Leadership Styles

Kimberly Wallace

Keiser University

Nursing Leadership in Systems of Healthcare

Professor M. Merisier

June 3, 2023
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Definition of the Problem

Leadership styles directly affect patient care and general organizational performance. In a

healthcare setting, poor leadership styles are utilized, leading to detrimental outcomes for

patients, employees, and the organization's overall results (Kelly & Hearld, 2020). This

leadership manifests in various ways, including poor communication, an unsafe environment for

patients and nurses, unethical decision-making, and failure to address the needs and concerns of

the nursing workforce. The leadership styles unsuitable for medical organizations include

autocratic and laissez-faire (Escala, 2022). These kinds of leaders make decisions without

considering input from the team. In essence, leaders are passive and provide minimal guidance or

support to the healthcare team. Notably, leadership styles that do not support transformational or

visionary qualities can reduce innovation, hinder adaptation from changing, and limit the

organization's ability to achieve quality patient care outcomes (Escala, 2022). There is a need to

address these issues to improve patient and employee satisfaction in health organizations.

Relationship to Broader Issues in Nursing and Healthcare

Patient Advocacy

As stated by The American Nurses Association (ANA) Scope, Standards, and Principles,

cultural competence aligns with the core principles of patient advocacy. Ineffective leadership

styles may need more attention to advocating for patient's cultural needs and preferences.

Understanding the cultural contexts influencing patients' healthcare decisions reduces patient

satisfaction and experiences (American Nurses Organization, 2017). Cultural competence

empowers healthcare providers to advocate for their patients, ensuring their cultural values,

beliefs, and practices are respected and integrated into their care plans. Leaders who promote

cultural competence support their teams in becoming effective advocates for culturally diverse
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patients. The leadership style suitable for addressing patient advocacy issues is transformational

leadership (Escala, 2022). They encourage open communication, empower their team members

to voice concerns and ideas, and create a supportive environment where cultural values, beliefs,

and practices are respected.

Patient Experience and Satisfaction

Effective leadership ensures high-quality patient care and positive outcomes (Smith &

Bhavsar, 2021). Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) includes patient

experience and satisfaction measures, such as the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare

Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey. Ineffective leadership can negatively impact patient

experience by contributing to poor communication, lack of empathy, and a culture that does not

prioritize patient-centered care (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), n.d.).

Reducing hospital readmissions is a key quality indicator emphasized by AHRQ. Ineffective

leadership may contribute to communication gaps, inadequate care coordination, and a lack of

follow-up processes, leading to higher readmission rates. The leadership style responsible for

improving patient experience and satisfaction is servant leadership (Escala, 2022). Servant

leaders prioritize the needs and interests of patients by fostering a patient-centered care approach.

Workplace Safety

Effective leadership is essential for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within

nursing and healthcare (Smith & Bhavsar, 2021). Poor leadership styles contribute to unsafe

work environments by limiting the implementation of workplace safety protocols, leading to

increased risks for both patients and healthcare professionals (The Joint Commission, n.d.) Issues

to do with leadership increase levels of job dissatisfaction, burnout, and higher turnover rates

among the nursing staff. When the healthcare leadership fails to recognize and address the needs
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of their employees, including workload concerns, professional development opportunities, and

work-life balance, nurses' overall well-being and job satisfaction are negatively affected (Kelly

& Hearld, 2020). Furthermore, poor leadership perpetuates biases, discrimination, and lack of

diversity in the workplace. When healthcare facilities do not foster an inclusive and culturally

sensitive environment, it can result in decreased job satisfaction, limited opportunities for

professional growth, and reduced representation of underrepresented groups (Mah'd et al., 2014).

It also limits the ability of the healthcare professional to provide culturally competent care,

reducing the efforts to address health disparities in society. To address this issue, transactional

leaders should be fostered to establish clear expectations, rules, and protocols for workplace

safety (Mah'd et al., 2014). They provide guidance, monitor performance, and enforce

compliance with safety procedures.

Background Information

Inadequate leadership styles in healthcare can be traced back to several underlying

factors, contributing to suboptimal outcomes and challenges within healthcare organizations.

Factors commonly associated with ineffective leadership include a need for leadership

development programs. Many healthcare organizations must prioritize leadership development

programs, resulting in a gap in the necessary skills and competencies among healthcare leaders

(Ghazipur et al., 2017). With proper training and development opportunities, leaders may be able

to effectively navigate complex healthcare environments and lead their teams.

Furthermore, professionals must receive adequate training on leadership principles and

practices to transition into leadership roles. The skills required for clinical practice differ from

those essential for effective leadership, such as communication, conflict resolution, and strategic
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decision-making (Ghazipur et al., 2017). The training barriers prevent leaders from effectively

managing their teams and addressing organizational challenges.

