Introduction
Democratic leadership is my leadership style as it was described in the quiz results. This style encourages intense participation among group members. Every decision is made by a leader. However, it is based on a thorough analysis of different opinions. It increases the effectiveness of a working process as each action has a strong rationale. That description totally corresponds to my perception of the role of a leader. A leader needs to fully engage other group members. Such methods assist in establishing a psychologically comfortable environment that enhances performance. Hence, a democratic style might be considered as one of the most effective techniques that improve team spirit. However, any leadership technique requires specific qualities. The purpose of this paper is to describe the necessary for graduate-level nurses’ leadership skills and analyze my personal leadership attributes relevant to family nurse practitioners.
Leadership Skills of Graduate Level Nurses
Graduate-level nurses are supposed to know leadership techniques and have certain skills. Several characteristics were highlighted by Laschinger and Fida (2014). The first attribute, which is crucial for a practicing nurse, is honesty. Successful leaders guarantee fair treatment to their co-workers. It is highly important to pass on information freely and openly as moral and ethical beliefs guide people more effectively than the status or prestige of a leader. Trust unites and inspires individuals what subsequently brings the best outcomes. Awareness is another necessary quality of a good leader. Accumulating information helps to accelerate the working process as every employee knows where to get clear instructions that assist in finding an answer to a challenging situation. Decisiveness is another significant characteristic (Reem, Kitsantas & Maddox, 2014). A leader should be brave enough to make difficult decisions. Occasionally, immediate actions must be taken. Hesitation is unacceptable in such cases. However, it is necessary not to abuse power and authority. The next quality is confidence. It implies that a leader should cultivate confidence among other team members. When colleagues are faced with serious challenges, the lack of confidence makes them give up effortlessly. They seek for the support of a more confident person who can guide them. Due to such cooperation, they might adopt this quality. However, a leader should have enough confidence to intervene in the process if things go extremely awry. Effective communication is another important skill for a leader. The ability to explain a task comprehensively and unambiguously helps to enhance the effectiveness of collaboration. High communication skills contribute to creating a productive work environment. Also, it is important to make other team members feel free to ask for clarification if necessary.
All mentioned qualities are highly important to graduate-level nurses as soon they will encounter many obstacles that require the application of leadership methods. A study by Laschinger and Fida (2014) revealed that constant stress and physical collapse among practicing nurses might be eliminated by using advanced leadership techniques. Hence, the skills of a leader are crucial to implementing strategies that aim to create a satisfying work environment.
Leadership Skills of Family Nurse Practitioners
A family nurse practitioner certainly requires leadership skills. Family nurses have various functions like diagnosing, treatment, disease prevention, increasing awareness among a population and some others. In addition, family nurse practitioners may often need to cooperate with other specialists to address certain issues relating to a patient’s condition. To discuss my leadership qualities, regarding described above roles of a family nurse, it is necessary to highlight some key functions. A family nurse practitioner represents an entire healthcare system. Hence, it is highly important to provide patients with accurate information. Thereby, two leadership skills have to be emphasized. These are awareness and communicability. A family nurse should give clear instructions and quickly answer the patient’s questions. Preparation ensures awareness. I believe that constant attention to detail enhances my awareness. Also, I thoroughly study any single case and consult competent professionals to have a full understanding of a subject. I improved my communication skills during completing various group tasks that required intense collaboration with other team members. I acted like a person who distributed duties and guided the whole process.
However, a family nurse has to act as a leader not only during the direct performance of duties but also when cooperating with other specialists. Honesty and confidence are necessary qualities for teamwork. Honesty implies braveness to pass on unsatisfying information when it is easier to tell a lie to avoid disappointment among other team members. Also, the lack of confidence leads to failures when quick decisions should be made. I have to develop mentioned skills to perform a high-quality service as they are necessary when it comes to collaboration with other independent nursing practitioners.
Conclusion
In conclusion, leadership skills are required to effectively interact with patients and co-workers. Researchers noted that authentic leaders among nurses “play an important role in creating empowering professional practice environments that foster high-quality care and job satisfaction” (Laschinger & Fida, 2015, p. 276). Many well-known techniques were tested, and they demonstrated impressive results. Different educational and training programs are established everywhere throughout the country. Hence, leadership principles should be widely implemented in healthcare settings.
References
Laschinger, H. K. S., & Fida, R. (2015). Linking nurses’ perceptions of patient care quality to job satisfaction: The role of authentic leadership and empowering professional practice environments. Journal of Nursing Administration, 45(5), 276-283.
Laschinger, H. K. S., & Fida, R. (2014). New nurses burnout and workplace wellbeing: The influence of authentic leadership and psychological capital. Burnout Research, 1(1), 19-28.
Reem, A. D., Kitsantas, P., & Maddox, P. J. (2014). The impact of residency programs on new nurse graduates’ clinical decision-making and leadership skills: A systematic review. Nurse Education Today, 34(6), 1024-1028.