An Analysis of Nursing Leadership: Styles, Roles, and Approaches

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of nursing leadership, examining the characteristics of effective leaders, including emotional intelligence, integrity, critical thinking, and dedication to excellence. It delves into the roles of nursing leaders, such as strategists, visionaries, and decision-makers, and analyzes the different approaches used, including traits-based, functional, and situational approaches. The report also explores various leadership styles in nursing, such as transactional and transformational leadership. Based on interviews with two nurses, the report highlights how leadership styles impact practice change and improve outcomes in healthcare organizations. The report also discusses the importance of effective communication, professional socialization, respect, and empathy in nursing leadership. This report provides valuable insights into the complexities of nursing leadership and its significance in the healthcare environment.

Exploring nursing
leadership

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Characteristics of leaders............................................................................................................3
Analyse roles of leaders..............................................................................................................5
Approaches used by nursing leaders...........................................................................................6
Leadership styles in nursing........................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Leadership refers to an action of leading a group of people or an organisation in order to
complete task with better outcomes. It includes to establish clear vision, share goals with people
to work willingly and coordinate & balancing conflicting interest or all members and
stakeholders (Weng and et. al., 2015). However, it is necessary to provide information,
knowledge and method to realise vision with effective leadership approach to complete target
properly. The present report is based on nursing leadership nursing leadership approaches which
can used in healthcare practices in order to improve outcomes. It will also focus on interviews of
two nurses and analyse their leadership approaches and influence practice change in nursing for
improving their performance for gaining better outcomes in healthcare organisation.
MAIN BODY
Characteristics of leaders
Leadership can be described as to leading people and inspire them to complete particular
target with dedication to gain excellence in outcomes. However, the nursing leadership can be
considered as to inspire people for working together in terms towards common goal in respect of

enhancing patient care respectively. Considering the information gathered by conducting
interviews of two nurses having an experience in nursing leadership while working in
organisation to complete tasks in correct way. It include the gain data about their own working
style and their way to completing their roles in appropriate manner. However, leadership
qualities differ in people as they have their own criterion of leading people in order to achieve set
goals and objectives with better outcomes.
Characteristics of leaders
Emotional intelligence – This can be considered as a characteristics of a leader in order
to tackle emotional situations with intelligence and make learn the same to employees. In context
of clinical practices, it is essential to work closely with trainees for supporting them to create
emotional intelligence as it is very important to work in healthcare settings (Cardiff, 2014).
Nurse 1 consist appropriate emotional intelligence which helps to overcome stress and routine
challenges whereas Nurse 2 has less emotional intelligence than required.
Integrity – In respect of nursing staff, personal integrity is helpful to nursing staff to
make appropriate decisions at the time of clinical junctures in treatment plans of patients.
However, it has been analysed that effective nursing leaders prefer to use and teach those clinical
practices and procedures which are ethically viable in order to make secure as well as effective
care decisions intrinsically. Meanwhile, Nurse 2 has a quality of integrity to follow it in
leadership at work place whereas Nurse 1 did not focus on the same.
Critical thinking – This can be described as to to critically think about particular case
and symptoms shown by patients in order to make accurate decision of providing medication to
make them disease free. It is necessary for nursing leaders to develop critical thinking skill in
trainees for make appropriate choice based on complex array of factors (Peltzer and et. al.,
2015). However, Nurse 2 has this ability and consider it as a vital in health care environment
with improving instances of multidisciplinary collaboration. Moreover, Nurse 1 also critically
think about situations as it is valuable professional skill for practitioners.
Dedication to excellence – The dedication towards work is key to gain excellences in
performance which facilitate to gain better outcomes. Meanwhile, it is determined that nursing
leaders are committed to their passion & purpose and exemplify this with the help of their
perseverance in context of caregiver settings. Nurse 1 & Nurse 2 both consist the quality of

