NR 500 Week 4: Leadership: Establishing Relationships and Influencing Change

Sample Answer for NR 500 Week 4: Leadership: Establishing Relationships and Influencing Change Included After Question

NR 500 Week 4: Leadership: Establishing Relationships and Influencing Change

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This week’s focus is on developing foundational interpersonal skills that will prepare you for professional practice as a leader and change agent. As a leader, how will you influence change in your professional specialty area? Identify two strengths you have that will promote strong leadership. Identify two areas of improvement to your skill in leading and influencing change. What are two priority strategies you will implement as professional development tools for leadership?

A Sample Answer For the Assignment: NR 500 Week 4: Leadership: Establishing Relationships and Influencing Change

Title: NR 500 Week 4: Leadership: Establishing Relationships and Influencing Change

Effective interpersonal skills are at the root of a competent nurse. Nurse leaders who develop strong interpersonal skills are likely the ones to be most effective in their leadership roles and their abilities to implement positive change in the healthcare environment. As a future nurse educator, my goal is to influence the perioperative nursing environment through exemplary role modeling of the behavior, knowledge, and skillset that an operating nurse should have to be successful. I am currently developing my leadership skills in my current position as an assistant nurse manager in a hospital based, pediatric operating room setting. I have served in this position for the last 4 years and it has definitely been a learning experience. Undergraduate nursing programs and hospital orientations focus on educating the nurse to care for patients. There is little emphasis and preparation for nurses whom advance to leadership roles and acquire the task of leading a team of direct reports. In this week’s required reading, I found it interesting to consider that leadership and management are not always synonymous (Scully, 2014). There is such a variety of effective nurse leaders whom have great vision, and hold a desire to advance the care of patients, nurse education, and the profession, but do not necessarily hold a managerial title. This caused a great amount of personal reflection upon me this week as I thought further about the topic at hand.

I chose to pursue my master’s in nursing after spending the last few years in a nurse leadership role. The increasing desire to foster the education of nurses entering perioperative nursing for the first time interests me greatly. To be fully prepared to educate others, be it in the hospital, community, or academic setting, the nurse educator must be fully equipped with valuable leadership and knowledge skills. (Patterson & Krouse, 2015). Two strengths that I currently possess and feel will promote strong leadership as a nurse educator, are the ability to effectively communicate and professionalism. Communication to various disciplines and persons from all backgrounds are key to team building and is a crucial interpersonal skill to develop. This skill was not always my strength but over many years of nursing, I have learned that communication is so important to delivering competent care. The ability to articulate, creates an effective atmosphere and opens the door to success for the need at hand. Professionalism is my second strength. Professionalism is displayed in a conscientious work ethic, performing the assigned job properly, and with competence (Sheikhi, Khoshnab, Mohammadi, & Oskouie, 2015). I believe in taking pride in the task set before me be it circulating an appendectomy, managing a staff call schedule, or leading an in-service. Interpersonal skills of communication and professionalism will further prepare me to be an influential nurse educator.

Where there are strengths, there are also weaknesses. Areas of improvement that I identify with and are needed to enhance my leadership skills are emotional competence and active listening. I have the tendency to wear my heart on my sleeves at times which allows me to show great empathy in caring for others, but also can limit my abilities as an effective leader. Being able to properly maintain my emotions with a level of self-awareness will help me understand how to tackle the tasks set me before me effectively. As a nurse educator, relationship building is a key component and having a strong emotional competence will aid me in this endeavor (Patterson & Krouse, 2015). Active listening is a skill that I would like to further develop. In the often-stressful environments I find myself in between home and work, distractions serve as a negative influence. As a charge nurse, I carry a phone that rings incessantly. As a mom to 3 young children, someone is needing me all hours of the day. I find that my active listening skills are limited in times when the stress level is high. Taking the time to slow down, prioritize my time, and focus on the important or immediate needs first will help me to improve my listening skills and further advance my communication abilities.

Priority strategies that I plan to implement immediately are self-management and relationship building. Self-management is the start to improving emotional competence and the ability to maintain composure, even during a difficult situation. This starts with managing my time and learning to say no when necessary, so that I can stay on track with the tasks I have committed to completing. Relationship building comes with improving active listening skills by communicating respectfully and compassionately with those I am working with or responsible for. This involves being a role model, mentoring, fostering a teamwork environment, advocating for my colleague, peers, future students, and recognizing the need for support when necessary (Patterson & Krouse, 2015). One way to do this as a nurse educator will be through team oriented approaches to learning. Practical scenarios could be provided for the team or students to work through and solve in support towards a common goal, as opposed to individually. With team approaches to healthcare, a nurse educator can help develop a sense of community amongst the nursing students. This will help nurses learn to speak up in real clinical practice through effective communication, advocate for their patient at a higher level, critically think, and problem solve.