Additionally, traditional hierarchical organizational structures in healthcare result in

inadequate leadership skills (Smith & Bhavsar, 2021). These structures may limit

communication channels and hinder collaboration among team members. When leaders are

inaccessible or distant from frontline staff, it can create a disconnect and inhibit the flow of vital

information and feedback. Leadership roles in healthcare are filled based solely on clinical

expertise or seniority without adequately considering leadership skills and competencies in some

cases. This approach overlooks the importance of leadership qualities, such as emotional

intelligence, adaptability, and the ability to inspire and motivate teams (Restivo et al., 2022).

Consequently, individuals are placed in leadership positions without the necessary leadership

acumen.

Recommended Plan for Improvement

Implementing comprehensive leadership development programs is essential for

enhancing leadership skills and competencies among healthcare professionals. The program

should focus on offering training to develop self-awareness, empathy, and effective interpersonal

skills (Mah et al., 2014). This enables leaders to understand and respond to the emotions of their

team members, fostering a supportive and positive work environment. The initiative should also

teach strategies for resolving conflicts constructively and promote a culture of open dialogue

(Meese et al., 2021). Leaders should be able to mediate conflicts, encourage healthy discussions,

and reach mutually beneficial resolutions. This is achieved by training them to navigate complex

ethical dilemmas, uphold patient autonomy, and promote ethical practices within their teams.
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As well, employee feedback mechanisms should be implemented. Establishing regular

feedback channels to assess leadership effectiveness and solicit input from team members is

essential. This can be done by implementing a structured feedback process where leaders receive

input from their superiors, peers, and subordinates (Meese et al., 2021). This provides a

comprehensive view of their leadership strengths and areas for improvement. Further, the

organization should conduct regular surveys to collect anonymous employee feedback regarding

their perceptions of leadership, work environment, and growth opportunities. This feedback can

help identify areas of improvement and track progress over time. An open-door policy should

also be encouraged where employees feel comfortable sharing their concerns, ideas, and

suggestions directly with their leaders (Meese et al., 2021). Regular communication and active

listening create a supportive and transparent work environment.

Additionally, the organization should promote a transformational leadership style

characterized by inspirational vision, motivation, teamwork, and creativity. Leaders should

articulate a compelling vision for the organization and inspire their team members to strive

toward it (Smith & Bhavsar, 2021). Clear goals and a shared purpose motivate employees to

perform at their best. Further, foster a culture that encourages innovation and creativity.

Transformational leaders should create an environment where new ideas are welcomed and

individuals feel safe to take risks and think outside the box. The approach should emphasize the

importance of teamwork and collaboration in achieving organizational goals. Leaders should

promote a collaborative culture, facilitate effective communication, and recognize and value

diverse perspectives and contributions.

Implementing the recommended plan is expected to yield several positive outcomes,

including improved patient satisfaction, enhanced patient safety measures, increased employee
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engagement, and improved interdisciplinary teamwork. These outcomes can be measured using

patient satisfaction surveys, incident reporting systems, employee engagement surveys, and

monitoring key performance indicators aligned with national quality indicators.

Conclusion

Leadership plays a critical role in promoting ethical decision-making in nursing and

healthcare. Inadequate leadership in a healthcare organization leads to ethical dilemmas,

unethical practices, and a lack of transparency. If the health facilities fail to establish ethical

behavior and clear standards of practice by supporting ethical concerns raised by the nursing

staff, trust and integrity are eroded within the organization. This can harm patient trust, employee

morale, and the overall ethical climate within the healthcare setting. By incorporating these

evidence-based findings and implementing corresponding solutions, healthcare organizations can

address the problem of ineffective leadership styles in nursing and healthcare. These approaches

promote transformational leadership, ethical decision-making, and shared accountability,

improving employee satisfaction, patient outcomes, and organizational performance.

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References

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality- Quality Indicators. (n.d.).

https://qualityindicators.ahrq.gov/measures

ANA Principles. (2017, October 20). ANA.

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Escala, J. (2022). Nursing Leadership and Management [Video].

YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIuMMwsSg-Y

Ghiasipour, M., Mosadeghrad, A. M., Arab, M., & Jaafaripooyan, E. (2017). Leadership

challenges in health care organizations: The case of Iranian hospitals. Medical Journal of

the Islamic Republic of Iran, 31(1), 560–567. https://doi.org/10.14196/mjiri.31.96

Jhunlie Escala. (2021, August 16). [NURSING REVIEW] Nursing Leadership and Management

Part 1 by Jhunlie Escala [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?

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Healthcare is a Team Sport: Stress, Resilience, and Correlates of Well-Being Among

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