dedication in order to make trainees excellent as it is a despite technique to boost up their
performance.
Effective communication – This can explained as an ability to convey important
information to co- workers which facilitate to complete desired tasks with better results. It
consist that use proper words and clear instructions with appropriate medium to communicate
information to people about criteria to specific activity (Mintz-Binder, 2014). In context of two
nurses interviewed, it has been evaluated that they both have effective communication which
helps to improve collaborative working among nursing trainees because healthcare practices are
done in team to make single patient well being.
Professional socialisation – The nursing leaders gain an intense learning and
understanding of patient- nurse dynamics during training. It include to determine opportunities to
care fresh organisational leaders at the time of learning. In addition to this, Nurse 1 focus on
developing the way to engage with sick individuals after the triage process whereas Nurse 2 has
less concentration towards this aspects.
Respect – The nursing leaders are required to be passionate and dynamic influencers in
respect of inspiring change at work place which facilitate to win respect as well as trust of their
modifications. However, it consist to ensure self respect of peers which helps to encourage them
in terms of following instructions of their leader immediately in perfect manner. Considering this
ability, Nurse 1 has a quality to pay respect to sub- ordinates whereas Nurse 2 think to just place
an order to peers for completing tasks.
Analyse roles of leaders
A leader will always influence the team to understand about their responsibilities.
Guiding team member in proper direction is important for a leader. Providing proper tools and
facilities to perform task is a main work of leader. Building morale which leads to work together
towards common goal (Rahn, 2016).
Roles of leader in nursing
Strategist: This role is for the every leader. A leader should think strategically, keep a
large picture in mind, plan the direction and approaches with respective team and reach to the
desired results. If a plan has a proper strategy it has more chances to get successful with good
results. Nursing leader should think strategically so they can over come from particular situation.
Both nurse 1 and nurse 2 plan strategies and face the situation in a better way.

Visionary: Setting clear vision influence to staff to understand and accept future of
organization. By expanding vision nursing leader influence to team member to perform their
duties. Both the nurse 1 and nurse 2 has clear vision according to their organisation. They both
perform duties well.
Navigating organization's culture: Understanding organization's culture is an important.
Nurse leaders learn about the culture of organization which helps to understand roles in better
way. Building trust on organisation and on team is also important. Nurse 1 is not able to build
less than required but nurse 2 is more effective in this case.
Showing Empathy: Every human worth the respect. Never cut someone off in middle of
a sentence. The information which is told in confidence, has to keep it private (Wong and et. al.,
2014). Nurse 1 listen carefully and keep details privet and nurse 2 also does not discloses any
information about patients.
Listing properly: Hearing and listening are two different things. Separating things what
the nursing leader thinks and what that person is saying. Asking questions to understand things
properly. And if necessary making notes on it. And when conversation gets over summarising
the whole matter to ensure if leader understand in right way or not. Nurse 1 listen to every person
and make note on that and get back to listen again and nurse 2 listen everything carefully but
does not write it.
Supporting staff: To providing supportive environment to staff is essential which
supports them to more skilful. Better learning methods will develop skills in competent manner.
Nurse 1 supports to the staff for their better development and nurse 2 is also supporting.
Act as mentor: Being a model for team is vital. When a leader gives the best so team
member try to do the same. Checking on work of team members and guiding them in right
direction (Thompson and Hyrkas, 2014). Nurse 1 does not guide as required for team members
but nurse 2 guide them in proper direction.
Inspiring and encouraging: Keeping staff motivated improves their work and this is a
clever quality of nursing leadership. Reducing staff tensions requires careful skill and this can be
done by a nursing leader. Influencing people to perform in effective way. Understanding and
supporting team members is important for their performance. Nurse 1 is good at inspiring as well
as encouraging but nurse 2 encourages in better way but inspiring skill is not that much good.