NR 500 Week 4: Leadership: Establishing Relationships and Influencing Change

References

Patterson, B., & Krouse, A. (2016). Competencies for leaders in nursing education. Nursing Education Perspectives, 36(2), 76-82. doi: 10.5480/13-1300

Scully, N. (2014). Leadership in nursing: The importance of recognizing inherent values and attributes to secure a positive future for the profession. Science Direct, 22(4), 439-444. doi: 10.1016.j.colegn.2014.09.004

Sheikhi, M., Fallahi-Khoshnab, M., Mohammadi, F., & Oskouie, F. (2016). Skills required for nursing career advancement: A qualitative study. Nurse Midwifery Student Journal, 5(2), 1-8. doi: 10.17795/nmsjournal30777

Collapse Subdiscussion Mary Katherine White

Mary Katherine White

Jan 22, 2018Jan 22 at 3:34pm

Manage Discussion Entry

Bobbie,

Your strategies sound great to help you in areas of some weakness. Do you have a mentor or role model to help you with these strategies. It seems as though if you don’t have do this alone, it would be easier. If you don’t have a role model or mentor, is there someone you can think of that you can approach to help you? What are your thoughts on this?

Dr. White

Collapse Subdiscussion Bobbie Rodriguez

Bobbie Rodriguez

Jan 23, 2018Jan 23 at 9:45am

Manage Discussion Entry

Dr. White,

I believe a role model or mentor is an excellent idea as I implement priority strategies and work further towards my goal to be a nurse educator. In my current employment, we have a nurse educator whom the staff all look to as our ‘mom.’ She teaches the AORN

Perioperative 101 program for nurses who have zero perioperative nursing experience. I had the pleasure of taking this course with her 10 years ago. I look to this educator as my current role model because I feel that her calm, confident, and organized approach to nurse education is something to be admired. To address nursing shortages and staff retention, the nurse educator should be productive, dedicated, and possess a creative approach to teaching (McAllister & Flynn, 2016). My role model is looking to retire in the next 12 months and we have discussed possibly job sharing her nurse educator role in my department until I get fully oriented to her position. I will look to her guidance and expertise along with the education I am attaining in this MSN program to become a competent educator, building upon my developing emotional competence and relationship building in the workplace.

Reference

McAllister, M., & Flynn, T. (2016). The capabilities of nurse educators (CONE) questionnaire: Development and evaluation. Nurse Education Today, 39, 122-127. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2016.01.022

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Leadership is a complex area of nursing that I have found to be difficult over the years. I have mainly been the recipient under the direction of management. However, I was a permanent charge nurse of the emergency department for 2 plus years. During this time my strongest leadership skill became promoting and influencing teamwork. I was always respectful to ancillary staff and never viewed them as an unequal part of the team. I praised and thanked them for their help. They appreciated this, and in return, they stayed motivated and engaged. I also always found floats for nurses that were struggling with their patient load, and I would also offer to help with tasks. I was not afraid to help in the charge nurse role, versus others who just direct. I prided myself on helping any team member, whether it be ESD, CNA’s, and fellow colleagues (nurses and doctors). Another of my strengths is effective collaborative communication which goes hand in hand with teamwork. My 16 years as an emergency room nurse has allowed me to practice with autonomy, which helped me in developing strong communication skills with team members. Collaborative communication and teamwork will be essential as I progress in my role as an FNP for providing optimal patient centered care. These strengths surround the idea of engaging others (CCHL, 2010). Implementing change when needed in practice is an area that I haven’t had much experience, specifically when developing QI improvement strategies. Leadership and establishing a culture of safety in any practice setting is essential for improvement to strengthen systems within healthcare (Blouin, A. S. and Buturusis, B., 2012). The concept of innovative ideas as a leader would somewhat mirror my previous weakness. This would include developing , testing , and encouraging among all group members as stated by Skully (2014). Establishing and executing areas of improvement in my practice will be an essential piece regarding leadership in my role as an FNP. During my role as an FNP I will prioritize implementing change when I believe there is a break/flaw in the healthcare system. Especially, when if it affects patient outcomes, whether negative or positive. Open communication will be another essential priority for me. As a leader, we must be approachable to establish effective communication. I want any person involved in the healthcare team to feel they can approach me with any concerns regarding the care of my patients. NP’s are senior members of the healthcare team. They must engage and lead in collaborative communication for optimal patient-centered care (Watson, 2008).

