Discussion post.

Week 2: Discussion Question 1 - Applying Leadership Skills in Exploring the Roles for APRN Discussion Topic Task: Reply to this topic Points: 20 | Due Date: Week 2, Day 3 & 7 | CLO: 3 | Grade Category: Discussions Discussion Prompt The ongoing changes in the health-care landscape are influenced most by globalization, economic and technological factors, and the aging of the population. The complexity of the healthcare environment requires us to examine the leadership needs for the APN roles that are applicable for today and the future (Joel, 2018). In chapter 21 (Leadership for APNs: If Not Now, Then When?) the author outlines serval leadership theories or styles including: Situational or Contingency Leadership; Servant Leadership; Transformational or Transactional Leardershp; Rational Leadership; Clinical Leadership and Congruent Leadership. Select one of the above leadership theories or style. Using your own words define the theory. Considering the various APN roles (Clinician

Discussion post
Name:
Institution:
Tutor:
Date:

Definition of the theory
Transactional leadership was initially proposed by Max Weber in the 1947. It was later
on described further by Bernard Bass in 1981. Transactional leadership is a theory that focus on
motivating employees or nurses (Boamah, Spence Laschinger, Wong, & Clarke, 2018).
Motivation involves rewards and punishment. If an employee does something good, the leader or
manager ought to reward him/her so that they emulate the same. If on the other hand the
employee does something wrong, the leader should punish them so that they refrain from the
same.
How I will use the leadership theory in future
There are different roles of an APN. The roles include but not limited to clinician,
educator, administrator, entrepreneur and a leader (Echevarria, Patterson, & Krouse, 2016). As
an APN leader, I will utilize the transactional or transformational leadership in different ways.
First of all, I will use this leadership to improve the overall performance of the nurses
through motivation. I will be providing rewards to nurses who perform exemplary well in
different roles. This will motivate and create healthy competitions among the nurses and this will
not only improve their competency but the overall performance of the hospitals (Fischer, 2016). I
will also use this type of leadership to instill discipline among the nurses. If for example a nurse
makes an error or reports late for work, I will penalize him/her and this will act as an example to
the rest.
Personal experience
From my experience as a professional nurse, I have the transactional leadership theory at
work on several occasions. At my place of work, I have seen nurse managers or leaders come up

with rewards to motivate their staff. The organization always organize an annual ceremony
where nurses are rewarded in different categories. The categories include nurse of the year and
most improved nurse. Transactional leadership has generally improved performance of the
nurses where I work and I would encourage other nurse leaders to emulate the same.

References
Boamah, S. A., Spence Laschinger, H. K., Wong, C., & Clarke, S. (2018). Effect of
transformational leadership on job satisfaction and patient safety outcomes. Nursing
Outlook, 66(2), 180-189. doi:10.1016/j.outlook.2017.10.004
Echevarria, I. M., Patterson, B. J., & Krouse, A. (2016). Predictors of transformational
leadership of nurse managers. Journal of Nursing Management, 25(3), 167-175.
doi:10.1111/jonm.12452
Fischer, S. A. (2016). Transformational leadership in nursing: a concept analysis. Journal of
Advanced Nursing, 72(11), 2644-2653. doi:10.1111/jan.13049