Leadership in Healthcare: A Systematic Review

The provided assignment is a systematic review of leadership in healthcare organizations. It covers various topics such as clinical leadership, hospital organization, management, and structure for prevention of health-care-associated infection. The review also touches on transformational leadership in nursing, complexity leadership, and improving patient care through psychology. It discusses the importance of recognizing inherent values and attributes to secure a positive future for the profession. The assignment is likely from a healthcare or nursing management course.

Essay

Table of Contents
PART 1............................................................................................................................................1
PART 2............................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

PART 1
Leadership is refers to the action of leading a group of people or an organisation, or the
ability to do this in effective manner. Leadership is also determined as a art of motivating a
group of people to act towards attaining a common goal and purpose (Barr and Dowding, 2015).
National Stroke Foundation is a U.S based non-profit firm, which working to reduce the
incidence and impact of stroke which also provides their services in Australia. This exploration
is based on the analysis of an individual as a current leader in health care and consider how the
person will prepare itself for the upcoming practice as a registered Nurse. In this, a personal story
related with clinical placement is assessed where effective leadership outcomes are witnessed.
Further, influence of experience in behaviour of healthcare teams and patient care is also
discussed in this. In addition to this, demonstration of value in the nurse experience and how
experience help to be a registered nurse is all given in this. Action plan through which an
individual can improve the future practice as a nurse is also included in this report.
Personal story
In starting of internship as a medical student I got an opportunity to work with National
Stroke Organisation. To begin with our practice we were assigned in different areas as per the
criteria of our skills and knowledge. I in particular was placed under the supervision of a nurse
who was having 5 patients under her supervision. During one such day of my practice, due to
number of absent employees I was given the afternoon shift to assist the nursing staff. As in our
department there was less nurses as compared to regular days the nurse under which I was
assigned was the in charge of other 10 patients of the two other nurses that were on leave. Our
of the five patient there was one named George Mathews who was a 55 years old man. He was
admitted two days before I joined when he experienced severe pain in his chest. After the tests
it was found that he was having 75% blockage in his left artery that requires to be operated.
However prior to surgery he was admitted for conducting some other routine check ups that
forms the part of the operation process. On that particular day of his heart surgery, during
morning regular check that forms part of my training Mr George was found to have high blood
pressure. After noting down the findings I immediately communicate this to nurse under whose
supervision I am getting the training. As she was loaded with work she told me to assist her and
told me to give alpha blocker and alpha-2 agonists so as to lower down his blood pressure. As
told so I gave the dose to George Mathews. However, after half an hour Mr George Mathew
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suddenly stopped responding. This wreaked a havoc in the hospital which affected the patients in
the ward. I immediately checked the patient's blood pressure which came out to be very low. The
patient started to lose his breath. Seniority and experience plays a vital role in these situations.
So, I immediately sent for my nurse in-charge who, without wasting a minute, took charge of the
situation. She calmed down the patients and the staff and assigned us different tasks. Also she
immediately informed the senior doctor in charge under whose supervision we transferred the
patient to the emergency room immediately while there was still time, which saved his life. Later
on the doctor revealed that its is 1 out of 100 rare cases where those medicines given for
controlling patient's blood pressure reacted. It is as they containing doxazosin methylate and
prazosin hydrochloride that reduces blood vessel constriction that could worsen to caused heart
attack. Situational Leadership Style plays a prominent role in such cases to perform all the tasks
precisely. Here, the leader (our nurse in-charge in this case) takes the initiatives and assigns the
roles and responsibilities to different team members according to their capabilities. (Ginter,
Duncan and Swayne, 2018). The patient is out of danger and thanks to the guidance of our nurse
in-charge. I was amazed with her leadership style and her skills to take appropriate decision in
the critical situations.
Values demonstrated in this experience and specific behaviour underpin these values.
The experience was good as it is effective in developing the knowledge base of people in
regards to taking effective decision in critical situation. This experience also create value in
developing the leadership skills through analysing the action of nurse . During this case different
behavioural skills of the nurse is analysed, which are very much influential in nature. The
professional was concern on providing practical knowledge to her trainees as to enhancing their
knowledge base and practical experience (Kenney, 2016). In the critical situation the nurse did
not panic or use her democratic leadership skills as to handle the situation is effective manner.