Blouin, A. S. & Buturusis, B. (2012). Addressing the critical role of nurse leaders in advancing quality and safety. Nurse Leader (10)6, 22-25.

Canadian College of Health Leaders (2010). Key points to leadership growth. A checklist for leaders. Retrieved from http://leadscanada.net/uploaded/web/Resources/ key_points /KEYPOINTS_2016_EN.pdf Link (Links to an external site.)

Scully, N. J. (2015). Leadership in nursing: The importance of recognizing inherent values and attributes to secure a positive future for the profession. Collegian, 22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ j .colegn.2014.09.004

Watson, C. (2008). Assessing leadership in nurse practitioner candidates. Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing 26(1) 67-76.

Grading Rubric

Performance Category	100% or highest level of performance 100% 16 points	Very good or high level of performance 88% 14 points	Acceptable level of performance 81% 13 points	Inadequate demonstration of expectations 68% 11 points	Deficient level of performance 56% 9 points	Failing level of performance 55% or less 0 points
Total Points Possible= 50	16 Points	14 Points	13 Points	11 Points	9 Points	0 Points
Scholarliness Demonstrates achievement of scholarly inquiry for professional and academic topics.	Presentation of information was exceptional and included all of the following elements: Provides evidence of scholarly inquiry relevant to required TD topic(s). Presents specific information from scholarly sources to develop a comprehensive presentation of facts. Uses at least one outside scholarly reference that is relevant, less than 5 years old (use of older references requires instructor permission) and reliable for the required topic.* Uses in-text citation and full reference at end of posting when presenting another person’s thoughts as quotes or paraphrase of information.	Presentation of information was good, but was superficial in places and included all of the following elements: Provides evidence of scholarly inquiry relevant to required TD topic(s). Presents specific information from scholarly sources to develop a comprehensive presentation of facts. Uses at least one outside scholarly reference that is relevant, less than 5 years old (use of older references requires instructor permission) and reliable for the required topic.* Uses in-text citation and full reference at end of posting when presenting another person’s thoughts as quotes or paraphrase of information.	Presentation of information was minimally demonstrated in all of the following elements: Provides evidence of scholarly inquiry relevant to required TD topic(s). Presents specific information from scholarly sources to develop a comprehensive presentation of facts. Uses at least one outside scholarly reference that is relevant, less than 5 years old (use of older references requires instructor permission) and reliable for the required topic.* Uses in-text citation and full reference at end of posting when presenting another person’s thoughts as quotes or paraphrase of information.	Presentation of information is unsatisfactory in one of the following elements: Provides evidence of scholarly inquiry relevant to required TD topic(s). Presents specific information from scholarly sources to develop a comprehensive presentation of facts. Uses at least one outside scholarly reference that is relevant, less than 5 years old (use of older references requires instructor permission) and reliable for the required topic.* Uses in-text citation and full reference at end of posting when presenting another person’s thoughts as quotes or paraphrase of information.	Presentation of information is unsatisfactory in two of the following elements: Provides evidence of scholarly inquiry relevant to required TD topic(s). Presents specific information from scholarly sources to develop a comprehensive presentation of facts. Uses at least one outside scholarly reference that is relevant, less than 5 years old (use of older references requires instructor permission) and reliable for the required topic.* Uses in-text citation and full reference at end of posting when presenting another person’s thoughts as quotes or paraphrase of information.	Presentation of information is unsatisfactory in three or more of the following elements Provides evidence of scholarly inquiry relevant to required TD topic(s). Presents specific information from scholarly sources to develop a comprehensive presentation of facts. Uses at least one outside scholarly reference that is relevant, less than 5 years old (use of older references requires instructor permission) and reliable for the required topic.* Uses in-text citation and full reference at end of posting when presenting another person’s thoughts as quotes or paraphrase of information
	16 Points	14 Points	13 Points	11 Points	9 Points	0 Points
