Nursing Leadership: Role of Clinical Leaders in Healthcare Profession

Running head: NURSING LEADERSHIP
Nursing Leadership
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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NURSING LEADERSHIP
Health care is a complex system which involves a large number of individuals and
organisations. In order to function effectively the clinicians are required to understand these
inter-connected complex pathways and systems of care. Moreover, they must also remain
comfortable while working both with and within, these inter-regulated systems for the overall
benefit of the patients. The following essays aims to analyse role of a success clinical leader
in the healthcare profession in order make effective change in practise and improvement of
the quality of care while working in sync with different organisations and group of
professionals.
Overview of different styles of leadership
According to Gleeson (2018), effective leadership is an integral part of any
organisations and not all the situations demands same leadership styles. The leaders adapt
changes in the leadership styles based on the surrounding environments and thereby empower
the team to succeed. Some of the unique approach of leadership styles as stated by Gleeson
(2018) is illustrated below in tabular format
Having faith in your beliefs
Making hard choices
Earning respect of the team members: Not taking all the credits
Knowing the team from the core: Recognising talents
Recognising the members of the team as the key towards success: Extracting the best from the team
Having a clear and articulate vision
Pushing the members of the team to achieve their best: Cultivating an Environment for growth
Serving for a greater cause
Focusing on helping the members of the team: education, motivation and delegation
Never to lead by force: Leading by example and inspiring without intimidation

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NURSING LEADERSHIP
Table: Traits of an effective leader
(Source: Gleeson 2018)
Clinical leadership in nursing
According to the reports published by the National Health Service (NHS), Institute of
Innovation and Improvement (2011), the health systems round the world is gradually
grappling with the task of delivering system-wide evidence based approach, person centred
care along with effective and efficient mode of care models. Clinical leadership particularly
in the domain of nursing profession is proposed to be an integral pillar towards reaching this
potential goal (NHS Leadership Academy 2013). According to Ogrin and Barrett (2015),
there is no definite definition of clinical leadership however role of a clinical leader
summarise to the process of developing a culturally competent environment and then leading
a set of tasks for continuous improvements of the quality and safety of service delivery model
of healthcare to the service consumers. Effective mode of clinical leadership encompasses
individuals with accurate skills and traits at all spheres of the organisation along with prime
focus on the multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary service delivery model Ogrin and Barrett
(2015). According to Ogrin and Barrett (2015), the nurses who are under the formal
leadership position like the nurse managers are of the opinion that the clinical leadership
attributes they required in their roles fall under the three main areas namely personal
attributes, team attributes and capabilities.
Personal attributes  Having sound confidence in the
ability of self to procure best practise
 Nimble in the domain of effective
communication
 Emotional intelligence
Team attributes  Encouragement of trust and

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NURSING LEADERSHIP
commitment among the team
members via valuing skills and
expertise of others.
 Increasing the focus of the team
members
Capabilities  Building and maintaining steady
relationships among the team
members
 Encouraging contribution from other
members of the team
 Creating a clear direction of progress
and ability to serve as a role model
Table: Main attributes of a clinical leader
(Source: Ogrin and Barrett 2015)
My perspective in clinical leadership in nursing is solely based on the Clinical
Leadership Competency Framework of NHS Leadership Academy. According to NHS, the
core traits that must be executed among the a clinical leader in nursing profession is
demonstration of personal qualities, working with others, managing services, improving
services and setting directions. All these traits highlighted by the NHS under clinical
leadership in nursing profession related with the core principles of the leadership models and
thus can be prove to be effective in achieving desired quality outcomes.