NR 582 Week 2 Assignment Leadership Self-Assessment

Leadership Self-Assessment

Name of Student

University

Course Code

Name of Professor

Submission Date

Introduction

A leadership role in the advanced nursing practice is of particular importance to the enhancement of delivery, as it helps to strengthen teamwork and to ensure the pattern of care management in this role. (Duignan et al., 2020) A master nurse does disclose his or her clinical knowledge but also instructs other health care professionals. They play a role in the way of functioning with different aims: primary healthcare provider, leading medical team, therapy-oriented practice, and quality improvement, respectively. Successful nursing leadership brings about superior patient outcomes, particularly excels in the team’s output, and promotes a positive change in the whole healthcare system.

The main aim of this paper is to evaluate my actual leadership capabilities and describe how they were developed. These areas will be the basis on which I will base my self-evaluation and identify the positive sides of myself, as well as the areas that need improvement. Besides this, a discussion of my leadership skills and their growth for meeting the requirements of this advanced role will also be included in this paper, where I will be able to contribute to my professional development. This self-reflection exercise will serve me in two ways, firstly, I will learn how to be a good leader, and secondly, I will be ready to lead in different healthcare environments effectively.

Personal Leadership Experience

During my nursing career, I have been the leader of informal or patient care in both formal and informal roles. One chapter of my life was when I was formally in charge of charge nurses in a busy medical-surgical unit. I was the link between the management of patient care and the patient’s care. I ensured this through the management of the nursing staff and adhering to clinical protocols. During this time period, I had managerial duties, group meeting control, assignment allocation, and conflict management at the same time, while ensuring the safety and compliance of the patients to comply with the delivery of quality care. Informally, I was a lot more than just a guide to the probationary nurses, a friend, an advocate, and a fountain of words that they needed to overcome early career challenges. In addition, I led the testing of computer algorithms for the reduction of hospital-acquired infections and patient satisfaction.

In terms of my success in leading, I believe that I have revolutionized a working climate that is collaborative and full of support. The success of many of the quality improvement initiatives that I participated in, the positive testimonies from colleagues and peers, and the final feedback from my supervisor indicate that my leadership has a positive impact on the team and patient care.

I have a feeling that I am pretty natural as a leader, and I am comfortable in this role. I somehow feel the nature of these positions in my body, and as they contain decision-making and problem-solving, I usually enjoy them. Though I know I can develop more, knowing this has changed me for the better proves that I have had enough confidence in my ability to lead, which makes me excited, as I will have an opportunity to develop these valuable skills in more advanced areas of nursing.

Leadership Style

As for me, according to my thoughts, my approach to work corresponds to the type of leadership that is called transformational leadership. It is a form of leadership that is characterized by the ability to create a connection between an individual and a group and motivate them to experience a totally new and challenging situation based on the ideals of creativity and development. This kind of style lays special emphasis on action items like vision, speaking for oneself, and taking ownership of one’s role.

Transformational leadership obliges me since I am a person who believes that leadership is the power of collaboration and the creation of good and courteous surroundings. My character has been a trait of respecting the opinions and experiences of the people around me as far as I can, and creating an environment where everybody has the right to freely express their views and have motivation. Under my leadership, I will focus on productive development, which will also enable team members to fulfil their professional aspirations while ushering in the enhancement of the team’s performance in the healthcare practice. This type of leadership encourages the professional growth of a team member, not just that, they even bring forth a change in the patient care outcomes as they become more involved and dedicated to their assigned tasks.

Wherever I am based in the next few years, I am likely to be involved in higher nursing positions in a variety of clinical settings. Transformational leadership is much more suitable for such a situation. As the healthcare ecosystem is undergoing rapid change, the need for leaders with extraordinary adaptability and motivational skills is to be able to continuously raise the bar in the workplace and bring new solutions (Rehn, 2024). Transformational style leaders are competent in leading change, managing a culture of continual improvement, and advancing high-quality care; consequently, they meet the advanced role and responsibility profile.

The evidence of the reason why leadership in a transformational style is efficient is provided by scientific articles. As researched in the research of Hussain & Khayat (2021), transformational leadership is connected with more job satisfaction, fewer employees quitting, and improved quality of life for patients (Hussain & Khayat, 2021). The paper concludes that through promotion of a healthy work environment and perception of a culture of excellence and innovation, transformational leaders are making heads and tails in nursing care. This evidence demonstrates the appropriateness of a transformational type of leadership for the future healthcare industry and helps focus on the way it could be well constructed.

Leadership Competencies

Personal Strengths

My main strengths include communication skills and relationship engineering skills, which are vital aspects of my competence area. Communication skills are critical to being able to do teamwork well, including resolving disputes and keeping us all on the same page with the vision of the organization (Mercader et al., 2021). Being a charge nurse has undoubtedly helped my communication skills through allowing me to have regular problem-solving meetings, teach and re-educate my colleagues, and follow up on new or improved care strategies. Besides this, relationship building and teamwork have been significant issues for me, as well as working to empower the trust and cooperation of all members of the team.

