Reflective Essay on Leadership Style's Impact on Patient Safety

This essay is a critical reflection on the importance of leadership style in ensuring patient safety within a nursing context. The author, a new graduate nurse at The Canberra Hospital, utilizes Gibbs' reflective model to analyze personal experiences and challenges encountered in their initial professional setting. The essay explores the impact of different leadership styles, specifically contrasting transactional and democratic approaches, on patient care and organizational effectiveness. The author reflects on the workload, decision-making processes, and the overall work environment, concluding that democratic leadership, which promotes employee involvement and feedback, is the most beneficial for fostering patient safety and satisfaction. The essay also highlights the importance of developing decision-making skills and emphasizes the direct relationship between effective leadership and the quality of healthcare services provided to patients. References to relevant research further support the conclusions drawn about leadership styles in healthcare.

Critical Reflection Scenario Based Essay

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION:..........................................................................................................................3
Essay...........................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION:
The essay is based on the importance of leadership style and how it helps in patient
safety. This is a reflective essay on leadership style and patient safety. In order to write essay
Gibbs reflection model has been used.
Essay
Description:
I have started working as a new graduate nurse in The Canberra hospital. I personal
thinks that working in the place where you are more physically involve provides more
satisfaction. But as a nurse the person does not need to just clean or set the beds a person need to
involve in emotionally with the patients. Nursing is all about caring for people. As a nurse has to
deal with many peoples such as doctors, patients and patient's family it become essential that a
nurses should have the proper leadership skills. Leadership style refers to a manner or an
approach which aims at providing direction, motivating people and implementing
plans(Leadership style, 2019). Therefore a nurse should be capable of having the leadership
style. A nurse in spite of having a leadership skills should also know how to provide safety to
their patients. Patient safety refers to prevention of errors and negative effects on the patient
health care. Working as a nurse in The Canberra hospital I experienced some problem at
beginning as this was my first experience to work as a professional nurse. When responsibility
were assigned to me to be carried as a nurse I found it very difficult, I have faced many
challenges I find it hard at first to deal with various situation such as patients treatment,
preparing nursing plan, managing paper work, to deal or communicate with patient's family etc.
At beginning as I was fresher it was expected from me to work for about 10 to 12 hours per day
which I sometimes find it hard.
Feelings
I personally feels that to be in the profession of nursing it requires to have a proper
leadership skills as a nurse have to deal with many patients and their family and also sometimes
requires to take many important decision therefore it is extremely important to have knowledge
of the appropriate leadership skills which helps in providing proper treatment to the patients.
Earlier I thinks that leadership style is not related to patient safety as it was the role of the
hospital to provide safety to their patient. But after working in The Canberra hospital I have

found that the leadership style which is used by the top management of the hospital creates a
huge impact on the type of service and safety they are providing to their patients.
Therefore I personally feel that there is a direct relationship between leadership style and
patient safety. In my opinion the transactional leadership style has been used by the doctors or
top management of the organisation. I have seen that doctors ensures all the staff members
follow rules and regulations. They also use reward system in order to motivate the employees.
Similarly a person who does not follow or breaks rules and regulations are punished. The doctors
of the hospital ensures that the organisation runs smoothly. This type of leadership helps to
manage crisis in the organisation. While in my opinion democratic style will be more effective in
The Canberra hospital. As in such type of leadership everyone is involved in the decision-
making process. Which encourages the employees and make them feel that they are part of
organisation. The employees get feedback from their subordinates as well as higher authorities
which helps individual to focus on improving themselves as well as on the quality of service they
provide to the patients.
Evaluation:
During the whole working period I feel many challenges such as I have experienced a
high work load. As I was new to the profession it seems difficult to me to manage my
responsibilities. As nursing job requires a lot of paperwork and management of multiple task
therefore I found it quite tough as I have to give regular document related to treatment after
doctor completed the round as well as I have to give advice to the patients. However I was
successful in dealing with such situation the reason behind this is good subordinates and the top
management. Due to positive work environment and good mentor I find it easy to come out with
such difficult situations.
Analysis
As per the Samirah A. Asirii & et.al., (2016), the current challenges which the healthcare
system is facing is shortage of health professionals as it is required that mangers and leaders need
to learn different different leadership style. The cross cultural survey was held in order to find
the overall perception of nurse on the leadership style of the mangers. And it was found that
nurses commitment is negatively correlated with transformational leadership. While positive
commitment is seen with transactional leadership style.

