Nursing Assignment: Significance of Leadership in Clinical Practice

Question

Task: You are supposed to prepare a nursing assignment discussing about the importance of leadership in nursing.

Answer

Introduction
According to the readings of Weiss, Tappen&Grimley (2019) it is stated in this nursing assignment thatleadership is considered to be a process through which an executive is able to direct, influence and guide the work along with the behaviour of the other people towards the accomplishment based particular goals. On the other hand, nursing leadership is referred to as influencing others for improving the quality related to care and direct participation within clinical care. Leadership within nursing practice includes such an environment which consists of a clear vision where the employees can be empowered and motivated as well. Hence, the present study evaluates the significance and style of leadership within the registered nurses for a clinical practice.

Discussion
Leadership styles and its justification
It has been evidenced that strong leadership in nursing seems to be significant as it helps in encouraging the other nurses for functioning as the team units. The nurse leaders should encompassstrong interpersonal skills for being successful. They need to be adept while communicating with each other along with the staff and the doctors as well as the patients and their families. As stated by Miles and Scott (2019), the nurses, while working in a clinical setting, should focus on the direct care of patients along with the teamwork as well as other medical professionals for ensuring that the patients get their best care. However, being a registered nurse, one also comprises their career goals which seem to move up the ranks with the help of job changes and promotions as well. As per the American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordination (AANAC), there are several leadership styles which can be suitable for the registered nurses.

Democratic leadership
In this style, a democratic nurse tends to take the input through their subordinates along with encouraging an open communication. However, the process of decision making with the managers along with the team members and the stakeholders are known to be asked for some honest feedback and are also provided with the same in return. As evidenced by Jack (2019), it has been observed that when the nurses are there for building relationships with their employees related to accountability and trust, or rather while improving the systems as well as processes seems to be a priority, the respective style is known to work best within the clinical situation. However, at times, the respective style has also been found to have shortcomings. For instance, it does not work well in such situations when concrete decisions seem to be significant in a quick way.

Autocratic leadership
In this type of style, a nurse is found to lead their members like a manager with the use of management style along with making all the decisions alone and providing with the particular orders. This style generally discourages the questions from the other side. There seems to be also lower tolerance for the mistakes. As per the views of Olson and Walsh (2019), this style is suitable regarding the execution of simpler tasks along with making a strict adherence to medical guidance. This might also help within the emergency situations. Nevertheless, while building teamwork and trust within the employees, this style is not able to help.

Hence, for a registered nurse, the use of democratic leadership style within the clinical context might be much more effective and suitable. As argued by Grant and Johnson (2019), autocratic leadership cannot be fit within all kinds of situations as it might not offer any professional ownership and also creates lack within trust. Obtaining the democratic style of leadership might help the nurses in creating a positive environment and appreciate the employees as well. This can eventually help them to provide quality care for the patients as well.

Responsibilities and methods of RN in leading a team for providing quality care
The specialty of the nurse leaders are known to oversee the integration based on patient care which involves development related to the plans of treatment; evaluation and collection of treatment results as well as management of patient’s medical teams as well. As put forward by Lowe and Plummer (2019), these respective nurses are also able to lead the efforts for disease prevention along with health promotion. There are certain methods or rather ways through which the nurses can lead their teams with providing an efficient quality care for their patients and encouraging the team members to do the same as well.

Being proactive
This encourages the nurse leaders to take some of the positive actions. For instance, if any patient complains about their bed for giving them pain, these nurses immediately take some of the proactive steps to prevent the pain through offering adequate support.

Knowing about delegation
The best nurse leaders are known to understand that they might not handle everything alone; rather, they tend to surround themselves with the skilled team of support along with delegating the tasks accordingly. According to the views of Cowin et al., (2019), one might not have worked with the management however, is able to practice delegation throughout their work.

Further education
Earning the masters of Science in nursing (MSN) might result in being the key for opening up with the opportunities of leadership for the nursing career like to be a coordinator or rather a manager. Enrolling within this future can also help the nurses to adopt leadership skills and opportunities within their current position.

Teaching or role modelling provided within shifts
The main responsibility of a registered nurse within their professional development seems to serve being a role model which considers doing rather than just saying the right things. A role model is considered as an individual to whom, the others look as an example for imitation. As opined by Pekkarinen (2019), they tend to possess such qualities which everyone might want to have. Role modelling is known to be a process which in turn, allows the students to learn new behaviours beside any trial and error regarding themselves. This seems to be a form of learning through experience which is used as the social learning and humanist theories. There are different characteristics that are possessed by the registered nurses for becoming a positive role model.

