Running head: NURSING LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY 1

Nursing Leadership Philosophy

Crystal Parks

Delaware Technical Community College

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Abstract

Nursing leadership is a complicated simplistic topic for nursing of all levels. Nurse leader

refers to preceptor, team lead, manager, administrator, or executive. As nursing careers develop

and grow leaders will emerge in many different styles. The style a leader demonstrates reflects

on the staff they lead and their accomplishments. Within the leadership style, communication and

advocacy are key components of success. Collaboration with other leaders including those of

different levels is essential along with the ability to self-reflect, listen, learn, and self-develop to

continue to grow into the leader you are.

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Nursing Leadership Philosophy

Nursing leadership takes on many different definitions in todays nursing career.

Executives, administrators, unit managers, and staff nursing leaders all combined define nursing

leadership. Leadership and management are heard frequently together in healthcare, but they do

carry slightly different qualifications and roles. Management is frequently required to possess a

certain level of formal education such as a BSN or MSN degree. Managers are responsible for

more administrative responsibilities for instance revenue, scheduling, quality, competencies, and

oversight of projects. Leaders do not come with a required level of formal education but based

more on the experience and are rarely responsible for the daily tasks required of the manager.

Leaders are motivated, intuitive, inspiring, exemplary individuals who can embrace change,

encourage and reward staff for positive actions while setting examples through actions. Often,

we have many leaders within a healthcare unit setting as formal names are not always granted.

More and more, we are seeing the titles team lead, senior team lead, charge nurse, or resource

person labels once again emerge. As nurses we are exposed to many different styles of

leadership. When a nurse begins to take a leadership role be it within the staff, managerial,

administrative or executive one must consciously decide what type of leadership theory one

wants to emulate and understand the differences between the many different styles.

Leadership Style

Between the several decades of change in healthcare many leadership styles developed.

In 1940 leaders were believed to be born leaders and possessed leadership abilities from a young

age while managing staff from afar. In the 1980’s leadership took on a more involved,

collaborated approach with the transformational leadership style which is still the most common

style found in healthcare settings. The transformational leadership theory best fits with healthcare
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organizations due to the characteristics held by a transformational leader because of the rapid

changes for improvement that healthcare is consistently performing. The transformational leader

recognizes the importance of staff involvement and contributes the success of the unit to the

actions taken by the staff. As mentioned, prior transformational leaders embrace change, creates

a positive work environment, rewards staff, and guides staff members to understand their roles

within the organization. A vision of what the unit will be in the future along with a mission

statement supporting the vision is a key element that a leader of this style obtains. The leader

then uses the vision and mission statement to drive change and improvement with staff

engagement. Transformational leaders lead by example exhibiting self- confidence, self-

direction, honesty, energy, loyalty, and commitment. Empowering the staff, the transformational

leader moves toward the vision and mission statement while ensuring the operations of the unit

are completed competently in times of crisis.

Leadership

One of the most challenging and rewarding transitions in my career is becoming a leader. As my

nursing career has transformed from a new graduate to a more mature nurse, I have found myself

in leadership positions such as preceptor, instructor, charge nurse, and currently senior team lead.

Through out my 18 years of nursing I have experienced several different leadership styles

holding positions from CEO, CNO, Nurse Directors, Nurse Managers, and colleagues. Some

exemplary role models who I want to emulate and some that gave me the examples to not be

like. Although there is one type of leadership style that a person may exemplify most of the time,

I have learned that certain situations require different leadership style characteristics. My

individual goal as a nurse leader is to emulate the transformational leadership style. Embracing

change is a strong trait and belief of mine. Change is important to understand, implement, and
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deliver to staff by setting examples of practicing acceptance of change myself. The staff on the

unit along with leadership peers and higher administration are always within my thoughts when

implementing change and expressing understanding while encouraging staff to continue in a

positive work environment lifting each other up. Mission statements of the organization I work

for along side of the mission statement of Florence Nightingale is of great importance to honor

and uphold in every situation on the unit. By upholding the two mission statements above and

engaging staff, the unit will develop a mission statement of our own supporting the vision for the

unit and organization. The vision that the unit takes on will challenge staff and myself to

develop, grow within our scope of practice, and improve patient care along with nursing

processes. As a transformational leader I commit to upholding traits of honesty, integrity,

dedication, and loyalty to myself, staff, unit, and organization. Leadership seminars, on-line

webinars, and mentors throughout the organization will be my structure for continuing to

develop and learn leadership qualities and skills. There is no mistake that live and learn moments

will occur but with the help of leadership peers, human resource guidance, and self-development

balancing the traits of a transformational leader while upholding rule structure will be a

transformational experience.

