Impact of clinical leadership development on the clinical leader, nursing team and care-giving process: a case study

Aim This study explored the dynamics related to a leadership development programme and their impact on the clinical leader, the nursing team and the care‐giving process. Background While there is a growing conviction about the need to invest in transformational leadership in nursing, further insight into the true complexity of leadership development and, more specifically, how leadership can make a difference in nursing and patient outcomes is essential. Method A single instrumental case study was conducted in a unit of a large academic hospital where a Clinical Leadership development Project (CLP) was implemented successfully. We used mixed methods with multiple sources of data to capture the complexity of leadership development. Data were collected through individual interviews, focus groups and observation of participants. A purposive sample of 17 participants representing a wide variety of team members has permitted data saturation. The data were categorized and conceptualized and finally organized into a framework describing leadership development on the unit and its impact on the leader, the nursing team and the care‐giving process. Results Leadership development is an ongoing, interactive process between the clinical leader and the co‐workers. The head nurse became more effective in areas of self‐awareness, communication skills, performance and vision. The nursing team benefited because more effective leadership promoted effective communication, greater responsibility, empowerment and job clarity. Improved clinical leadership seemed also to influence patient‐centred communication, continuity of care and interdisciplinary collaboration. Conclusions The results of the study give more insight into the processes underlying the leader’s progress towards attaining a transformational leadership style and its impact on the team members. The impact of leadership on the care‐giving process, however, remains difficult to describe. Implications for nursing management The interactive nature of leadership development makes CLP a challenge for the leader as well for the team members. Through its impact on the leader and the nursing team, CLP is a valuable instrument for improving work environments of nurses, contributing positively to patient‐centred care.     

Leading the development of nursing within a Nursing Development Unit: the perspectives of leadership by the team leader and a professor of nursing

Leadership within nursing is receiving unprecedented focus and development. This reflective narrative explores the nature of leadership, termed scholarly leadership, by an academic and a clinical leader of a Nursing Development Unit. The narrative explores the characteristics of such leadership and highlights how it empowered a nursing team to further reach its potential. Two areas, patient-centered care and the characteristics of practice, are focused upon to highlight the leadership style that the clinical leader adopted. The paper concludes by suggesting what structural and systems changes need to be put in place in order to bring about change.     

Developing leadership in postdoctoral nurses: A longitudinal mixed-methods study

BackgroundPostdoctoral nurses have an important role in advancing nursing by generating knowledge and building networks in research, practice, and education which requires effective leadership. Therefore, the Leadership Mentoring in Nursing Research programme for postdoctoral nurses was developed.PurposeThis study was to evaluate expectations, experiences, and perceived influence of the leadership mentoring programme on leadership and professional development, professional identity, and research productivity of postdoctoral nurses.MethodsA longitudinal mixed-method study with a concurrent triangulation design was used with data collected through semistructured interviews and online surveys.FindingsThe leadership mentoring programme was found to be valuable by the participants who described strengthened leadership and professional development and development of professional identities. Participants showed increased research productivity and many moved to new/higher positions.DiscussionThe leadership mentoring programme was found to enhance the leadership and professional development of postdoctoral nurses and support them in their academic careers.     

Perspectives on leadership: moving out of the corner of our room

Perspectives on leadership developed through a career as a nurse leader are shared, including the author's guiding vision, a valuing of nursing as knowledge work, how to create a learning organization that supports professional practice, and other lessons learned through experience. Readers are urged to find the leadership voice within, be courageous, engage surrounding opportunities, and be guided by their vision of what nursing should be in the future.     

Exploratory study of nursing in an operating department: preliminary findings on the role of the nurse

This study was exploratory and describes how nursing was viewed and practised by nurses who worked in an operating department. It also highlighted factors that might influence the role performance of operating department nurses. The research involved interviews with a sample of 6 nurses working in an operating department, observation of 32 hours of nursing work over 6 operating sessions, in addition to the analysis of various documents, including the nursing care plans of 22 patients. Data were triangulated and analysed by constant comparison. Findings indicated that nurses had difficulty in articulating exactly what it was that operating department nursing entailed, but rather viewed their role in terms of the functions they performed. Observations indicated that the nursing role was primarily orientated toward the physical rather than the psychological aspects of care-giving. Furthermore, it appeared that the medical profession, nursing philosophy/leadership and the characteristics of patients all influenced the manner in which nurses enacted their role. These findings suggest that further research into the role of the nurse within the operating department environment is warranted. Key factors from this study were developed into a framework suitable for guiding future study of the nursing role in this environment.     

