Nursing Leadership and Advocacy

Write an essay on Education Program on the Subject of Leadership Development in Nursing?

Nursing is such a profession that needs the presence of multiple factors and one such aspect is nursing leadership. Nursing leadership is all about advocacy and action after the application of critical thinking in nursing practice and is in an important element of all domains of nursing. The pivotal role that the nurses play in the care of patients needs the execution of leadership (Billings & Halstead, 2013). Nursing leadership is about the nurses who understand the need of having the development of a nurse who can act as leaders in their field and who have the characteristics of competent and efficient nurses.  Nursing education programs are aimed at making better nurses and nurturing the skills and competencies the nurses have. Educators act as the mentors and are the people in between what the nurses can be and must be in relation to safe and best nursing practice. Leadership in this backdrop is giving education to nurses on how they should lift the practice they are leading so that they can bring significant changes in their lifelong commitment (Feldman et al., 2011).

Data collected on the topic of nursing leadership and the need of a conceptual and suitable framework for nursing education on nursing leadership highlights the following aspects of the topic:

According to Bleich (2015), professional development educators have the role of undertaking the responsibility of developing effective programs so that leadership skills can be developed. Leadership skills can be developed if the educators come forward to provide individualized care in the process of developing leadership skills. Use of suitable framework helps in this aim of providing development education and assessing them.

Benjamin et al. (2011) stated that the need for a motivated and well-prepared patient care nurses are needed against the backdrop of increasing number of admissions in the hospitals. The researchers conducted a study which concluded that education programs on nursing leadership are helpful in educating participants about how to apply leadership in their practice.

As per the opinion of Butler & Hardin-Pierce (2005), the demands that are pressurised on the new nurses and the concerns of the nursing shortage contributes to the growing concern about nursing leadership. Lack of a proper approach towards transforming to a professional nurse from a new nurse leads to the immediate need of nursing leadership. These critical issues must be addressed by nursing leaders, and they must be supportive of the culture existing for developing positive experiences.

Data Analysis on Nursing Leadership Education

In the viewpoint of Curtis et al., (2011) nursing leadership education is much needed, and the institutions can provide the nurses with the education by the means of diploma, masters or certificate degree. Research has shown that leadership is integrated into nursing. It has a good impact on the practice of nursing, and it is suggested that healthcare organisations must develop and support leadership training.

As put forward by MacPhee et al., (2012) nursing development programs empowers the nurse leaders to have an enhanced self-confidence and carry out the roles and responsibilities. These would bring positive changes in the leadership styles and perceptions. The nurses would have a broad appreciation of nursing practice.

As stated by Morrow (2015) nursing education programs must integrate and embed within it all the areas of nursing. Education programs must have the focus on the use of reflection, peer learning, organisational partnership and curriculum reforms.

Nguyen et al., (2011) stated that the nursing faculty must impart education on nursing leadership with special respect to technical support and learning. The inclusion of information technology competencies in nursing education is crucial. To sufficiently prepare current as well as future nurses,  development and training focusing on the use of educational technologies is highly required. 

Parrish & Crookes (2014) states that education on nursing must be given keeping in mind three main aspects. These are adequate preparation along with wide knowledge and confidence of the educators, incorporation of a reflection curriculum that is structured in the logical manner and an effective assessment tool for assessing the core concepts of nursing, and lastly taking into account the appropriate reflection for the betterment of the educators.

Sandström et al. (2011) conducted a research to find that even though there persists agreement that leadership is a crucial part of the implementation of evidence-based practice. More research and intensive research is needed for having more in-depth knowledge of the exact role of a nursing leader.

In view of Wong et al. (2013), the relation between nursing leadership and patient outcome is strong. This provides  need for nursing leadership in all healthcare settings and indicates that organisations must take up the task of holding nursing education sessions on the needs of the nurses in relation to nursing leadership.

