Proposed change
Empowerment of nurses from minority groups.
Currently, it is exceedingly difficult or almost impossible for nurses from minority groups to acquire leadership positions in nursing.
Strengths
Comprehension of the varying social behavior of the society concerning enhanced interaction
Before becoming leaders, nurses seeking promotion to executive positions have to assess human conduct from a range of political, fiscal, psychological, and cultural views. This is facilitated by regular meetings with leaders to understand the problems that gerontological nurse leadership faces in an attempt to assist in tackling them later. This creates a strong bond with the leaders, and many earn promotion to such positions (Auster & Ruebottom, 2013).
Amassing support and avoidance of social conflict
Connection with social groupings offers the benefit of a huge number of supporters, the possibility of pooling resources (for instance, required labor, encouragement, and motivation to mention a few), acknowledgment, enhanced reputation, and identity. In every group supporting the different leaders, the generated attitude, which encompasses the conviction that their leadership styles are superior to any other, assists in developing cohesion. The efforts of nurse leaders and other nurses to uphold peace result in the avoidance of social conflict.
Weaknesses
Discrimination
Power and authority in a given nurse leadership position are often placed in the hands of male or white nurses through favoritism. In this regard, the less privileged minorities are not given a chance in the creation, interpretation, and enforcement of regulations or other decisions that establish how gerontological nursing matters are handled. Moreover, discrimination against minority groups further disfigures the possibility of unbiased leadership.
Attacks
Power and politics in gerontological nursing might result in unnecessary attacks and controversies from opponents, and backlog. This could lead to nurse leaders having heartaches most of their time in leadership positions (Beland, Rocco, & Waddan, 2014).
Opportunities
Empowerment
This could be achieved by nurse leaders ensuring that they seek access to information on the habitual running of the institution, and employing the available medium through which they can express their opinions.
Reaching a huge audience
To ensure an enhanced influence in power and politics, one can create a platform that could involve the people lacking access to quality care. Maximization of such an opportunity could boost reputation and ensure retention of leadership position and supremacy.
Threats
Could result in negative stereotypes
Power and politics in nursing may create a social prejudice that entails blind respect for some groups of individuals such as people from minority groupings.
Eruption of conflict
Sometimes rivalry amid nurse leaders in different institutions could generate conflict and hostility (Blank, 2012). This could result in ill-feeling and hinder their cooperation.
Trends
Social transformation through power and politics may evoke conflict
Nurses hardly accept suggested changes (Bonner, 2014). Current leadership trends in nursing show that such changes and reforms are increasingly causing ill will, which is usually perpetrated by opponents of reforms.
Challenges in the prediction of the impact of social decisions
Stability in nurse leadership relies on the establishment of reliable systems of operation, information sharing, and monitoring possible dangers. Current trends in nursing power and politics, like other aspects of social welfare, have resulted in the preference for leaders to experience some losses in an effort of realizing lasting gains and stability.
How can leadership facilitate minorities to acquire positions of politics and power?
Powerful and just leadership is crucial in a democratic process (Erskine et al., 2013). Nurse leaders have to engage considerably in developing nurses’ chances of taking part in politics to give them the best opportunity; nonetheless, important queries related to participation in leadership positions have not been adequately tackled.
What can be done to ensure excellent nurse leadership? How can leaders support and encourage minorities to acquire positions of politics and power? How can leadership build up sturdy and diverse talent in politics and power? Leadership has much to contribute concerning facilitating minorities to acquire positions of politics and power through such things as training and enhanced awareness (Erskine et al., 2013).
Nurse leaders must develop wide-ranging training opportunities for talented minority groups, who do not have access to vital opportunities for information and enlightenment concerning effective headship (Posatery & Gitlin, 2012). Much has to be done to eliminate the extant overshadowing systems and perceptions for leadership to facilitate minorities to acquire positions of politics and power effectively.
Nurse leaders ought to identify the significance of advancement and become dedicated to backing learning chances for potential individuals, particularly minorities. Such opportunities may entail broadening involvement in educative experiences, for example, mentorship programs and the commencement of official initiation or onboarding plans (Posatery & Gitlin, 2012). Equally essential is the necessity for facilitated public wakefulness of the demands, benefits, and value of nurse leadership by minorities, in addition to enhanced popularization.
References
Auster, E. R., & Ruebottom, T. (2013). Navigating the politics and emotions of change. MIT Sloan Management Review, 54(4), 31-36.
Beland, D., Rocco, P., & Waddan, A. (2014). Implementing health care reform in the United States: Intergovernmental politics and the dilemmas of institutional design. Health Policy, 116(1), 51-60.
Blank, R. H. (2012). Transformation of the US healthcare system: Why is change so difficult? Current Sociology, 60(4), 415-426.
Bonner, A. (2014). When nurses lead. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 40(6), 17-21.
Erskine, J., Hunter, D. J., Small, A., Hicks, C., McGovern, T. Lugsden, E., & Whitty, P. (2013). Leadership and transformational change in healthcare organizations: A qualitative analysis of the North East Transformation System. Health Services Management Research, 26(1), 29-37.
Posatery, J., & Gitlin, L. N. (2012). The issue is… How do we change practice when we have the evidence? American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 66(5), 85-88.