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Creating a Common Nursing Vision and Strategic Priorities Across a System
Creating a common vision and prioritizing strategies is pre-eminent and forms the basis
for driving any organization to success. An organization’s vision statement defines the purpose
of its existence, defines the novelty of the organization, and articulates the future direction of the
organization (Wagner, 2018). When the vision is shared, the cohesiveness drives the
organization to achieve its intended goals. The health system is expected to achieve several tasks.
Wagner (2018) defines strategic priorities as values and initiatives that the health system desires
to achieve first out of the entire list of tasks. This paper focuses on creating a common nursing
vision and strategic priorities across a system. Further, the paper will derive lessons, key steps,
and discuss best practices nurse leaders can use to support the organization through forward
change towards a new vision and strategic priorities, based on reviewing the strategic plan and
process made by XYZ health system.
Lessons Learned from Reviewing the Strategic Plan and Process Made in XYZ Health
System
Several key lessons emerged from reviewing the strategic plan and process made in the
XYZ health system. The first lesson learned is that a shared vision, mission, and values unify
diverse healthcare delivery centers. For instance, in the case study, in the XYZ health system,
the 47 diverse hospitals were connected through a shared mission and common values. The
mission statement is the initial step in the strategic planning process and usually defines the core
purpose of the organization in addition to establishing a common course of action for future
endeavors (Eckardt et al., 2017). According to Eckardt et al. (2017), organizational values are
the foundation on which the organization is built and provide strategic guidelines for decision
making both internally and externally. The role of a shared vision, mission, and common values
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in constructing a united team working together towards collective goals cannot be
overemphasized. The employees are supported, value their work, feel a sense of purpose, and
are proud to be part of their team.
Furthermore, a shared vision brings leaders together in strategy and pursuit of
transformational change. In the case study, the leaders across all the 47 hospitals are grouped
and tasked to formulate at least three strategic priorities which subsequently become the
priorities of the XYZ health system. The nurse leaders of the XYZ health system further utilized
the talent bank across the 47 hospitals which led to reforms in preparation for the future desired
just, safe, and infinitely humane healthcare. Wagner (2018) advises nurse leaders to
continuously review the mission, vision, and values of the organization in relation to continually
evolving models of healthcare delivery and set fort strategic guidelines that adapt to this change.
Finally, it can be learned that the process of creating a shared vision is a stepwise but
challenging process. The creation of the XYZ health system shared vision involved three steps
namely, awareness, focus and commitment, and accountability. An effective strategy can only
be determined only with awareness and understanding. Focus on the other hand enables the
organization to identify what is important while through commitment and accountability, the
leaders get to their desired destination. Communication problems and difficulty in arriving at a
collaborative decision are among the challenges that are encountered while creating a common
vision and strategic priorities across a system owing to the diversified nature of the employees
and policymakers.
Factors Most Significant in Driving Hospital Nurse Leaders Toward a Common Vision
The recognition of the power of leveraging the talent bank of 47 diverse hospitals as
critical to leading change and preparing for a reformed future of healthcare delivery, is perhaps
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the most significant factor in driving the 47 diverse nurse leaders towards a common vision.
Additionally, past decade events and signing of the Patient Protection and Affordable care Act
into law in March 2010 formed the incentive for the nurse leaders to understand the picture of
the reformed healthcare industry and the placement of the nursing profession for the prosperity
of the industry. Themes presented in various reports also drove the nurse leaders towards a
common vision. For example, In the IOM and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation report, it is
discovered that the US is fragmented with barriers to cost-effective and high-quality care.
Likewise, the Advisory Board Company’s report Perfecting the Patient Care Services Strategic
Plan (2012) appreciated the nursing innovation throughout service, finance, quality, growth, and
people. This report confessed the instrumental role of nursing in designing future healthcare.
Finally, a speech by Berwick that visioned a just, safe, and infinitely humane healthcare that is
cost-effective, also spearheaded nurse leaders towards a common vision.
The Most Important Step
The most elemental step, in this writer’s opinion, is the initial step which is awareness.