Various publications has found that leadership style is the key element of a quality of
healthcare. Effective leadership is the most critical components of which helps to lead the
organisation effectively. The effective leadership style and patient satisfaction helps to reduce
adverse affects.
However I feel that different leadership styles help the organisation to achieve its goal.
Some leadership style may be harsh while some may be good. But the leadership style which
helps in motivating employees to work, create team and promote employees participation is the
best leadership style for the healthcare organisation. A good leadership in the organisation will
help to provide satisfaction as well as safety to the patients.
However from the study it was found that leadership style and employee empowerment
can help in creating a good role in promoting organizational commitment and promote healthcare
settings.
According to Frankel & PGCMS (2019), democratic leadership style helps in decision-
making process as many members are involved in the process which helps in looking at the
situation or problem from different perspectives. This style of leadership helps in maximizing the
effectiveness of work. Such style of leadership helps in developing both professional as well as
casual partnership with one another.
However in my opinion I feels that democratic style of leadership will be more beneficial
to the organisation and also it will help the organisation to create or take better steps for quality
service which in turn will help to provide better safety services to the patients.
For example, if acute care is making any changes on providing medication safety to the patients
than nurses can take their stand and involve themselves in decision-making process in order to
contribute their own thoughts.
Conclusion
Looking at the incident I feel that the overall experience was quite well. I have learned
many new things also the event helps me to understand that what are the responsibilities of nurse
and how it should be handled. Also I have learned that how important it is to use the leadership
style in the work process as to provide high quality safety services to the patients. The worst part
in whole working period is dealing with different situation as I was a fresher I know the nursing
practices and responsibilities in theory but never before got an opportunity to apply it in

practical. This experience which I have gained has helped to enhance my knowledge as well as
understand that the concept and importance of leadership style in practice.
During my whole working I experience that I found difficulty in making decision.
Sometimes I find it hard for me to make a decision it takes me huge time or long time to take
proper decision as I spend to much time on decision making. But on being a nurse it is necessary
to have a great decision making skills as a nurse requires to take care after treatment and make a
nursing care plan etc.
Action plan
Therefore, on part of nurse I think that I should develop my decision making skills. In
order to do so I have decided to take the advice of my seniors as well as before making decision I
will try to have a look at various facts and figures related to the problem. The decision-making
skill is the most important skill which is required on parts of nurse.
The whole experience has however help me to enhance my knowledge and it will help
me in future. The learning's which I have gained is of great importance for my career as a nurse.
CONCLUSION
From the essay it can be concluded that how leadership style plays an important role in
patient safety. A good leadership style helps the organization to achieve success and improve the
quality services provided to the patient. The essay has helped in understanding the different
styles of leadership and have the knowledge about importance of patient safety. The model
which has been used in study which is Gibbs model is very useful as it helps in reviewing the
incidence which helps in analyzing the strength, weakness and skills to be improved of
ourselves.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Hoebing, L., & Hoy, C. (2017). Exploring Methods of Incorporating Reflective Writing in
Secondary Education (Revision). Reflection through Revision: A Master's Portfolio, 9.
Frankel, A., & PGCMS, R. (2019). What leadership styles should senior nurses
develop?. Hospital, 6, 08.
Al Rahbi, D., Khalid, K., & Khan, M. (2017). The effects of leadership styles on team
motivation. Academy of Strategic Management Journal.
Frankel, A., & PGCMS, R. (2019). What leadership styles should senior nurses
develop?. Hospital, 6, 08.
Online
Leadership style and patient safety. 2019. [Online] Available through
<https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Leadership-style-and-patient-safety%3A-
implications-Merrill/b1ec21386d1573b9a9ad791c434aca576378ee9b>
Leadership style. 2019. [Online] Available through<https://businessjargons.com/leadership-
styles.html>

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