The major behavioural skill which was underpin is her polite nature towards the team members,
which has a huge influence on developing good relation with people. Various values like skills
development, knowledge enhancement, improve in practical base, improving decision making
skills are demonstrated which are effective in enhancing the behavioural objectives of an
individual. Motivational behaviour is also effective in encouraging people for implementing their
potential efforts in handling critical situations. The nurse was very much influential in nature as
she encouraged her interns be a part of emergency situations by providing them practical
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knowledge. Also she motivated us to be strong, calm, composed and not to lose mental balance
while dealing with as she give strength to them to face critical situations A good and polite
nature helps the patient describing their issues is friendly manner and do not feel hesitated or
ashamed. The observing behaviour is also effective in analysing the nature and characteristics of
team members, which create value in assigning the right task to right person. As this skills was
used by the nurse in assigning different tasks to the team members at the time of that critical
situation. Appropriate leadership skills are effective in developing the knowledge base of people
through assisting the team members towards right direction.
The work-integrated learning, or clinical placements, are constitutional to health
professional education and, when done well, allow students to authenticate, integrate and apply
their knowledge and skills to the delivery of competent and compassionate care to health
consumers. Therefore, a professional development program which supports clinical supervisors
to facilitate quality learning opportunities for students, will contribute to the overall goal of
producing quality health students who are graduate (Moon, 2013).
Nursing is one of the most challenging jobs. As a member of the healthcare system, we
are required to give safe and appropriate care to our patients and give utmost priority to our
ethical values. My time as a nurse had always been tough, and I always tried to comfort my
patients as much as possible. I adopted certain values which one must practice while taking care
of the patients. (Hoeve, Jansen and Roodbol, 2014)
One of most important value I followed was to work keeping the human dignity in mind.
Each of the patients deserve the best care anyone could give and I tried the best to do so. And the
best way to achieve that is to work with quality and safety. I always took care of my personal as
well as the environmental hygiene. Also, I tried to be equal with all my patients. Equality makes
them satisfied, makes them feel that they are cared for. There were times where I had to take
tough decisions, as a person suffering can sometimes be reluctant to certain treatment. The only
thing that works in such cases is honesty. I was always honest and transparent with my patients
about their treatment and always informed the patients as well as their family members properly
about every medical procedure that the person is receiving. It helps to gain the patient's trust and
this helps them being psychologically optimistic (Jacksonv and et., al., 2014). Culture also plays
an important role in our job, every person is different with different value systems. They belong
to different cultures. We ought to behave according to one's culture or else the patients will feel
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uncomfortable and will dislike every aspect about the treatment they are receiving (Sok, Blomme
and Tromp, 2014).
Nursing is the most important aspect of a person's treatment. One should empathise with
them, and ensure that no matter how hard the job gets, a patient's welfare should always come
first (Scully, 2015).
This experience meaningful to influencing patient care and healthcare teams.
The knowledge gained by the experience of working within National Stroke Foundation
is effective and meaningful in influencing the patient care and healthcare teams. The Stroke
Foundation creates the national stroke guidelines, measures and monitors the adherence to these
guidelines through the national stroke audit, and develops education and resources for health
professionals to support the delivery of best and suitable practice stroke care and reduce the
evidences regarding practice gap (Grol and et., al., 2013). Through gaining knowledge and
practical idea from the proper guidance of nurse who is having appropriate experience in heath-
care sector, helps an individual in providing appropriate facilities and services to the patients
who are suffering from the issue of stroke. Potential knowledge and skills are acquired through
the personal experience which can be utilised in enhancing team working within the healthcare
sector in respect to offering best services to their significant patients (Stoddart and Evans, 2017).
A practical experience is effective in providing proper and corrective direction to the people to
take effective decision as to making appropriate changes in improvising the heath condition of
the people. By gaining developing knowledge base team members are capable to providing
services to the patients which is effective in strengthen the man power of the firm. In the health
care sector the senior nurses are liable to providing proper guidance to the new and untrained
nurses as to developing their skills and capabilities to handle the critical situations of patients.
Proper knowledge about the clinical activities like medication, treatment, physical or mental
exercises, consequences of the issue or other relevant information effective in providing
appropriate services to the people who wants to make improvements in their health condition.
Through providing effective and quick response patients feel satisfied, which may lead the firm
towards right direction or organisation can attain higher growth and development.
