Throughout this course, I have had the opportunity to engage in an in-depth organizational analysis by shadowing a nurse leader in the organization I work and observing her leadership strategies and behaviors. As a result of this experience, I have reflected on my leadership and management styles and skills and gained invaluable insights into the complex roles of nurse leaders in healthcare organizations. I have also understood the critical role that effective leadership and management play in providing high-quality patient care. This paper aims to provide an overview of my experience in this course and highlight my observation, reflection, and professional development.
I observed a few conflicts during shadowing my nurse leader. One instance involved a disagreement between two of the nurses on the team about the best approach to a care plan for a patient. My nurse leader was effective in handling the conflict by facilitating a collaborative method of conflict resolution between the two nurses, allowing each nurse to explain the reasoning behind their approach and encouraging them to come to a consensus (Moeta & du Rand, 2019). She also encouraged mutual respect between the two nurses, allowing them to resolve the issue. Her transformational leadership style was evident in her ability to motivate the two nurses to work together to resolve.
Another conflict I observed was a disagreement between a nurse and a physician on the best course of treatment for a patient. My nurse leader was able to effectively handle this conflict by utilizing her communication skills to ensure that both parties were heard and that each understood the other’s perspective (Gossman et al., 2019). She was also able to provide evidence-based research to support the patient’s care plan and explain why it was the best option for the patient. Her transformational leadership style enabled her to foster an environment of trust and mutual respect between the two parties, enabling them to reach a resolution that was in the patient’s best interest.
Patients sometimes refuse to follow their prescribed care plan leading to conflicts between the patient and the care provider. My nurse leader would typically handle this conflict by first understanding the patient’s reason for refusal and then educating the patient on the importance of the care plan and the care provider on the importance of collaborative care planning (Kwame & Petrucka, 2021). She would also utilize her evidence-based research to support her explanations and encourage open dialogue between the patient and healthcare professionals. Her transformational leadership style would be evident in her ability to motivate the patient to understand the importance of the care plan and follow it to achieve the best outcomes.
My initial impression of the Nurse Manager was that she was well-equipped and knowledgeable to lead the nursing staff in providing high-quality patient care. Through this shadowing experience, I have come to understand the importance of the nurse manager’s role in an organization and the unique skills and abilities required to excel in this role through her continuous professional development. I have also gained a greater appreciation for the Nurse Manager’s commitment to providing quality patient care and staying up-to-date with the latest developments in the nursing field.
My leadership style is collaborative, as I prefer to take a more personal approach to address each patient’s individual needs. According to Ang’ana and Kilika (2022), leaders employing a collaborative leadership style work closely with their team members to achieve shared organizational goals. The leader encourages open communication and actively seeks input and feedback from team members. This style emphasizes teamwork and collaboration, as opposed to a top-down approach where the leader makes decisions independently (Ang’ana & Kilika, 2022).
I believe that this leadership style would complement the organization as it allows for a more personalized approach to patient care. I also believe that my leadership style would work in tandem with my nurse manager’s leadership skills and style, as they both focus on providing quality patient care and staying up-to-date on the latest advancements in the field.
My nurse manager’s leadership skills and style effectively complement the effectiveness of the organization. According to Mlambo et al. (2021), ongoing professional development is essential to nurses’ lifelong learning and is an important aspect of keeping their knowledge and skill up-to-date. Her commitment to ongoing professional development and effective communication skills ensure that the nursing sta
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