Against the background of the increasing importance of nursing leadership and its need in health care settings with reference to clinical practice, it is desirable to analyze the data and draw a clear conclusion from the data that has the potential of providing knowledge on the concerned topic. The analysis of the data would give way for more research on the topic. Effective nurses who have the capability of exercising leadership must be provided with a theoretical framework and strategies must be taken up for empowering the nurses with leadership qualities. This would result in staff empowerment and ultimately the better patient outcome. Evidence of effective empowerment of nurses by developmental programmes are immense, and they can be used up as a tool for bringing positive changes in the health care settings. When the nurses take up strategies, that are helpful in both psychological and structural empowerment, better outcomes are achieved and  the environment they work in are safer. All nurses have a potential to be a leader and exercise effective leadership in nursing practice. Building up this potential and enlightening the capabilities the nurses must be trained through a proper channel and this is done by having educational programs. Succession planning can be considered as the suitable approach to fill the leadership positions from the available set of qualified graduate nurses. Leaders in community-based hospital understand the importance of effective planning in ensuring a better system of health care practice. Nursing education programs on leadership in nursing help organisations to understand the need for identifying and educating prospective leaders. Participants are highly benefitted from such education programs and are able to understand the importance of nursing leadership and the means by which it can be applied (Laschinger et al., 2015).

Empowering Nurse Leaders through Development Programs

The evidence for a positive relation between patient outcomes and nursing leadership are indicated by different studies. Nursing leadership is the desired aspect that is needed for avoiding outcomes like patient mortality, medication errors, hospital acquired infections, falls and pressure ulcers. Effective nurse leaders make sure that appropriate staffing and resources are in place for achieving safe care along with optimal outcomes for patients. At the senior level, nurses take up strategies for taking suitable decision making. They help the organisation to take part in maintaining the patient flow and staffing of nurses. This results in quality improvement, learning opportunities and overall improved care for the patients. In the scenario where more nurses are retiring, and there is an economic downturn, there is a need of such nurses that can bring the standard of the health care organisation they are working in to the highest possible level. Safety and health concerns are thus taken care of in an effective manner. The challenges that the organisations face are solved to a great extent, and there are better outcomes in the functioning of the health care setting. This is reflected by the patient outcomes (Nichols & Wright, 2015).

The main focus of nursing education on leadership is the application of advanced practice leadership and education skills and knowledge in nursing care. The nurses and nursing students are prepared for the role they have to play in education, clinical practice and administration. The leadership program is facilitated in a suitable nursing environment with interactive, effective strategies in teaching, that is orienting learners to gain more knowledge on nursing and develop themselves on the professional field. The aim of the organisations is to provide the health care system with a strong workforce of energetic and visionary nurses that are best leaders in their field and are capable of working with the other health care professionals in the multidisciplinary team for delivering effective health care and achieving better patient outcomes (Doody & Doody, 2012).

As the nurses move towards a highly professional field of health care, they have a responsibility to show leadership in the organisation they are working in and take up decisions regarding issues that the organisation is facing. The main reason is that the aim of a health care organisation is to deliver proper care, and the nurses have the main role in doing so. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the organisation to arrange for a training program for the nurses so that they can enhance the leadership skills. The programs do not need to be complex, but they must be multifunctional. The content must be set up according to the needs of the participants, and this can be assessed by the reflection of the nurses on their experiences. Nursing education programs must teach the participants to develop the vital skills for managing finances so that the budgetary information can be communicated, to provide awareness on strategic issues faced by the organization, to develop critical analysis skills for managing the task force into this organization and enhance the capability of the nurses to manage the resources. This is beneficial for optimizing clinical as well as administrative performances. The nursing lesson topic must include planning for execution, financial attributes of a hospital, effective decision making, motivation and team building, managing people in the healthcare sector by influencing them and persuing them (Hamrisk et al., 2013).

Importance of Nursing Education for Safe Practice

Nursing education programs, if used in an appropriate manner, would function effectively in advancing nursing roles. Personal, as well as professional development, would be achieved by this process. The opportunities for nursing would be broadened in this way. An education program on nursing leadership needs to be in the promotion of the art of nursing so that the nurses are able to value the unique relations that nurses build up with the patients and the other healthcare professionals. This is meaningful as it has a significant role in preserving human dignity, a vital part of health care. Education would synthesize the experimental, research and theoretical knowledge nurses have. A leadership would be developed through effective collaboration between the nurses, patients and professionals in the organisation. An appropriate role would thus be developed for advanced nursing in the context of dynamic care provisions. Education would make nurses more innovative and competent leaders and they would be able to manage their role as consultants, care giver and advisor. The purpose of education on nursing leadership would be to give the opportunity to the nurses for acquiring and refining the skills they need to deliver a standardized nursing practice (Keating, 2014).