Passion
This seems to be the most significant characteristic. If one has passion for their job, they can inspire the other individuals due to their contagious enthusiasm. This helps the nurses to teach the other employees while sharing their passion as well as encouraging others as well.

Integrity
This involves actions like being genuine and authentic; accepting the mistakes and providing the other people their credits specifically within the public. As evidenced by Lamont, Stewart &Chiarella (2019), this also considers to treat the people in a fair way along with the fixation of proper values and recognising others along with providing praise.

Relationship focussed
This is yet another significant characteristic for being a role model. This involves accepting the other people along with listening to their concern along with conducting a clear communication with the other people as well. This also involves interaction with the other people along with showing respect regarding the differences as well as being inclusive. The nurses who are known to be relationship focussed are found to be genuine and are able to see the value and significance within the other people. Thus, the nurse educators are known to be inspired to rethink the teacher centred curriculum designs along with embracing some of the new ideologies which consist of a strong focus. As stated by Mather and Cummings (2019), the paradigm shift is considered to reflect within the National League of Nursing for its education along with responding towards the changing needs for the student population with the help of providing an environment of educational learning that is known to be the evidence for both the pedagogical and curriculum practice. Thus, for meeting with the expectations of the employees and the other individuals, the education of the registered nurses must provide with active learning which can promote analysis and critical thinking along with the skills of problem solving. This eventually makes the nurses to be a team leader within the clinical setting. The clinical nurse leaders are found to be the managers and the providers within the point of care who seem to be accountable regarding the patient care outcome. The main duties involved by the Nursing leaders are coordinating; designing; evaluating the care delivery based on the populations; individuals and their families as well.

RN standards of practice (2016) to ensure patient care
As opined by Gill et al., (2019), the registered nurse standards of practice are known to be the professional standards that describe the competent level of care within each of the phases for the process of nursing. The major purpose based on the professional standard has been for directing as well as maintaining a clinically competent and safer nursing practice. These respective standards are known to be significant for the nursing profession as they tend to guide and promote the clinical practice. As per the views of Gray (2019), there are several standards of practice used by the registered nurses as per the medical guidelines for the assurance of the quality care of patients along with the implications of their teaching within a clinical setting.

Thinking critically and analysing nursing practice
This involves various strategies along with best evidence available for making decisions as well as providing quality; safe practice of nursing with evidence-based and person-centred frameworks.

Engaging within professional and therapeutic relationships
As put forward by Kilpatrick, Elliott & Fry (2019), this involves collegial generosity within the context of mutual respect and trust for professional relationships.

Maintaining the practice capability
The RN health professionals seem to be responsible to ensure that they have the ability to practice and are safe as well. This involves responding to the concern along with ongoing self management.

Comprehensively conducts assessments
This standard involves the RN for conducting systematic assessments along with analysing data and information with communicating the outcomes for the basis of practice.

Developing plan for nursing practice
In this standard, the RN seems to be responsible for communicating and planning the practice of nursing. These are related to the development and agreed plans of partnership.

NSQHS Standards 1,2 and 6
According to Bloomer, Hutchinson &Botti (2019), there are eight NSQHS standards that tend to cover a higher prevalence of adverse events; infections associated with healthcare; comprehensive care; medication safety; clinical communication; managing and prevention of the pressure injuries; responding towards clinical deterioration. The main aim for this respective standard has been to protect the public through harm along with improving the healthcare quality as well. These standards are considered to describe the care level which needs to be provided through the health service organisations along with the systems that are required to deliver such type of care.

Standard 1- Clinical governance
This aims for the assurance of the systems within place of the health service organisations for improving and maintaining safety; reliability and quality of care.

Standard 2- Partnering with the customers
As evidenced by Wilson et al., (2019), this aims for the assurance of the customer patterns within delivery; design along with the evaluation of healthcare systems as well as services.

Standard 6- Communicating for safety
This aims for ensuring effective communication within the carers; patients and their families along with the clinicians; disciplinary teams and continuous support as well.

Thus, it has been evidenced that the first and second standards are combined for forming a framework of clinical governance regarding healthcare service organisations. As put forward by McKenna et al., (2019), these standards are found to integrate and support the overall clinical standards that tend to cover the particular areas related to patient care. In relation to the teaching implications of clinical setup, the registered nurses are known to ensure the safety of the patients through monitoring them regarding clinical deterioration and similar others.

Conclusion
To conclude, the present study has evaluated the significance of nursing leadership within a clinical practice along with emphasizing on the national healthcare standards of practice related to the quality care of the patients and the teaching implications as well. However, the nurses as role models have also been highlighted along with mentioning their responsibilities for leading a team. ?

References
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