses. Over the years, technology has transformed the traditional way leadership is exercised. Conventionally, it was thought that a worker's knowledge increased vertically as they moved up within the organization. Today, leadership and the information associated with it has shifted to reflect a more horizontal knowledge pattern. New nurses often enter the profession with a broader base of skills than ever before. Staff nurses at the bedside have a distinctive ability to influence sustainable outcomes and productivity within the organization and are often seen as ground-level decision-makers. By allowing some autonomy in a nurse's decision-making, a foundation of leadership is formed. Nurses decide the appropriate times to contact a physician, choose applicable care plans, and manage important interventions. These early independent steps form the building blocks of good leadership (Valentine, n.d.).

Transformational leadership combines the ideals of leaders and followers. The goal is to unite managers and employees in the pursuit of a greater good while encouraging the exercise of leadership at all levels. This approach is particularly relevant to situations common among new nurses, as it promotes change within the highly dynamic healthcare system. New nurses are often placed in the position of assessing the effectiveness of existing policies and procedures. By applying transformational leadership principles, managers can encourage nurses to submit feedback on how well different procedures are carried out. The key is listening to and implementing relevant suggestions that not only promote good patient outcomes but also help build a strong leadership base (Valentine, n.d.). The experiences nurses gain on the floor help them become strong leaders in the future.

Transformational Leadership in Nursing

A third nursing leadership theory is modeled after Ida J. Orlando's nursing framework. This theory holds that exchanges between leader and follower are critically important, and that both parties are essential to the accomplishment of the unit's goals. The leader is understood to provide direction to the employee while allowing for maximum participation. This type of relationship between manager and new nurse can foster motivation and commitment. When nurses are first finding their professional footing, they can simultaneously strengthen their foundational leadership principles by interacting with established nursing leaders (Valentine, n.d.). Having mentors is therefore very important in shaping the leadership styles of nurses who are new to the leadership environment.