Nursing and leadership
Introduction
The
field of nursing is one of the most important in the medical are. It is a
profession requiring a lot of discipline because of its association with the
lives of people. It is a profession requiring advocacy, critical thinking, and
action. Nursing leadership is also paramount because hospitals and other health
institutions require courageous, energetic, visionary nurses with the
capabilities of exerting authority and manage health resources in an
innovative, modern nursing practice that is professional. Leadership is,
therefore, a very important aspect expected of nurses at all levels such as
simple students to experienced nurses. The maximization of the leadership
potential of nurses is very important in the development of beneficial outcomes
from the other aspects of the organization, and it becomes a shared
responsibility that results in the establishment of a nursing practice that is
of high quality. Leadership is also interdependent with management as they go
hand in hand in all aspects of an organization where nursing practice takes
place (Diane et
al, 2010, p.5). Nurses are usually involved with a wide range of
scenarios from their day to day activities. They engage with people from all
walks of life and interact with different people every day. In addition to
that, the world has become quite diverse in terms of race, ethnicity, cultures
and nationality. This is diversity associated with many differences. Nurses
have to ensure that they accommodate all aspects of diversity in their practice
because these differences demand a lot regarding equity and equality. Nurses,
therefore, need a lot of leadership skills and deep critical thinking skills to
be able to address the various issues mainly attributed to diversity. This is
an essay that will try and analyses various aspects of leadership in a nursing
profession that may be effective in addressing factors of diversity, equity and
equality (Rose, 2017). It will also try
and explain a learning model that is relative to the reflection and assess the
model based on its influence in learning and development as a nurse.
Reflection
The
scenario involved the need for good leadership skills at a workplace. Nursing
is a very sensitive profession because it is associated with safeguarding the
lives of people. Nurses are more of the custodians of the health and wellbeing
of their patient. The scenario involved working in an organization filled with
diversity in the form of culture and nationality. It was an Australian hospital
but had people especially from the Philippines. These are people of a different
nation, speaking a different language and have a different culture. In such a
diverse setting there is usually great fear of being discriminative based on
race, ethnicity or culture. I had a comrade who took me to one of his rounds,
and that is where I met other Filipino nurses. The problem is that they were
speaking in their language and it appeared a little bit rude and unprofessional
because they did so in front of the patient. In this scenario, there is the
aspect of the need to be accommodative of the differences that come with
working with people from a different part of the world and on the other side
there is the issue of professionalism. The scenario demonstrates the need for
values that consider how nursing practice needs a high level of
professionalism. It was quite difficult because I was only a student nurse in a
hospital and such a position taking action about the situation is very
difficult. Equality and equity are two very important aspects that nurses ought
to understand, and there was also great fear in handling the situation without
considering the two factors. Speaking one's native language in a foreign
setting is not a bad thing, but in a professional setting such as the one with
the two nurses, it can be very unprofessional.
The
scenario provided a good learning experience associated the importance of being
proactive. The scenario was sensitive in the sense that it created a dilemma
between the need for professionalism and having the ability to identify and
take actions when acts of malpractice take place and the need to be
accommodative of diversity in the workplace. In most cases people fear to
handle such situations because they fear being labeled racist or discriminative
because, in such a scenario, the two nurses would be urged to stop using their
native language in a professional setting especially when working with
patients, however, this still a scenario that needed action and a leader ought
to move beyond such challenges and address the issue directly as it is. Some of
the self-development challenges included the reconciliation of the two aspects
discussed above and this involved being courageous and being very critical in
thinking. I had to prepare well to be an efficient problem solver and be as
proactive as possible in such scenarios and others that might develop (Diversity and Equality of Opportunity, 2016).
Leadership
The
scenario was based on a leading model associated with leadership as
responsibility as well as a form of management. Patients in the hospital are
usual aspects that nurses manage. Leadership in nursing ought to have a good
understanding of the practice as a form of management. Nurses need to have good
skills in planning, controlling, organizing and coordinating resources.
Leadership is also a responsibility. Nurses are usually the custodian of the health
and wellbeing of the patient and are usually responsible for their lives. The
scenario showed the great need for a good sense of responsibility needed to
safeguard the needs of the patients (Nahavandi, 2000, p.13).
Leadership
changes always exist, and they are inevitable especially in a nursing practice.
Challenges always test the abilities of leaders; however, if challenges are
positively achieved then, they can incite a leader to rise to a new level.
Challenges of leadership are usually categorized into three factors they
include, external, internal and the nature of the leadership role. External
challenges are those that come from other people and other situations. External
challenges are usually shared responsibilities between the leader and the
organization because the failure of the leader to handle them means that the
organization will not be able to also. They are, therefore, very difficult
challenges and require great strength, focus, and critical thinking. Internal
challenges are those from within. They include aspects such as fear,
insecurity, lack of confidence, intolerance and many other internal factors
that make up a person. The strength and capability of a person depends on their
ability to overcome these challenges within them. The other challenges are
associated with the leadership aspect itself. The nature of the leadership role
such as being a leader in a nursing practice may be a challenge on its own.
Leaders always have high expectations and demands from the people they lead.
