Modern health care settings are complex and the registered nurse’s ability to effectively manage her department requires highly developed skills in decision making, critical thinking and adherence to professional, ethical, moral and legal standards as outlined by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. The ability of registered nurses to be effective leaders will impact on staff, resources and the setting and achieving of goals. This will, consequently, have implications for the quality of patient care.
Historical Approach to Nurse Leadership
Nightingale nurses of the 19th Century were managed by experienced nurses who were usually used to managing servants. The role of management in the time of Florence Nightingale was authoritarian and focused on rules, control, hierarchy and systems of punishment or reward to motivate workers.
This role to oversee working conditions may have been appropriate for directing servants, nurses and factory workers in the 19th century but today it no longer reflects the needs or values of professional nurses. Todays nurses are graduates who have been described as knowledge workers who want to be led (not managed) and this is the crux of transformational leadership.
What are the Principles of Transformational Leadership ?
- Model the way - active participation from the nurse in charge engenders trust and encourages others to participate. A nurse leader should never ask someone to perform a nursing task that she would not do herself.
- Challenge the process - promote an atmosphere of creative problem solving, questioning of procedures and soliciting new ideas.
- Inspire a shared vision - ensure goals are shared with the whole team (which includes student nurses and unqualified staff).
- Enable others to act - support and encourage others, let them know that extra effort is appreciated.
- Encourage the heart - show appreciation when others make an effort. Use good listening skills and encourage a non-judgemental atmosphere.
Transformational leadership has the potential to transform the nursing profession so that it is up to date with the needs of the current society and to enable nurses to have a stimulating and rewarding professional career. Cook (2000) in The renaissance of clinical leadership, describes this style of leadership as "the key to future nursing development" (p.41)
What About the Role of the Student Nurse?
Student nurses are taught that with a positive attitude they can see themselves as part of the solution to making the workplace one in which the experiences for staff and patients are positive ones. Transformational leadership offers student nurses some strategies to achieve this goal.
- Do not be afraid to ask questions when you are on a ward placement. This will ensure that you are learning from experienced staff and helping to create an open and sharing environment.
- As a student nurse you are not too inexperienced to mentor others. Be ready to encourage colleagues and show more junior students how to perform tasks that you are now competent in.
- Learn how to be a great communicator by first learning how to really listen to others.
- Practice an attitude of thankfulness and it is likely that, in time, people will begin to thank you more for the tasks you perform.
Patients, staff and organisations could all benefit if a transformational leadership approach were to be introduced into health-care situations. Communication, trust between staff, stress levels, absenteeism and staff turnover levels could all be improved and the quality of patient care would also benefit greatly.
You may also like to read A Student Nurse's Guide to The Code of Conduct
Sources:
- Cook, M (2001) The renaissance of clinical leadership. International Nursing Review 48:38-46
- Fedoruk, M. and Pincombe, J (2000) The nurse executive: Challenges for the 21st century. Journal of Nursing Management, Vol. 8:13–20
- Huber, D (2000) Leadership and Nursing Care Management, 2nd edition. WB Saunders: Philadelphia.
- McCallin, A (2003) Interdisciplinary team leadership: a revisionist approach for an old problem? Journal of Nursing Management 11:364 –370
- Nursing and Midwifery Council. Information retrieved 22nd January 2011.
- Olofsson B, Bengtsson C, & Brinke E (2003) Absence of response: a study of nurses' experience of stress in the workplace. Journal of Nursing Management 11, 351–358
Linda Smallwood - Hi my name is Linda Smallwood. I am married with two sons aged 13 and 11 and live in North Wales. After 18 years working for The ...