Healthcare teams are considered to be the key elements which are effective in providing
relevant services and facilities to the people who are suffering from any kind of issue. In the
health care sector training is the fundamental objective of the firm, as proper guidance are
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required to enhance the practical base of individual at work place (Crowell, 2015). The trained
people are able to attempt operations within work place and this may create value in strengthen
the health care team to facilitate appropriate services to the people. In healthcare sector higher
authority are liable for each and every activity so they are widely concern on hiring skilled and
talented people within the work place in respect to improvising their offerings to developing the
health condition of patients. The major obligation of the senior authority is to assign right people
at right place in respect to building effective teams so that potential facilities can be provided to
the people who are facing the issues related with stroke.
I'm working with professionals who are adaptive towards every situation as well as
through practice they possess different skills and attributes to handle situations. However, in
future, I will be a professional nurse too conducting my duties in a more skilful way, I will apply
theories I learnt during the course of time and will apply those in whenever any situation
becomes complex. Leadership, if done right, can strengthen the quality of treatment I will be
giving to my patients in future (Porter-O'Grady and Malloch, 2015).
Transformational leadership can be a great help if I lead a team in future. It would allow
me to strengthen my staff and I would motivate them to achieve more than what is expected of
them. I will make them realise to what extent their work could help in giving better quality of
healthcare services to the patients. The other leadership that can help to improve the quality is
transactional leadership. It would help me achieve my goals through a proper organization of the
tasks where I can supervise the works of my staff and enhance their performance. It would allow
me to monitor them while they work and take action if their activities go wrong. The ultimate
goal will always be increasing our healthcare qualities so that we can tend patients more
effectively (Hutchinson and Jackson, 2013).
The experience has resonated with you in being an effective health professional and preparing
yourself for practice as a Registered Nurse
In the health care sector the major obligation of the professionals is to considering the
issue of people and provide appropriate facilities in order to make proper improvement in their
health conditions. Clinical placements are a vital element of nursing programmes which
providing students with the opportunity to integrate theoretical knowledge into practice. Clinical
placements are designed to assist in building students’ confidence, knowledge and professional
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identity, as well as the consolidation and development of clinical skills, which are effective in
providing potential facilities and services to the patients. The experience of working in National
Stroke Foundation helps in developing the knowledge base of skills to handle the situations of
patients (Ingebrigtsen and et. al., 2014). The incident related with critical heart stroke of a
person, provide proper guidance to take corrective action on the critical situation as the nurse
was manage the situation so well as safe the life of patient. As per the observation I have learnt
so many behavioural aspects and characteristics from the behaviour and leadership skills of the
nurse . As his decision making skills influencing me in improvising my knowledge and skills
base to take corrective action on each situation. Through the proper guidance of nurse I have
strengthen my knowledge and skill base to take a step towards my career. I used to take regular
practical classes in respect to developing my practical base to provide proper treatment to the
patients. After attaining proper knowledge and experience, I am capable to registered by self as a
Nurse in National Stroke Foundation in respect to improvising the heath condition of the
patients. The placement helps me in attaining higher growth and success in my career as I have
learnt so may different kind of diseases and their treatments to make improvements in the health
condition of the people.
During my training, I developed various skills and knowledge. I learn to deal with different
kind of patients having different needs. With increasing number of patients the medical staff is
less that over burdens doctors as a well as in nurses and other medical staff leading to arise
various medical issues. During my training, I was taught to plan for ahead as it enhances my
efficiency. Efficiency is known as a important element but care of patient should be a primary
objectives of every nurse. I require to remembers that my patient require care. Build relationship
with patients and their family members is also an important aspect of nurse role. One of the main
benefit of this is that it helps in provide better support and care to the individuals and contribute
more in his wellbeing. Further, good relations with family members of patient, help in provide
better care to the patient. Another thing that I lean during my training is that it is very important
for a nurse to learn from the mistakes as this help in provide effective services to the patient and
also support in career development (Mark, Salyer and Wan, 2003).
PART 2
Action plan is considered as a detailed plan which outlining the actions that are needed to
reach one or more goals (Zingg and et. al., 2015). This also defines as an sequence of stages
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which are required to be taken or activities which must be performed well for strategy to
succeed. In this particular work action plan helps the individual in developing their professional
skills and leadership in respect to attaining growth in their future aspects. As a part of National
Stroke Foundation I have learnt so may characteristics and skills to enhance my knowledge base
as a nurse to provide effective services to the patients. As I work as trainee in the trust and not
having adequate amount of practical knowledge and leadership skills about to deal with the
patients suffering from heart diseases. In this regard, my main aim is to get knowledge and
develop my leadership skills which aid me in future to attain the opportunity of appointing as
Registered Nurse.
