Leadership in nursing is essential in the continuum of care. Nurse leaders make critical decisions daily that impact patient lives. Therefore, they have to be mindful about the consequences of their decisions. Leadership in nursing is multifaceted. Nurse leaders provide direction, motivation, coordination, collaboration, and advocate for patients. They should be well equipped and trained in appropriate leadership styles and ethical decision making.
Reflection
I have learned that a lot about good leadership this quarter. I have learned that the essence of good leadership is about using one’s power to motivate and influence people. Good leaders do not coerce or force people to do something. Instead, they engage with them positively to inspire them to do the right thing. Researchers define leadership as the process of influencing others to behave in the desired manner (Scammell, 2014). Thus, good leaders do not rely solely on their power, but their interpersonal skills to influence others.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
There are many leadership styles in nursing, and each style has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, servant leadership might not be practical when top-down decisions have to be made. Nonetheless, transformational leadership has been gaining popularity in the past few decades. Transformational leadership in nursing focuses on continuous improvements in patient care, systems, and processes in the hospital (Gustafsson & Stenberg, 2017). Being a good leader is about understanding that each situation might require a different leadership style and remaining ethical all the time.
According to Winland-Brown et al. (2015), ethical leaders demonstrate appropriate conduct through their actions and interpersonal relationships. They behave according to organizational and personal ethics and try to make the right choices at all time. Ethical leaders are concerned about the consequences of their actions and strive to be role models to the followers.
My Code of Ethics
My personal code of ethics borrows from the ANA code of ethics, my values, beliefs, and approach to leadership. My code of ethics is characterized by the values of respect, integrity, dignity, and treating patients equally regardless of their backgrounds and personal opinion.
I believe that respect is an important virtue when dealing with patients and my colleagues. Respect is about valuing everyone and giving them a voice. When I respect my patients, I seek their opinion rather than imposing my will on them. As a nurse leader, I will work with other nurses to improve outcomes. I will seek their opinion, support, and collaboration because I respect them.
My other core values include integrity, dignity, and fairness. Integrity is about being ethically accountable. I will observe the organization’s rules and code of conduct as they are created to promote patients’ interests. I will treat patients with dignity and fairness and champion for their rights through patient education and working with other professionals to improve outcomes.
Leadership Opportunities
As formal and informal leadership opportunities arise, my code of ethics will help me navigate the new responsibilities and challenges. The most essential value in my code of ethics is respect. Respect is about treating others with dignity and regard. Respect is about treating others in the right manner, regardless of their position and background. I can only influence others in a formal or informal setting by being respectful of their contributions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, nurses need to adopt a leadership style that is responsive to patient needs. My personal philosophy entails that values of respect, integrity, dignity, and fairness. My core values will help me communicate better and collaborate with patients and other nurses. Maintaining ethics is crucial for nurse leaders as they set the standards of behavior for the followers.
References
Gustafsson, L. K., & Stenberg, M. (2017). Crucial contextual attributes of nursing leadership towards a care ethics. Nursing ethics , 24 (4), 419-429.
Scammell, J. (2014). Values: The heart of our professional code. British Journal of Nursing , 23 (19), 1048-1048.
Winland-Brown, J., Lachman, V. D., & Swanson, E. O. C. (2015). The new'Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements'(2015): Practical clinical application, Part I. Medsurg Nursing , 24 (4), 268 .
