In my own definition prior to reading the module content, nursing leadership means a set of traits one possesses that involve interpersonal skills designed to direct someone or something into a desirable and ideal path specific to nursing. Generally speaking, my view on leadership is that it may be an assigned or unassigned role to a person, with an end-result of influencing a group of followers by setting examples as a team player rather than applying authority or superiority to achieve similar results. The content module from both texts did not change the meaning of what nursing leadership meant to me. Rather, the texts built upon my definition by adding additional information to what I already knew about the topic. The materials defined leadership in nursing in detail and absolutely highlighted it from management definition in nursing.
I try to encompass nursing leadership to my fellow nurses and nursing aids by setting an example in the quality care I provide in my work with integrity and pride as my core values. Especially for the nursing aids who work alongside me, I guide them by encouragement, build upon what they already know and trained on, and make mistakes a teachable moment rather than being condescending so that they may focus on learning and not on the error. Finally, although I believe that some people are born with natural leadership skills, behavior modification and leadership training may make one more effective in practicing leadership!
Fitzpatrick, J., & Glazer, G. (Eds.). (2013). Nursing leadership from the outside in. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy.fhsu.edu
Rigolosi, E. L. M. E. J. (2005). Management and leadership in nursing and health care: an experiential approach, 2nd edition. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy.fhsu.edu
Hello, I enjoyed reading your post. I think it is great that you encourage nurse aides. This is how I got into nursing and remember the nurses I worked with. They have helped shape me into the nurse I am today. It sounds like you have great leadership skills. I like that you make mistakes teachable so they can be learned from. Good luck this semester!
Hi,
I enjoyed reading your post. I agree that it is best to make mistakes a teachable moment. I also do this with the nurses aides. Instead of being condescending and alienating them I try to be a positive leader though encouragement and positive feedback. It also helps that I was also a CNA and remember what it was like.
I am glad you mentioned about being condescending, as a new nurse in training I had a charge nurse who was very condescending. Of course, I ended changing rotation; on this rotation the charge nurse was very supportive and easy to talk to.