Leadership Attributes, Coursework Example

Introduction

Upon reflection of this course, there are a number of different ideas that come to mind that have had a lasting impact on my learning and growth as a nursing student. First and foremost, I believe that the work of a professional nurse is not confined to the workplace environment and that the point of view should be focused on a global perspective. This includes the ability to examine ideas from a community-based perspective in order to accomplish the intended objectives and to be effective in meeting patient care needs with a comprehensive approach in place. This practice requires nurses to understand the needs of their patients by using a comprehensive strategy to accommodate specific needs across all age groups and to exercise flexibility in meeting the demands of the practice setting as they evolve.

Body

As a professional nurse, I believe that community health is a critical component of the field that must be addressed in a timely and consistent manner to promote disease prevention and other developments within the community setting. For example, the development of a strategy to accommodate community health nursing needs and perspectives in a positive manner to achieve effective outcomes. Community health nursing and the public health sector are two critical areas whereby it is necessary to develop new ideas and strategies to accommodate patients who possess many different needs, from infectious diseases to chronic disease prevention and treatment (Schofield et.al, 2010). This is an important reminder of the need for nurses to be fully involved in developing new ideas and strategies to accommodate patients of all ages who require community or public health-related services (Schofield et.al, 2010). These services are instrumental in shaping patient care and treatment for local residents and in engaging them in advancing their own health objectives to improve their quality of life throughout the life span (Schofield et.al, 2010). I believe that a nurse’s role in this process is perhaps one of the most important contributions that he or she could make within the career path because community health is comprised of engaging local residents in programs and initiatives to support their health and wellbeing in different ways.

I have also learned that direct experience in the community setting is essential to nurses’ professional growth and development, and that working with patients in the community environment is an important means of acquiring new forms of education and strength in this area (Pijl-Zieber & Kalischuk, 2011). This practice also enables some nurses to benefit from acquiring new types of leadership skills that will improve their visibility and strength within the nursing environment and their roles as practicing nurses with opportunities to improve their professional growth and development at the community level (Ganann et.al, 2010). In this context, nurses must be able to address issues of concern within communities and be able to frame these concepts effectively and for the greater good of patients, while also gaining significant knowledge to support their careers (Ganann et.al, 2010). It is important to identify the specific factors that influence patient care and that acknowledge the role of nurses in these settings to ensure that patients receive optimal attention and focus to prevent disease and other complications (Ganaan et.al, 2010).

Through this course, I have also learned that community health nurses are key contributors to the advancement of the practice setting and the ability to be effective in promoting change to improve the health and wellbeing of many local residents (Balcazar et.al, 2011). Under these conditions, it is important to identify areas whereby a nurse’s contribution to community health will play a transformative role in shaping outcomes and in supporting the direction of patient care and treatment in new ways as needs change and evolve (Balcazar et.al, 2011). For example, the increased risk of chronic disease serves as a driving force in shaping the direction of nursing practice and in engaging nurses in finding solutions, perhaps through prior evidence, in order to be effective in sharing a new vision and direction for nursing practice that will have a lasting impact on patients (Balcazar et.al, 2011). I also believe that disease prevention is a formidable learning opportunity for nursing students because it engages them in understanding disease risks and other issues that impact people across all age groups. This is important in demonstrating that nurses are able to play a fully participative role in advancing healthcare within the community by recognizing specific needs and expectations that will have a lasting impact on community education and guidance to prevent disease and to treat existing diseases with the utmost expertise and professionalism at all times. These opportunities will encourage nursing students to think outside the box and to recognize areas where they might be able to effectively contribute to improving quality of life within their own communities.

Conclusion

Nursing education in the community and global health environments is of critical importance in advancing outcomes and in shaping the needs of a community to improve health and wellbeing. This is an important reminder that nursing students must be able to contribute to the community practice environment through their attentiveness to local needs and to be fully engaged in improving patient lives through the efforts that are made. In this context, nursing students must also be able to effectively support preventive care and other objectives to improve quality of life for patients and to be successful in treating patients who require care on a continuous basis. I believe that community and public health nursing are essential to the discovery of new ideas to improve the practice environment and to be effective in shaping the direction of these areas for the foreseeable future.

References

Balcazar, H., Rosenthal, E. L., Brownstein, J. N., Rush, C. H., Matos, S., & Hernandez, L. (2011). Community health workers can be a public health force for change in the United

States: three actions for a new paradigm. American journal of public health, 101(12), 2199-2203.

Ganann, R., Underwood, J., Matthews, S., Goodyear, R., Stamler, L. L., Meagher-Stewart, D. M., & Munroe, V. (2010). Leadership attributes: a key to optimal utilization of the community health nursing workforce. Nursing leadership (Toronto, Ont.), 23(2), 60-71.

Pijl-Zieber, E. M., & Grant Kalischuk, R. (2011). Community health nursing practice education: preparing the next generation. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 8(1).

Schofield, R., Ganann, R., Brooks, S., McGugan, J., Dalla Bona, K., Betker, C., … & Watson, C. (2010). Community health nursing vision for 2020: Shaping the future. Western Journal of Nursing Research.