Nursing leadership: influencing and shaping health policy and nursing practice

The leadership discourse in the United Kingdom has to date been concerned with professional issues and as a result has focused upon developing nurses and nursing. This paper reports on the findings of a research study which examined the broader socio-political factors impacting upon nursing leadership. The study forms an integral part of the Royal College of Nursing's leadership programme. The principal aim of the research was to examine critically contemporary nursing leadership within the context of health policy. An ethnographic approach was used. Informal semi-structured interviews were undertaken with a purposive sample of 24 leaders who were recognized for their effectiveness in leading nursing. Data were analysed for themes. The main themes are presented and discussed here. The findings of the study question the political success which the internally focused nature of leadership has had for the profession. Nursing and therefore nursing leadership is shaped dramatically by the impact of politics and policy. The research discovered that in recognition of this, contemporary nursing leadership has both an internal and an external focus. That is, effective nursing leadership currently is a vehicle through which both nursing practice and health policy can be influenced and shaped. The research also identified the profile of the effective nurse leader, together with the processes through which leaders interpret and translate between the macro issues of policy and the micro issues of practice. In addition, an understanding of what nursing leadership is, has been proposed. Appropriate recommendations for the future of nursing and nursing leadership are outlined.     

An evolutionary approach to team working in primary care

Recent government policy emphasizes that interventions to improve health should be shifted as far as possible towards addressing identified needs and that partnership working is a key part of this initiative. The needs of patients are central, and patients want consistency and continuity from nursing. However, their experiences are sometimes fragmented, as professionals often have a degree of protectiveness about roles between nursing disciplines. Our vision for primary care in Sunderland is to achieve collaborative, empowered team working with shared philosophies and goals to develop and deliver creative, effective services in primary care. The balance of power will be shifted to front-line teams supported by strong strategic and professional leadership. This article outlines how new models of practice are replacing routine patterns of work; health needs and user involvement is encouraged. The role of the facilitator and the tools developed to progress with this initiative are described, including a stage approach to team development, a benchmarking tool and achieved outcomes of team working through new service developments.     

北京市某区二级医院中级职称护理人员工作现状调查

目的:调查北京市某区二级医院中级职称护理人员的工作现状。方法:随机选取北京市某区5家二级医院的138名中级职称护理人员,采用自行设计的调查问卷对其工作现状进行调查。结果:138名中级职称护理人员中有90人在护理岗位工作,48人未在护理岗位工作;其中在护理岗位工作的中级职称护理人员目前想脱离护理工作岗位的占62.2%,考虑选择工作轻松压力小或不上夜班岗位的占84.4%。结论:中级职称护理人员工作现状堪忧,应采取有效措施稳定中级职称护理人员队伍,发挥其中坚作用,使临床护理工作实现可持续发展。     

Professional nursing development: a note on leadership and team

It is difficult to understand properly the characteristics and problems of professional development in nursing without reference to the clinical settings in which nursing exists. This exploratory study, using case study methodology, attempts to determine important aspects of that context, with particular focus on the roles of the nurse unit managers who appear to be influential on the way professional nursing development is perceived in nursing. An emerging picture from this study which requires rigorous conceptual analysis is leadership and the notion of team. It is particularly evident in this study that a delicate interplay appeared between the style of leadership by the Nurse Unit Manager and the context in which a team environment was provided.     

Educating for leadership: a programme designed to build a responsive health care culture

paterson k., henderson a. & trivella a. (2010) Journal of Nursing Management 18 , 78–83
Educating for leadership: a programme designed to build a responsive health care culture
Aim  To describe a leadership programme that progressively builds nurses capacity from the commencement of their employment to assist with the development of 'others'. Such an approach ultimately contributes to the creation of a team responsive to changing health care needs.
Background  The literature supports the relationship between positive leadership attributes, good nursing care and patient outcomes. Despite this, nurses are not routinely encultured into effective leadership practices early in their career, but rather they are 'added on' at a later stage according to organizational need.
Key issues  The effective education of leadership practices in this programme is largely dependent on an inclusive and embedded approach to learning. This is achieved through targeting staff early, enhancing their responses to clinical interactions in a structured and supported approach, and challenging their beliefs about capacity to influence through leadership.
Conclusions  Clinical leadership education needs to directly link with clinical areas to engage staff at the commencement of employment, and support them through their career trajectory, so that a systematic pathway of professional development is fostered.
Implications for nursing management  Clearly delineated progressive pathways for leadership development are essential to encourage lifelong reflection and learning that directly impacts on health care quality.     

“造口护理工作坊”在肠造口护理中的作用

[目的]采用“造口护理工作坊”业务培训的方式加强临床护理人员对造口相关知识及护理操作的认识,提高对造口相关并发症的预防和处理能力。[方法]成立造口专业小组,组织造口相关科室护士长及护理骨干进行业务培训。[结果]提高了临床护理人员的专业知识,掌握了规范的造口相关操作,并对如何预防和护理造口相关并发症有了一定的了解。[结论]“造口护理工作坊”业务培训的方式为临床护理人员提供了学习、交流平台,提高了对造口病人全方面护理的重视,促进了造口专业的发展。     