Finally, there is an understanding of the environment of healthcare. This competency requires skills in handling the complex structures of the healthcare systems, including requirements of the regulators, healthcare policies, as well as the plethora of contributing factors that govern patient care delivery (Golechha et al., 2021). My experience in doing quality improvement projects has taken me outside my comfort zone in many different ways and taught me how specific processes in healthcare affect the quality of healthcare itself. This is a skill that affords me the ability to base my treatment decisions on sound reasons and prepares me always to be a good patient advocate, in that I follow the appropriate healthcare policy.

Growth Opportunities

Another area that I think is most important for me is in terms of financial management. Competencies that are added to the group include budgeting, financial planning, and knowledge of the economic forces affecting the standing of healthcare. I already have some knowledge and experience of resource allocation and cost-effective strategies of providing healthcare. However, I admit my desperate need to increase my knowledge in financial management in more complicated health settings. Besides, having the advantage of improving my skills in this field has the potential to make me more efficient in using the resources. In addition, it can also be an indirect contribution to the financial sustainability of the organization.

Another area where development is rapid is in the area of strategy and implementation of the organization. In this skill set, the individual will invent life-long goals and then outline the strategy to realize the set goals (Charokar & Dulloo, 2022). Even though I have been actively involved in strategic planning mechanisms, I need to broaden my strategic thinking and take on large-scale activities. Application of my experience in the immediate past two years I have developed will help me in projection, seizing opportunities, and enhancing the focus of the organization on the goals and mission of the institution.

Scholarly Support

The main point of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) Nurse Leader Core Competencies is that they consider these three areas as the most critical for effective nursing leadership (Joseph et al., 2022). This comes with excellent communication and relationship management skills required to enhance teamwork and improve patient care, as covered in the American Organization of Nurse Leadership (Joseph et al., 2022). Apart from this, competencies touch on the issue of financial erudition and strategic minds which are required for the oversight of the complicated realities faced by healthcare organizations (Edet Jr, 2020). Studies have shown that these qualifications are very necessary prerequisites to become a great nurse leader (Page et al., 2021). The research done by Jankelova & Joniaková in 2021 shows that nurse leaders who excel in the area of communication and team relationships have significant implications for the team performance and patient satisfaction (Jankelova & Joniaková, 2021). Hence, this research emphasizes the importance of knowledge development of managerial nurses in financial and strategic planning for coping with constant change in healthcare systems, which seems necessary (Naamati Schneider, 2020).

Strategies for Improvement

Pursuing Advanced Financial Management Training

To be more competent in financial management, of course, I decided to sign up for a course or certification based on healthcare finance to increase my skills. These programs typically have a line about essential topics that include budget, financial analysis, and cost management. Delving deep into those areas would help me understand financial hints and tips, hence I will be capable of making better decisions concerning money issues and also allocate resources better.

One study by Strasser & Strasser (2019) discovered that specialized training in financial management is very practical in upskilling nurse leaders by enhancing their ability to handle monetary duties and helping organizations to gain better financial health (Strasser & Strasser, 2020).

Engaging in Strategic Planning Workshops

Thus, I will widen my capabilities in strategic planning and implementing them by attending workshops and seminars focusing on strategic management in healthcare. Those of the workshop’s participants are decidedly useful in creating and performing the strategies of the plan, which often include tools and techniques. Similarly, there is much learning going on with the person presenting and the other workshop participants, who are experienced via case studies and interactive sessions.

Based on research (Nzinga et al., 2021), the authors argued that the involvement of healthcare leaders in the planning workshops will enhance their critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which they will employ for effective leadership and organizational success (Nzinga et al., 2021).

Seeking Mentorship and Coaching

Establishing a relationship with someone like this, who is a good counselor or coach in the field of financial planning and strategic thinking, can provide the same kind of support that will be customized to my needs. A mentor can be of great help in guiding me through the numerous stages of my work and bringing unique perspectives, examples, and suggestions. Ongoing mentorship sessions can help me join the theoretical bases with the live situation and can build up my pragmatic leadership abilities. The paper by Davison et al. 2024) says that mentorship and coaching are powerful mechanisms for leadership education. Mentorship plays an important role for the aspiring leader to gain confidence due to the assistance they receive in improving their skills and addressing the complex issues that dominate the healthcare environment (Davison et al., 2024).

Conclusion

In conclusion, the type of leadership that I prefer and identify with is transformational leadership. The reason is that it is very much in tune with my desire to light up and cultivate the people I lead to do their best and excellent performance. The assets I have in the realm of communication and relationship management, along with my knowledge of the healthcare work environment, allow me to showcase my effectiveness as a leader. However, I am not blind to these skills shortcomings, and therefore, a plan is required for the rectification of my Transformational Plan. The best approach to take these growth opportunities includes undertaking higher levels of financial management classes, joining strategic planning seminars, and getting mentorship and coaching from experts. I will use these techniques and approaches to supplement my competencies and develop strong leadership abilities in casual nursing practice.