NR 351 Week 6 Discussion: Best Leaders (Graded)

Purpose

This week’s graded topics relate to the following Course Outcomes (COs).

CO1: Propose individualized comprehensive care by integrating theories and principles of nursing and related disciplines when planning comprehensive patient-centered care. (PO1)
CO2: Demonstrate leadership strategies that promote safety and improve quality in nursing practice and increase collaboration with other disciplines when planning patient-centered care within systems-based practice. (PO2)

Due Date

Answer post due by Wednesday 11:59 p.m. MT in Week 6
Two replies to classmates and/or instructor due by Sunday 11:59 p.m. MT at the end of Week 6

Discussion

Think of the best leader or manager you have ever known (or your ideal leader or manager) in nursing or another field. How did this person lead others? How did you feel working with this leader? What impact did this person’s leadership style have on your future leadership?

Grading

**To view the grading criteria/rubric, please click on the 3 dots in the box at the end of the solid gray bar above the discussion board title and then Show Rubric.

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Class, you may begin posting in this TD on Sunday, April  5, 2020, which is Preview Day for Week 6.

We are well aware that leadership does not always mean management. Nurses demonstrate leadership in many different ways and in many different positions. “Nursing requires leadership, yet progress in leadership behaviors is sometimes difficult to measure” (Foli, Braswell, Kirkpatrick, & Lim, 2014, p. 81).

For this discussion, you are instructed to evaluate the leaders you have known and choose one to apply to the questions stated above in this week’s question

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Reference

Foli, K. J., Braswell, M. Kirkpatrick, J., & Lim, E. (2014). Development of leadership  behaviors in undergraduate nursing students: A service-learning approach. Nursing Education Perspectives, 34(2), 76-82.

The best manager I’ve had the privilege of working with was the manager that was on 4E when I was hired at McLaren Bay Region as a nurse assistant. I felt like she always had my back and was there to help everyone be successful. She understood the struggles I had with juggling working part-time, going to nursing school full-time, and being a new mother all at the same time. She also seemed to be the fairest manager by awarding vacation to the correct people and by creating the work schedule based on people’s school schedules and seniority on the unit. According to Iorio (2012), “Real leadership is collaborative, respectful and positive. People aren’t punished for disagreeing; listening and compromise are strengths” (p. 11).

One of the best things she did for the unit was creating a contract for the employees to be nice to each other and not say anything mean about anyone else. She had the employees on the unit sign it and then re-sign it if we broke the contract. There was also punishment such as write-ups if people were caught breaking the contract. It seemed silly at first but with that small contract, she drastically changed the atmosphere on the unit. The staff seemed less spiteful and worked together with increased teamwork.

I believe I liked her the best because she had a more transformational leadership style. According to Hood (2018), a transformational leader often motivates staff by offering rewards and, “has a high level of trust, gets others to share common values and mission, shows a committed work ethic, defines reality, keeps the dream alive, examines efforts of actions, and makes adjustments as needed” (p. 446). I feel that her leadership style constantly motivates me to like her and I hope that my coworkers feel the same way about me as I do about her.

References:

Hood, L. J. (2018). Leddy & Pepper’s professional nursing (9th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.

Iorio, P. (2012, February 6). A lesson in bad leadership. Tampa Bay Times, sec. A, p. 11. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.chamberlainuniversity.idm.oclc.org/docview/921614242?accountid=147674

You are fortunate to have had such a leader so early in your career. The support that she gave you as an employee, student, and a new mom is commendable. I know that you are a new nurse, but how do you think that you can demonstrate this type of leadership in your daily work life now? Good use of your APA formatting.

 I try to draw from my own experiences with my previous manager when dealing with issues in my new unit. There is a lot of silly conflict and cattiness in the unit I work on. I’ve called people out on it before by simply stating both sides of the argument and offering help in any way they’d like. I feel that my unwillingness to participate in the cattiness is rubbing off on people and they don’t argue about it as much around me.

They also used to give me the hardest patients on the unit and I’ve made sure to fill out acuity on my patients so that the next shift doesn’t receive that load of patients too. Since confronting the issues head-on things seem to be improving. I’ve thought about presenting the contract to my current manager for him to show to the unit, but his style of management is more laissez-faire and I don’t think he’d follow through with it. If things don’t continue to improve I’ll consider showing him again. 

Sounds like you had an amazing manager that really cared about her staff and took the time to get to know each one of you.  Having a great manager has the ability to influence everyone involved in positive ways and can give you confidence.  Working in a place that has a great leader helps to make work a fun  place and helps to make your fellow coworkers happy too.  Which in turn helps to make a healthy work environment.  

Great leaders empower their employees and recognize when they are promoting teamwork and creating a positive atmosphere. The idea of a “contract” is wonderful in that your signature holds you accountable to follow a set standard.  In nursing there is a lot of clicks and cattiness and when a new employee enters the workplace it can be most difficult for them to assimilate.  Team work in healthcare is the essence of what we do.  We are all doing the job for a reason and we need to lift each other up so that we can build rapport with each other and know that you are supported and respected.  This in turn, allows you to provide excellent care.  Leaders can make this happen!  

Isn’t it lovely to feel like the manager has your back? When I had to quit my job on a whim and move to California last week, it was amazing how supportive my manager was. She was completely understanding. I was fortunate enough to not have to work when going through my ADN program, I’m not sure how well I would have did. Great job for going through all that plus nursing school. I think that is such a good idea to sign a “nice contract.” It really makes you think before saying something negative. On the floor, if there’s one negative person, it really brings down the whole staff and the morale of the unit in general.