Leadership and Patients' Safety in Nursing

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Introduction
It is very difficult to assess the nursing profession from outside as nurses are the
integral parts of healthcare. But, several common problems are there that occur regularly in
the nursing profession which has the potential to affect the lives of the patients. Therefore
nursing is a challenging job and sometimes, many issues arise that are out of control. In such
cases, communication among the nurses becomes vital which is possible with the support of a
strong leadership control. It is also directly associated with the safe care to the patients
(Scully, 2015). Leadership is a fundamental principle of nursing that promotes patients
safety. In this paper, the definition of leadership and patients’ safety will be discussed along
with the relationship between those two. In this context, different leadership styles and their
role in promoting the safety of the patients will also be discussed thoroughly. A specific
example of patients’ safety will be considered to relate that with the efficient leadership style.
Finally, the paper will conclude gathering all the important points discussed in the paper.
Definition of leadership and patients’ safety
Leadership is mainly considered as an ability of doing something with the help of
proper talent and skill which is adaptive as well as motivating for others. Nursing leadership
is basically defined as the component of influencing others in order to improve the quality of
care along with the direct participation in clinical care (McFadden, Stock & Gowen III,
2015). Leaders are always responsible in enhancing the confidence level of the co-workers
which ensures a workplace environment where all the workers are dedicated and performing
together to achieve the best outcome. When a task is performed in a group, under the
supervision of a leader then the goal becomes common which is easier and faster to achieve.
Nursing is a dynamic profession which requires a strong leadership to provide an effective
result. Needless to say, an efficient leader helps an organization to be more productive and

reputed. On the other hand, safety of the patients is the prime target of all the healthcare
organizations across the world (Phaneuf, Boudrias, Rousseau & Brunelle, 2016). The
responsibility or discipline in nursing practice emphasizes safety of the patients. While
receiving treatment, it is the right of the patients to get a safe care from the nurses. Preventing
the errors of care and reducing the adverse effects of healthcare nurses are also responsible to
establish the safety of the patients. According to many authors, patients’ safety can be
achieved through proper prevention, reduction, reporting and analyzing. A safe care can
increase patients’ satisfaction and adherence to the treatment which in turn improves the
reputation of the healthcare organization (McFadden, Stock & Gowen III, 2015).
Relationship between these two
Nurses are responsible for the standard of safe care to the patients. The evidence-
based nursing practice is widely accepted as a prime tool of establishing holistic care in to
practice. Safe care indicates organizational success and it is highly dependent on the working
method of nurses. The performances of the nurses can only be enhanced with an effective
leader. Nurses who understand the emerging science of complexity are more likely to be
prepared for facing any kind of issue in nursing and inspire other to achieve a common goal.
Such nurses are the leaders of the team and this kind of leadership is the cornerstone of
patients’ safety. In studies, many researchers clearly indicated that leadership plays a crucial
role in strengthening the quality and the integration of care (Boamah, Laschinger, Wong &
Clarke, 2018). It has been reported by the researchers that significant leadership style as well
as optimum level of patient satisfaction can effectively reduce all kinds of medication error
and the other adverse effects found in healthcare. In addition, some other studies in this
regard discussed that empowering leadership is directly associated to the patient health
outcomes and it promotes greater nursing expertise. Also, there are many publications and
studies which also clearly mentioned that leadership style is one of the key elements in