Effective Leader

Reflecting on my new role as senior team lead of the Emergency Department, I have

come to realize the first and most important aspect of developing into the leader you want to

become is self-reflection. As difficult and ugly as it may be, I identified traits that I possess

needed work along with recognizing strengths. The process must begin there. With the help of

human resources, leadership peers, managers, and CNO; developing knowledge of policies,

nursing practice guidelines, and staff engagement tools will help implement a trusting
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relationship between myself and staff. Healthcare is a forever rapidly changing environment

therefore lifelong learning through several different methods will assist in my continuous

development into a leader. Attending nursing leadership meeting monthly and utilizing the tools

of American Nurses Association leadership webinars I will continue to develop and implement

strategies of transformational leadership actions. I will welcome an open-door environment for

staff to express concerns, positive feedback and constructive criticism be it about myself,

leadership style, other staff, patient care, or overall unit production. Collaborating with other

healthcare team members and staying abreast of current developing patient care education will

support my traits of embracing change and leading by example while empowering staff to

achieve their own goals.

Advocacy

Advocacy has and is consistently part of nursing whether it be a clinical nurse, nurse

manager, administrator, or executive. The focus of all healthcare is patient safety, patient

centered care and patient outcomes. Nursing acquires the role of advocate very often being the

nurse is the one that spends the most time with the patient and the family. Most often the patient

nurse relationship develops quickly, and trust is built. The patient and families relay information

to the nurse who listens and watches which tells a story that the patient may not even realize they

are telling the nurse. Nurses explain and reexplain care processes, show caring and support, and

empower the patient and families to speak up and out about their care encouraging questions and

giving the ownership to the patient to deny or accept care. Most of these characteristics sound

familiar. Transformational leadership matches the characteristics in an advocate. Although

advocacy starts with the patient and staff nurse certain situations can escalate to involve team

leads, nurse managers, administrators, and executives. From these concerns and issues that
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escalate the healthcare team collaborates and identifies workflow improvements, policy changes,

and possible change in organization structure. Being a patient advocate staff expressed the need

for better quality and safe care for patients at risk for falling within the emergency department.

Being a transformational leader staff was involved and a process change was implemented. A star

station was created within the unit nursing desk which holds all the appropriate fall signs, socks,

and bracelets in yellow bins. The techs and nurses now do not have to hunt or run around the unit

looking for all the proper equipment to help keep patients safer from falling. Collaborating with

other leaders, I was able to share with the other units our new star station which is now

implemented hospital wide. Within this process communication was a key factor.

Communication

Communication is expressed in many ways including verbal, non-verbal, text, email, and

publications. As a leader one must always be aware of their communication styles and be able to

recognize when and where to use the appropriate structure. Transformational leaders often use

upward and lateral communication. Speaking to staff as they are equal or have more influence in

the unit is how the empowerment begins. Rewarding, giving thanks, and discussing concerns are

important aspects of communication to transformation leaders as they strive to encourage and

guide others to achieve goals. Downward communication is left for the unfortunate times of

discipline or upholding absolute black and white policies. Diagonal communication is used as

leaders gather with different tiers of leadership to work on projects, policies, or processes, or

accreditations. Uplifting communication and involvement from staff from a transformational

leader often lead to process improvements, improved patient safety, higher quality of care, and

accomplish accreditation. As previously stated, the fall process the Emergency Department

developed along with proper communication lead to the willingness and approval from our
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administration to apply for Geriatric Emergency Department Certification. Transformational

leadership style guided me to empower the nursing staff to embrace the changes, accept extra

education, develop a new nursing and triage guideline, and implement our necessary needs on

the unit to achieve the Geriatric Emergency Department Certification. With the eagerness of the

staff we are now working towards a higher level of certification within the year. The

accomplishment is credited to excellent communication.

During my journey through furthering my formal education I have recognized my first

thought process of achieving nurse practitioner is not where my path is leading me. The

opportunity of holding the interim Emergency Department Manager position while seeking for

the appropriate individual to be hired has forced myself to re-evaluate my career path. I am

certain I will continue my education earning my MSN but for which field is uncertain. The more

I experience leadership and continue to grow stronger into the transformational leader that I

strive to emulate the more I lean towards administration for a final career path in nursing.
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