SMART Goal: The smart goal is to enhancing the practical knowledge
and leadership skills within 3 months of time period as
to registered as a Nurse in health care centre.
Rationale for SMART Goal: It encourages health care team members to concentrate
on achieving their specific target within specified time
duration. So that maximum benefits can be attained.
Further effective leadership skills ensure development
and working of teams at workplace which ensure
accomplishment of all tasks and also ensure optimum
utilisation of available resources.
Strategy
Actions Support/Resources
Experience
(What will I do / what I
have I done in the past
that I can apply here?)
Gaining in depth knowledge,
developing skills and getting
experience to be a future leader in
a health care sector.
Working under higher authorities to
improve potential capabilities and
Working in clinical
practices
Getting support of nurse in
charge
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to know about practical aspects.
Further to read and learn about
about various critical patient case
studies, so that as to develop
relevant course of action while
handling similar case in near future.
I
Example
(Who can I learn from and
how will I do that? How
will I adapt the example
to my practice?)
Getting engage with mentor to learn
and practice appropriate course of
action during critical situations.
Through a practical example to
enhance responsiveness to a critical
and emergency situation. For
instance, gaining knowledge about
remaining calm, taking logical and
first hand decisions without getting
panic or creating havoc.
Allocated Nurse as mentor
Support of team members to
gain knowledge about
different leadership skills.
Education
(What sources of
information can I access /
use? How will I apply that
to my goal?)
Be updated with latest current
literature, case reviews related to
certain critical cases to gain
knowledge about strategies or plan
of action that is to be formulated in
such situations.
To start practising in some
renowned medical institute for
instance such as National Stroke
Foundation to gain practical
knowledge from the health care
practitioners for developing inner
qualities and core competencies.
Active participation medical
classes to attain practical
knowledge.
Internet, medical journals
and library to know about
critical medicine cases.
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REFERENCES
Books & Journals
Barr, J. and Dowding, L., 2015. Leadership in health care. Sage.
Arroliga, A. C. and et. al., 2014. Leadership in health care for the 21st century: challenges and
opportunities. The American journal of medicine .127(3). p.246.
Ginter, P. M., Duncan, W. J. and Swayne, L.E., 2018. The strategic management of health care
organizations. John Wiley & Sons.
Kenney, C., 2016. Transforming health care: Virginia Mason Medical Center's pursuit of the
perfect patient experience. Productivity Press.
Stoddart, G. L. and Evans, R. G., 2017. Producing health, consuming health care. In Why are
some people healthy and others not? (pp. 27-64). Routledge.
Ingebrigtsen, T. and et. al., 2014. The impact of clinical leadership on health information
technology adoption: Systematic review. International journal of medical informatics.
83(6). pp.393-405.
Zingg, W. and et. al., 2015. Hospital organisation, management, and structure for prevention of
health-care-associated infection: a systematic review and expert consensus. The Lancet
Infectious Diseases. 15(2), pp.212-224.
Crowell, D. M., 2015. Complexity Leadership: Nursing's Role in Health-Care Delivery. FA
Davis.
Grol, R., and et., al., 2013. Improving patient care: the implementation of change in health care.
John Wiley & Sons.
Hoeve, Y.T., Jansen, G. and Roodbol, P., 2014. The nursing profession: public image, self‐
concept and professional identity. A discussion paper. Journal of Advanced Nursing.
70(2). pp.295-309.
Hutchinson, M. and Jackson, D., 2013. Transformational leadership in nursing: towards a more
critical interpretation. Nursing inquiry. 20(1). pp.11-22.
Jackson, J. C. and et., al., 2014. Improving patient care through the prism of psychology:
Application of Maslow’s hierarchy to sedation, delirium, and early mobility in the
intensive care unit. Journal of critical care. 29(3). pp.438-444.
Mark, B.A., Salyer, J. and Wan, T.T., 2003. Professional nursing practice. J Nurs Adm. 33(4).
pp.224-234.
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Moon, J.A., 2013. Reflection in learning and professional development: Theory and practice.
Routledge.
Porter-O'Grady, T. and Malloch, K., 2015. Leadership in nursing practice. Jones & Bartlett
Publishers.
Scully, N.J., 2015. Leadership in nursing: The importance of recognising inherent values and
attributes to secure a positive future for the profession. Collegian. 22(4). pp.439-444.
Sok, J., Blomme, R. and Tromp, D., 2014. Positive and negative spillover from work to home:
The role of organizational culture and supportive arrangements. British Journal of
Management. 25(3). pp.456-472.
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