They are responsible for upholding the mission and vision of the organization
by being their representatives. They carry great burdens, and many times people
seem to think the responsibility is shared, but it is usually borne by only one
person; the leader. In this case, the role of a leader itself can be a
challenge by being overwhelming and lacking adequate supports from the other
staff members for which the leadership is intended (Diane et al, 2010, p.19).
Leadership
is usually a very specific factor, and leaders need to identify their
leadership style that suits their professions and organizational environment.
Leadership is usually a term that is used to mean the process of identification
of a goal and objectives, motivating and supporting people to work to achieve
them (Nahavandi, 2000, p.15).
When it comes to nursing, patient care is the foundational aspect of leadership
as well as the general nursing practice. It is a unique form of leadership that
has a lot of expectation because of the great health demands, complex health
policies and health standards and their association with taking care of human
life. Leadership in the world of today needs, even more, wisdom because of the
diverse nature of the world. Leaders ought to understand the importance of
accommodating people from other parts of the world. The world is becoming very
cosmopolitan with the society having people from all walks of life. Diversity
is always positive for the society because it is a factor that enriches the
culture of a particular society and brings in new perspectives and ways of
thinking. However, the difference can sometimes be disadvantageous especially
because of aspects of racism and discrimination. These are negative aspects
that make up the world of today and cannot be ignored. We live in a world where
people expect equity and equality in all aspects of life; however, others find
themselves superior to the others and thus bring in negative aspects of
discrimination. A good leader ought to well prepare to identify and handle such
negative issues. He or she ought to know the right time to act and the right
process to make especially if it is in a nursing practice environment (Nursing leadership, 2017, p.3).
Learning
process
The
leadership experience from the scenario provided a learning experience responsible
for a positive development as a nurse in the complex sector that is the nursing
practice. The experience was much like the one based on a learning cycle based
on Kolb. It is a model that tries to explain how people learn from their life
experiences that occur through events that take place on a daily place. The Nursing
practice and the activities that take place in it are usually very routine and
as each day goes by, any new experience that occurs becomes part of the
learning process that means growth and development as a nurse. The use of the experience coupled with the
ability to reflect on the events of the scenario form a good basis for Kolb’s
learning cycle. Reflection is therefore, a core factor of the cycle. The cycle
is based on the following process; the experience which in this case was the
scenario that occurred, the reflection of what happened, conceptualizing, and
finally planning which also involves active experimentations based on the
conclusions drawn from the experience after reflection and conceptualizing (Kolb, 2005, p.3).
Conclusion
and action plan
Leadership
in nursing practice is, therefore, a very important aspect. This is clearly
shown in the scenario with the Filipino nurses. Action has to be taken even if
there is fear of backlash. In a nursing practice, the wellbeing and health of
patients have to be on top of the list and the two nurses may have the best
intentions at heart but ought to be professional in their activities. Leadership ought to uphold good values and
strength will to ensure that everything is running smoothly. It ought to be
based on the theories of responsibility and good management of people and
resources. The experience from the scenario was important for the learning
process especially as a nurse and it has been well explained by the use of
Kolb’s learning cycle. Based on the reflection it is clear that work ethics are
very important especially in nursing practice. One of the professional issues is handling the
Filipino nurses who were using their native language even with patients. A
nurse with adequate leadership skills ought to be bold and directly address
this issue in a peaceful manner. He or she needs to approach them and explain
to them why it might be rude and unprofessional to use their native language,
especially with patients. Despite the fact that such an effort may not be
accepted positively, a nurse needs to be bold for work ethics in premises is
upheld. Because of the hierarchy in a health institution, a student nurses may
find it difficult to address the issue because the rest of the people might
ignore them because they are inexperienced, but all in all the issue still
needs addressing and identifying the right authority may be prudent in order
for such a situation to be handled amicably.
References
Diversity and Equality of Opportunity. (2016). Retrieved 2017, from
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/publications/position/diversity-and-equality
Diane K. Whitehead, S. A. (2010). Essentials of Nursing
leadership and Managemnt. Philadelphia: F.A Davis Company.
Inclusion equality and diversity. (n.d.). Retrieved 2017, from
http://www.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk/resources/inclusion-equality-and-diversity/
Kolb, A. K. (2005). Kolb's Learning Cycle. 1-72.
Nahavandi,
A. (2000). The Art and Science of leadership. New Jersey: Prentice
Hall, Upper Saddle River.
Nursing leadership.
(n.d.). Retrieved 2017, from
http://onlinenursing.wilkes.edu/nursing-transformational-leadership/
Nursing Leadership.
(n.d.). Retrieved 2017, from https://www.cna-aiic.ca/~/media/cna/page-content/pdf-en/nursing-leadership_position-statement.pdf?la=en
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http://www.morgan.edu/school_of_community_health_and_policy/programs/nursing/nursing_student_success_portal/nursing_leadership_and_development.html
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http://juns.nursing.arizona.edu/articles/fall%202002/valentine.htm
Nursing theories.
(n.d.). Retrieved 2017, from https://prezi.com/_kk9jfbrdnl1/nursing-leadership-theories/
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