Application of Course Knowledge Demonstrate the ability to analyze and apply principles, knowledge and information learned in the outside readings and relate them to real-life professional situations	Presentation of information was exceptional and included all of the following elements: Applies principles, knowledge and information from scholarly resources to the required topic. Applies facts, principles or concepts learned from scholarly resources to a professional experience. Application of information is comprehensive and specific to the required topic.	Presentation of information was good, but was superficial in places and included all of the following elements: Applies principles, knowledge and information from scholarly resources to the required topic. Applies facts, principles or concepts learned from scholarly resources to a professional experience. Application of information is comprehensive and specific to the required topic.	Presentation of information was minimally demonstrated in the all of the following elements: Applies principles, knowledge and information from scholarly resources to the required topic. Applies facts, principles or concepts learned from scholarly resources to a professional experience. Application of information is comprehensive and specific to the required topic.	Presentation of information is unsatisfactory in one of the following elements: Applies principles, knowledge and information from scholarly resources to the required topic. Applies facts, principles or concepts learned from and scholarly resources to a professional experience. Application of information is comprehensive and specific to the required topic.	Presentation of information is unsatisfactory in two of the following elements: Applies principles, knowledge and information from scholarly resources to the required topic. Applies facts, principles or concepts learned from scholarly resources to a professional experience. Application of information is comprehensive and specific to the required topic.	Presentation of information is unsatisfactory in three of the following elements Applies principles, knowledge and information and scholarly resources to the required topic. Applies facts, principles or concepts learned scholarly resources to a professional experience. Application of information is comprehensive and specific to the required topic.
	10 Points	9 Points			6 Points	0 Points
Interactive Dialogue Initial post should be a minimum of 300 words (references do not count toward word count) The peer and instructor responses must be a minimum of 150 words each (references do not count toward word count) Responses are substantive and relate to the topic.	Demonstrated all of the following: Initial post must be a minimum of 300 words. The peer and instructor responses must be a minimum of 150 words each. Responses are substantive Responses are related to the topic of discussion.	Demonstrated 3 of the following: Initial post must be a minimum of 300 words. The peer and instructor responses must be a minimum of 150 words each. Responses are substantive Responses are related to the topic of discussion.			Demonstrated 2 of the following: Initial post must be a minimum of 300 words. The peer and instructor responses must be a minimum of 150 words each. Responses are substantive Responses are related to the topic of discussion.	Demonstrated 1 or less of the following: Initial post must be a minimum of 300 words. The peer and instructor responses must be a minimum of 150 words each. Responses are substantive Responses are related to the topic of discussion.
	8 Points	7 Points	6 Points	5 Points	4 Points	0 Points
Grammar, Syntax, APA Points deducted for improper grammar, syntax and APA style of writing. The source of information is the APA Manual 6th Edition Error is defined to be a unique APA error. Same type of error is only counted as one error.	The following was present: 0-3 errors in APA format AND Responses have 0-3 grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors AND Writing style is generally clear, focused on topic,and facilitates communication.	The following was present: 4-6 errors in APA format. AND/OR Responses have 4-5 grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors AND/OR Writing style is somewhat focused on topic.	The following was present: 7-9 errors in APA format. AND/OR Responses have 6-7 grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors AND/OR Writing style is slightly focused on topic making discussion difficult to understand.	The following was present: 10- 12 errors in APA format AND/OR Responses have 8-9 grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors AND/OR Writing style is not focused on topic, making discussion difficult to understand.	The following was present: 13 – 15 errors in APA format AND/OR Responses have 8-10 grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors AND/OR Writing style is not focused on topic, making discussion difficult to understand. AND/OR The student continues to make repeated mistakes in any of the above areas after written correction by the instructor.	The following was present: 16 to greater errors in APA format. AND/OR Responses have more than 10 grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors. AND/OR Writing style does not facilitate communication
	0 Points Deducted					5 Points Lost
Participation Requirements	Demonstrated the following: Initial, peer, and faculty postings were made on 3 separate days					Failed to demonstrate the following: Initial, peer, and faculty postings were made on 3 separate days
	0 Points Lost					5 Points Lost
Due Date Requirements	Demonstrated all of the following: The initial posting to the graded threaded discussion topic is posted within the course no later than Wednesday, 11:59 pm MT. A minimum of one peer and one instructor responses are to be posted within the course no later than Sunday, 11:59 pm MT.					Demonstrates one or less of the following. The initial posting to the graded threaded discussion topic is posted within the course no later than Wednesday, 11:59 pm MT. A minimum of one peer and one instructor responses are to be posted within the course no later than Sunday, 11:59 pm MT.

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