This step sets the pace for the subsequent key steps such as focus and commitment and
accountability. From the case study, it is crystal clear that it is only through awareness and
understanding can an effective strategy be determined. Moreover, it is only through awareness
that the nurse leaders in the XYZ health system identified the need for leading change and
reformed future healthcare. Similarly, various reports and events prompted through the
awareness stage empowered the nurse leaders to understand the fragmented nature of the US
healthcare system and the pivotal role of the nursing profession in spearheading transformational
change in healthcare to a cost-effective, just, safe, and infinitely humane healthcare.
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Other Steps Involved in The Process
Creating a shared vision and strategic priorities across a health system is procedural. The
steps commonly involved include but are not limited to awareness, SWOT analysis, focus,
communication of vision, and finally commitment and accountability. SWOT analysis involves
the assessment of both the internal (strengths and weaknesses) and external (opportunities and
threats) environment of an organization (Dennis, 2019). This analysis is usually complex and
comprehensive with an endpoint highlighting the current reality of the organization. Dennis
(2019) recommends critically looking at both qualitative and quantitative information concerning
the organization. The process of gathering information and performing SWOT analysis varies
greatly with no single correct method identified. This process is also affected by several factors
beyond the scope of this paper.
Communication of the stipulated vision is another key step that is worth mentioning in
the process of creating a common vision and strategic priorities across a health system. Ginter,
Duncan and Swayne (2018) advise nurse leaders to always develop a plan for ongoing
communication of the vision within the team and provide instant feedback to keep the vision
alive. Involvement of other team members in shaping the proposed vision is also suggested to
keep the vision in line with the ever-dynamic healthcare system.
Best Practices Nurse Leaders Use to Support the Organization Through Forward Change
Towards a New Vision and Strategic Priorities
Nurse leaders can consider a variety of practices to support the organization through
forward change towards a new vision and new strategies. These practices include nurturing
diversity, effective communication, team building, and inspirational motivation. Breslin et al.
(2018) encourage nurse leaders to nurture diversity, inclusivity, and equity to perpetuate change.
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Employees who feel equally treated often have a sense of belonging to the organization and are
likely to direct their efforts towards the achievement of the vision of the organization. The nurse
leaders also must be able to communicate effectively to champion a new vision or change within
the healthcare organization. Kuo and Chen (2019) acknowledge the importance of effective
communication in task deliveries within a healthcare system that is filled with numerous
employees. Communication is further necessary during decision-making in healthcare.
The nurse leaders also need to focus on creating teamwork. Coordination and
collaboration between the management and employees are elemental as different skills and
expertise are put into use (Kuo & Chen, 2019). The resultant effect of this collaboration is
evidenced by the increased productivity as well as the ease of acceptability of reforms in
healthcare. Moreover, nurse leaders should be proactive and empower their staff. Intellectual
stimulation and inspirational motivation along with the idealized influence of the employees by
nurse leaders usually create employee satisfaction (Freihat, 2020). Consequently, the employees
work towards the new vision as they feel appreciated and welcomed.
How To Support Staff as A Servant Leader from The Christian World View
“Servant” and “leader’ are two components of servant leadership. Servant defines
timeless and attitude present within our lives while leadership represents responsibility. As
Christians and believers, we are all servants. Nurse leaders should take up the role of inspiring
others towards achieving their goals as well as purposeful transformation in their lives. This
vital task requires leaders to be of service to their employees just as Jesus Christ washed the feet
of his disciples. Furthermore, Christian leaders are discouraged from employing a solely
autocratic type of leadership as they are expected to serve their juniors just like Jesus encouraged
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his disciples to ignore their greatness and leadership posts and behave like the youngest and
servants (The Holy Bible: New International Version, 1983, Luke 22:26).
Similarly, servant leaders should support their staff by encouraging teamwork,
cohesiveness, and contributions from all members of the organization. During feeding of the
5000, Jesus Christ solicited the input of all his disciples (The Holy Bible: New International
Version, 1983, John 6:1-14). In this scenario, Jesus encourages the democratic type of
leadership by inquiring from his disciples what to be done to feed the crowd. Servant leaders
when making decisions should incorporate the opinions of their staff so that the decisions made
are readily acceptable.
Conclusion
The healthcare industry is complex for the vast majority to comprehend. This industry
undergoes a constant transformation correlated to technological advancements as well as
government mandates. Subsequently, the health systems must make ready for these
transformations for the continued growth and prosperity of the system. The nursing profession
has a pivotal role in championing new visions as well as transforming and designing the future
healthcare from the health that we have to the health that is needed.
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