The Twenty First Century Nursing Leader

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” John Quincy Adams Why begin a paper concerning nursing leadership with a presidential quote rather than one from Florence Nightingale? Because working as a nurse today requires the skill and diplomacy of running a country! Bedside clinical nurse responsibilities are chaotic, complicated and dynamic. The bedside nurse is expected to display expert clinical and technological skills with a convivial attitude. The leader of a group with these high expectations and demands must be prepared for the challenge. Three of the skills necessary to be a success in this challenge are expertise, flexibility, authenticity, and self-awareness. Expertise in the area in which a leader leads is vital. Does this mean an intensive care unit director, must be an expert in all critical care skills? I do not believe that it does. But, it does mean that they should be able to function in some capacity, not forgetting their background as a bedside clinician. The team of nurses should consider their leader an integral part of their team. While conducting research for this paper, I read about several nurses who are currently in leadership roles.

One of these nurses, John Gilligan, began his nursing career later in life, first as a Certified Nurses Assistant (CNA), then a Licensed Practical Nurse and currently as a Registered Nurse. He is Board Certified in geriatrics and is the clinical nurse manager of a 60-bed memory impairment unit in Southampton, Pennsylvania. In September 2012, John was awarded the Joan Ann McHugh Award for Leadership in Long-term Care Nursing. “To this day, Gilligan makes sure that he carries his weight on the team he’s built. He’s made himself accessible to residents by placing his desk right in the middle of the memory unit’s living area. And CNA’s know from experience that if they need help with resident care, Gilligan is there for them.” (Magan, 2012, para. 11) An effective leader is conscientious of their actions and strives to lead by example. John Maxwell (2007) illustrates this idea with his thirteenth law of leadership, The Law of the Picture. “People do what people see. When the leaders show the way with the right actions, their followers copy them and succeed.” (p. 158) If I want a great team, I must be a great leader. My actions will be reflected in their actions.

I will be required to model what I would like to see in the team. “The leader must live in the vision. The leader’s effective modeling of the vision makes the picture come alive!”(Maxwell, 2007, p. 159) To become a successful leader, I must hone my clinical skills as well as my character, Maxwell (2007) insists, “character is also vital to leadership” (p. 167). During my career, the leaders that I have respected and considered successful have considered themselves team members. They were always willing to assist when needed. They did not act egotistically nor make team members feel subservient. Recently, I was advised, “Learn to keep the two percent of the people above happy and do not worry about the ninety eight percent below.” This is dismal advice. I believe a success leader leads by example and by serving those “below” them. Never be afraid or reluctant to pitch in, be a part of the team. I do not believe the leader’s role is to conquer the team. A successful leader’s role is to serve the team.

The “ninety eight percent below” are the most important team members because they support the “two percent above”. Flexibility is vital for a successful nurse leader. Bend to not break, like a palm tree during a hurricane. The healthcare system is changing rapidly. Successful nurse leaders must remain aware of the future and assist their team members in transition. Kelley Ward, MS, RN describes flexibility as “being able to find comfort with ambiguity, uncertainty, and complexity (Ward, 2002, p. 122). This description of flexibility is certainly compatible with the twenty first century health care system. Nurses are presented with new demands almost daily, it is easy for team members to become overwhelmed. Maxwell’s (2007) Law of Navigation is an excellent example of how to practice the skill of flexibility. A successful leader must see what is up ahead of the team; decide what processes to put in place and gather the resources needed. Nursing is a complex and often-chaotic profession, deciding how to flex thru a situation is often the best solution. Flexibility demonstrates resilience as well as the ability to adjust priorities as needed. Flexibility is such an integral part of the nursing profession that it is reflected in the profession’s jargon ie: flexing down, flex schedule, flex budget.

References

Magan, G. (2012). McHugh Award Winner: Late to Nursing but Still Ahead of His Time. Retrieved from http:www.leadingage.org/McHugh_Award_Winner_Late_to_Nursing Maxwell, J. C. (2007). The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership (10th Anniversary Edition ed.). Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson. Ward, MS, Rn C, K. (2002). A Vision for Tomorrow: Transformational Nursing Leaders. Nursing Outlook, 50(3), 121-126.