Conclusion

In conclusion, it may be stated that nursing leadership is an integral part of nursing practice. Nursing leadership is about nurses who create and use evidence-based research in the nursing practice. Leadership in the domain of nursing is about using the combination of science and understanding of the patient needs. A good Leadership potential among the nurses will increase their work efficiency. As a result, the entire health sector’s quality will also increase. One thing that should be kept in mind is that the above mentioned articles has given different asopects of promoting leadership in to the nursing practice and also provided relation between the articles, their main theories, suggestion and the current educational prospect regarding the current nursing education domain. The health care field needs visionary and innovative administrators who are capable of taking care of the complete set of needs of the patients. Education in nursing leadership would help the nurses to execute the much-needed leadership in all nursing positions across the complete set of domains of the nursing practice. Education inbuilt the quality of having leadership in the nurses that nurses take up as a shared responsibility. Nurses are able to manage skills and competencies that co-exist as the independent set of skills. Nursing leadership is the essential determinant of vibrant work in the health care settings, and education enhances this aspect. With the help of nursing education and leadership, the newly graduate nurses are able to play the executive roles in the decision-making process in patient care.

Succession Planning for Leadership Positions

References    

Benjamin, K., Riskus, R., &Skalla, A. (2011, April). The Emerging Leader: Leadership Development Based on the Magnet® Model.  JONA: The Journal of Nursing Administration, 41(4), 156-158. doi:10.1097/NNA.0b013e318211853d

Billings, D. M., & Halstead, J. A. (2013). Teaching in nursing: A guide for faculty. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Bleich, M. R. (2015). Leadership needs assessment. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 46(1), 10-11. doi:https://dx.doi.org/10.3928/00220124-20150109-13

Butler, K. M., & Hardin-Pierce, M. (2005). Leadership strategies to enhance the transition from nursing student role to professional nurse. Nursing Leadership Forum, 9(3), 110-7. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/207446559?accountid=458

Curtis, E. A., Sheerin, F. K., & de Vries, J. (2011). Developing leadership in nursing: the impact of education and training. British Journal Of Nursing, 20(6), 344-352 9p.

Doody, O., & Doody, C. M. (2012). Transformational leadership in nursing practice.

Feldman, H., Alexander, G., & Greenberg, M. (2011). Nursing leadership. New York: Springer Pub. Co.

Hamric, A. B., Hanson, C. M., Tracy, M. F., & O’Grady, E. T. (2013).Advanced practice nursing: An integrative approach. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Keating, S. B. (2014). Curriculum development and evaluation in nursing. Springer Publishing Company.

Laschinger, H., Duffield, C., & Read, E. (2015). Leadership and empowerment in nursing. Leadership and Nursing: Contemporary perspectives, 171

MacPhee, M., Skelton-Green, J., Bouthillette, F., & Suryaprakash, N. (2012). An empowerment framework for nursing leadership development: supporting evidence. Journal Of Advanced Nursing, 68(1), 159-169 11p. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2648.2011.05746.x

Morrow, K. J. (2015). Leadership curricula in nursing education: A critical literature review and gap analysis. Journal of Nursing Education, 54(7), 367-371, 1-2. doi:https://dx.doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20150617-02

Nguyen, D., N,M.S., R.N., Zierler, B.,PhD., R.N., & Nguyen, H. Q.,PhD., R.N. (2011). A survey of nursing faculty needs for training in use of new technologies for education and practice. Journal of Nursing Education, 50(4), 181-9. doi:https://dx.doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20101130-06

Nichols, L. J., & Wright, K. M. (2015). Implementing a Primary Healthcare Framework: The Importance of Nursing Leadership in Developing and Maintaining a Brain Tumor Support Group. Clinical journal of oncology nursing, 19(4), 463-467.

Parrish, D. R., & Crookes, K. (2014). Designing and implementing reflective practice programs – key principles and considerations. Nurse Education in Practice, 14(3), 265-70. doi:https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2013.08.002

Sandström, B., Borglin, G., Nilsson, R., & Willman, A. (2011). Promoting the Implementation of Evidence-Based Practice: A Literature Review Focusing on the Role of Nursing Leadership. Worldviews On Evidence-Based Nursing, 8(4), 212-223 12p. doi:10.1111/j.1741-6787.2011.00216.x

Wong, C. A., Cummings, G. G., & Ducharme, L. (2013). The relationship between nursing leadership and patient outcomes: a systematic review update. Journal Of Nursing Management, 21(5), 709-724 16p. doi:10.1111/jonm.12116