Policy and Organizational Behavior

Professional Development Needs Assessment

In this paper, the different roles of nurse leaders will be identified as well as the similarities and differences between leadership and management. Leadership is defined as the process of influencing people to accomplish goals, and management as the coordination and integration of resources through planning, organizing, coordinating, directing, and controlling to accomplish specific institutional goals and objectives. Employees are only as good as the managers that lead them. This is especially true within the field of nursing due to its necessity for teamwork, and problem solving. According to Diane Huber, “quality of life depends on the quality of leaders.” (Huber, 2018, p. 1) There have been debates on the differences between management and leadership, but in order to provide exemplary patient care they both need to come into play.

Leader and Manager

Usually, managers focus more on day-to-day activities while leadership is more focused on the “big picture” problems within the unit and hospital. “Although there are many similarities between leadership and management-both involve the direction and influence of others, and both entail the accomplishing of tasks and goals of an organization-there are significant differences. Leadership is a process of influencing others through effective relationship skills, whereas management is a formal position with specific functions. Ideally, a nurse can be both a leader and a manager simultaneously.” (Murray, 2017, p. 46)

Almost all situations require some level of management and leadership. Managers do not always make good leaders, and leaders are not always good managers; there are different skill sets that accompany both positions. Also, somebody could be a good leader in certain scenarios, but not in others and with or without the title of leader. Especially within the healthcare field, it is important that nurses feel comfortable in a leadership role. Managers aren’t always available on all shifts so it’s imperative that all nurses feel comfortable to step up when needed, especially when it comes to caring for their patients. It can be hard to confront a doctor, especially for new nurses, but sometimes it is in the patient’s best interest for the nurse to question an order.

Key Concepts That Facilitate Collaboration and Support Interprofessional Teams

“The extent to which different healthcare professionals work well together can affect the quality of the health care that they provide. If there are problems in how healthcare professionals communicate and interact with each other, then problems in patient care can occur. Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) practice-based interventions are strategies put into place in healthcare settings to improve work interactions and processes between two or more types of healthcare professionals.” (Zwarenstein, Goldman, & Reeves, 2009) Some things that can be done to facilitate positive interdisciplinary relationships are daily rounding with all members of the healthcare team, and monthly meetings. If all members of a healthcare team are on the same page with the care plan and familiar with each other it will provide a better healing environment. It will also open the door for better communication and understanding between healthcare professionals.

Leadership Self-Assessment

I would describe my leadership style as somewhere between authoritarian and democratic. Authoritarian leaders tend to dictate task lists to their followers and advise them on what techniques to use to get those tasks done. A democratic leader usually encourages discussions among all team members to make decisions, and focuses more on human relations and teamwork. In order to create a balance among team members, it is important the leadership isn’t afraid to step in when needed, but that they also allow their subordinates the opportunity to work independently and hone their own leadership skills. When first coming into a leadership role, it is important to have an open door policy with the rest of the team and to let them know that you are an approachable leader, but you also have to enforce that you will not be disrespected or taken advantage of. It is a difficult task to take on a new role of such importance, but I believe that with the right balance I can create an efficient work place that is also a place that people love to work.

Skill Development

In order to be a successful and effective leader, I think it’s important to be able to switch back and forth between leadership styles when the situation calls for it. One set leadership style is not efficient because all different scenarios can pop up throughout the work day, and in order to react accordingly to the problem, a leader needs to be flexible and always on their toes. It’s also important to get to know your workers, because not every person responds the same to criticism or praise. Some people thrive when they feel they have something to prove, while other can become discouraged. In getting to know your workers, you can figure out how you can motivate them to do their best work for you.

Another important part of being a successful and effective leader is to know exactly what is needed to keep your facility running efficiently. This means knowing the roles of each person staffed underneath you, better than they know it themselves. That way you are always prepared to help them if they come across a problem, as well as being able to train new employees to work at the same high standard you hold the rest of the employees to. I think a key part in that understanding is maybe to have a few days put aside where the leader can spend some time with employees learning the ins and outs of each position so they can really know what each position entails.

Conclusion

In conclusion, leadership is not a role that a person should take lightly. It entails so much responsibility, and the job does not stop when you go home for the night. In order to be an effective leader, a person needs to meet certain qualifications and be prepared to have a lot of on the job training. There are many types of leaders, and different leadership styles one can follow, but a good leader pulls from all the different types, and adapts as the situation calls for them to do. I believe that leaders should have to spend a day in their subordinate’s shoes in order to learn what their jobs truly entail, and in order to get to know how they work.

Resources

Huber, D. (2014). Leadership and management principles. In Leadership & nursing care management (pp. 1-36). St. Louis: Elsevier.

Murray, E. (2017). Nursing leadership and management for patient safety and quality care. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.library.capella.edu

Zwarenstein, M., Goldman, J., Reeves, S. Interprofessional collaboration: effects of practice‐based interventions on professional practice and healthcare outcomes. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2009, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD000072. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD000072.pub2.