Impact of the Leading an Empowered Organisation programme

AIM: To evaluate the impact of the Leading an Empowered Organisation (LEO) programme on the role of grade G nurses and their multidisciplinary colleagues in one NHS trust. The LEO programme encourages and promotes leadership skills among NHS staff. METHOD: A purposive sample of four grade G nurses, one from each of the hospital's four clinical divisions, was included. Each grade G nurse, and his or her matron, nominated eight colleagues for interview. The final sample comprised four grade G nurses and 32 of their colleagues. Data were analysed using the principles of thematic analysis described by Attride-Stirling (2001). FINDINGS: The LEO programme improved the grade G nurses' approach to their work in relation to competence, communication strategies, problem solving, risk taking, leadership and management style. Factors that affected the grade G nurses' implementation of the LEO principles included: relationships, personality, experience, work context, staffing levels, autonomy and authority. CONCLUSION: This study provided insight into how the grade G nurses applied the principles of the LEO programme in their daily work. Their ability to apply the LEO principles was both restricted and assisted by the culture in which they worked. A partnership between theory and practice is needed. This finding has implications for the LEO programme and the need for it to be implicit in the local working philosophy, that is, the context in which its principles are to be used. This is so that the working context and people within it are intimately engaged with the individual undertaking the course.     

Clinical leadership and pre-registration nursing programmes: A model for clinical leadership and a prospective curriculum implementation and evaluation research strategy

AimTo present for wider debate a conceptual model for clinical leadership development in pre-registration nursing programmes and a proposed implementation plan.BackgroundGlobally, leadership in nursing has become a significant issue. Whilst there is continued support for leadership preparation in pre-registration nursing programmes, there have been very few published accounts of curriculum content and/or pedagogical approaches that foster clinical leadership development in pre-registration nursing. A doctoral research study has resulted in the creation of an overarching model for clinical leadership.DesignA multi-method research study using theoretical and empirical literature 1974–2015, a focus group, expert opinion and a national on-line survey.DiscussionA conceptual model of clinical leadership development in pre-registration nursing programme is presented, including the infinity loop of clinical leadership, an integral curriculum thread and a conceptual model: a curriculum-pedagogy nexus for clinical leadership. In order to test out usability and evaluate effectiveness, a multi method programme of research in one school of nursing in Australia is outlined.ConclusionImplementation of the proposed conceptual model for clinical leadership development in pre-registration nursing programmes and a programme of (post-doctoral) research will contribute to what is known about curriculum content and pedagogy for nurse academics. Importantly, for nursing students and the profession as a whole, there is a clearer expectation of what clinical leadership might look like in the novice registered nurse. For nurse academics a model is offered for consideration in curriculum design and implementation with an evaluation strategy that could be replicated.     

Transformational leadership: the development of a model of nursing case management by the army nurse corps

Management philosophy and culture of any organization must match the nursing professions' core value of caring. Organizational conflict symptomology includes communication barriers and widely differing values. Employment of accountability based systems and bringing nurses into governance prevents conflict and improves job satisfaction. This article identifies the barriers to case management program development and discusses strategies for its successful implementation. Today's most successful organizations will implement an institution-wide commitment to a culture within which excellence flourishes. Creative staffing models and professional practice partnerships such as nursing case management will be supported and encouraged by executive leadership; they work as a team and will be jointly accountable for positive outcomes The United States Army Nurse Corps has the framework necessary to develop a premiere nursing organization. Case management departments may adopt these techniques to improve working relationships and leadership capacity within their organizations.     

Dare to be different: transformational leadership may hold the key to reducing the nursing shortage

Health care leadership continues to run under a transactional style that may be causing nurses to leave the system. Nurses no longer wish to stay in the profession perhaps because they struggle ideologically with the system in which they work. However, nurses may hold the key to transforming health care and dragging it into the 21st century in terms of work practices and reform. This is because nurses are visionary, creative, involved in decision making at patient level and have gender based qualities, and communication strategies that the health care sector needs. In contrast to transaction leadership, transformational leadership and team development has a positive affect on communication and team building. The later style is ideologically suited to nurses and may ensure the future of nurses and nursing in the health care sector. The case study described in this paper was an actual working environment and one that I came across all too often as a registered nurse and clinical educator.     

Advancing practice by developing a primary care nursing programme

The discussion of advanced practice in nursing is ongoing, yet the need for practice to advance and develop across the health economy is called for in much of the current literature and government policy. This article considers an educational intervention that set out to advance primary care nursing. The programme aimed to facilitated nurses to understand clients, families and carers in the community setting, to offer a high standard of care, to support specialist practitioner team leaders to work across community nursing disciplines and to make their own career development choices. Advancing practice in this novel primary care nursing programme required change management, collaboration, partnership, leadership and involvement of the staff nurses themselves.     

Men at Work (In a Female-Dominated Profession)

ABSTRACT:

There is a movement away from the leadership of an organisation being dominated by those who are in formal positions of authority and an acknowledgement that staff members at all levels of experience and qualification can be leaders within their own area of expertise. This article will outline four key leadership behaviours that frontline veterinary nurses may use to practise and develop leadership skills, potentially benefitting their own professional development, the practice team, the individual and ultimately the veterinary nursing profession.