Nursing Leadership, Essay Example

According to Burt Nanus, “Leaders articulate and define what has previously remained implicit or unsaid and that by so doing, they consolidate or challenge prevailing wisdom.” In the field of Nursing, the concept of leadership is broader in context because any nurse can be a leader. This is attributed to the fact that a nurse carries a certain authority and expertise in health promotion and disease prevention.

As discussed by Theofanidis and Dikatpanidou (2006), leadership within the healthcare field needs to shift towards becoming patient-centered, focusing on quality and holistic care. Nursing leadership is not only concerned with the daily and mundane tasks that allow units to function efficiently and productively. Leadership is also concerned with the provision of a safe and secure environment for patients and treating these patients with the utmost respect and dignity. Foley (2004), also states that the health and well being of nurses must also be ensured so that quality patient care is not compromised. It is also critical that people understand the gravity of workplace related injury and organizations should work together in order to ensure the safety needs of nurses.

It is important therefore that leaders in the field of nursing must become principle-centered by utilizing ethical and moral standards in developing policies and during the process of decision making. Leaders should be able to actively listen to their subordinates and see things from various perspectives, not just their own. This is reiterated by Ann Kolanowski, a renowned professor of Nursing, as she stated in an interview that “now my colleagues are my mentors. Together we are learning how to implement what we’ve discovered in practice. My students are also great teachers to me; their ideas inform my thinking daily” (Shillam, 2013). Truly, it is very crucial for a leader to communicate a clear and coherent vision for his organization that will say something concrete about the organization’s future or to where it is headed.

References:

Foley, M. (2004). Caring for Those Who Care: A Tribute to Nurses and Their Safety. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. Vol. 9 No. 3, Manuscript 1. Retrieved from www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/TableofContents/Volume92004/No3Sept04/NurseSafetyOverview.aspx

Nanus, B. (1992). Visionary leadership: Creating a compelling sense of direction for your organization. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Shillam, C. (2013, January). An Interview with Ann Kolanowski: The Evolution of a Nurse Leader. The John A. Hartford Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.jhartfound.org/blog/an-interview-with-ann-kolanowski-the-evolution-of-a-nurse-leader/

Theofanidis, D. and Dikatpanidou, S. (2006). Leadership in Nursing. ICUS NURS WEB J, Issue 25. Retrieved from http://www.nursing.gr/protectedarticles/ leadership.pdf