Onward and upward: Patient care is an ultimate goal of a nursing leader. Understanding
need of patients, empathy with patients, providing excellent care. And healthy relationship
between nurse and patient which lead to quicker recovery. Conducting honest self- assessment of
own weakness and strengths and improving. Both nurse 1 and nurse 2 interact with patients very
well. Provide good care and motivates to recover them.
Decision maker: Being a leader is about quick decision making and hard choices. Leader
does not afraid to make decisions even if they have insufficient information which is less than
perfect information. In that situation also decisions should be taken (Boyal and Hewison, 2016).
Nurse 1 has a good quality of decision making and nurse 1 makes quick decisions. Nurse 2 can
take decision but not quickly.
Approaches used by nursing leaders
The leadership approach refers to particular theories or models which can be used by
leaders in nursing in order to lead peers for completing regular procedures with better outcomes.
Every nursing leader has their own choice and criteria of to working and motivating their sob-
ordinates to improve their performance in respect of increasing patient outcomes.
Leadership approaches in nursing
Traits or qualities approach: Leaders can not be make they are born. Leadership
consists a few particular inherited qualities or personality traits. These are certain specific traits
which comes with the genes and carries one generation to another. Nurse 1 is born with the
quality of respect, nurse 1 always respect to everyone and at the other hand nurse 2 has integrity
as by birth quality.
Functional or group approach: Leadership can be developed and learned with the time.
This approach focuses on functions, responsibilities, accountabilities of leader and group nature.
It include the behaviour of leader and impacts of the same on mind set of staff members in order
to modify their behaviours. Moreover, Nurse 2 follow this approach of leadership with the help
of utilising a functional approach known as Adair's Action-Centred Leadership which focus on
things done by leaders along with maintaining requirements an individual, tasks and team
accordingly. In contrary to this, Nurse 1 does not prefer this approach as another model is
considered as more suitable.
Situational approach and contingency models: The situational approach of leadership
consist to make strategies and policies as per particular situation which helps to complete

specific clinical practices properly (Hill, 2017). It include to apply best suitable and favourable
strategies for specific tasks in order to attain appropriate results. However, contingency model
refers to use for organise, corporation and make correct decision in contingency conditions. In
addition to this, Nurse 2 prefer to utilise situational theory because effective policies can be
implemented accordingly as per nature and situation of particular tasks. In contrary to this,
Nurse 1 like to use contingency models as it is more favourable at their work place to gain better
results respectively.
Leadership styles in nursing
Leadership style refers to a manner and approach f giving implementing plans, direction,
and motivating people. It includes total pattern of implicit and explicit actions performed by
leader. It is a type of style which is used by leaders to make their staff to understand the work.
Leadership styles in nursing
Transactional leadership: This type of leader will try to insure that team members
compiles with rules which comes under system of punishments and rewards. If any of staff
members will perform the task according to rules and complete given target that person will be
rewarded. The other hand, members who fails to reach the target and obey will be punished for
transgressions. This style mainly focused on supervision of subordinate to keep organization
running easily and to improve group performance. It is an effective style to complete highly
detailed projects and managing a crisis. Nurse 1 does not follow this style of rewarding but nurse
2 thinks that it is best way to make staff work more with quality so nurse 2 believes in this style.
Transformational leadership: Followers observe their leader's behaviour and get
inspired to change for better. They see their hard work as well as wish for the well- being.
Beyond the expectation they perform and put more efforts than usual. They always think about
organization and then about themselves. To come ahead with novel ideas to solve the problems
in more effective way, old traditions and assumptions are questioned. Nurse 1 believes in this
style to improve the staff so they can perform better than usual. But nurse 2 doesn't think that it
is effective for the staff members so she refuse to follow it.
Democratic leadership: In this staff takes part in decision making and are encouraged to
speak up. This style makes staff member to realise that their voice matters. If they think that they
can influence the situation by acting on it in that case they will think more about organization.
Workers are given certain targets and own responsibilities to do. Feedback will be given on their

performance, so they can adjust accordingly (Backman and et. al., 2018). Improving quality of
process and system is main focus not finding mistakes made by member of the team. Nurse 1
prefer this style so organization can be improved with new ideas and skills. Nurse 2 also prefers
this style for organization so every individual can speak and can put their own ideas.
Authoritarian leadership: This is opposite of democratic style in which leader calls shots
every shots. In this case decisions are made quickly without any staff's consultation. Power will
be on the top and who are at the bottom have to follow. Members who does not follow can be
punished. If mistake happens, authoritarians can make example of offenders by punishing them
in presence of their peers. Always individual will be blamed despite of faulty process. This may
required in case of emergency when fast action is needed. Both nurse 1 and nurse 2 do not follow
this style. They do not believe in authoritarian leadership because staff can not take part in giving
ideas.
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it has been concluded that leadership can be described as an an
action for leading a group of people or an organisation in order to complete through attaining
effective results. It includes various characteristics of leaders such as emotional intelligence,
integrity, critical thinking, dedication to excellence, effective communication, professional
socialisation and respect. However, there are various roles fulfilled by leaders in nursing
including strategist, visionary, navigating organization's culture, showing empathy, listing
properly, supporting staff, act as mentor, inspiring & encouraging, onward & upward and
decision maker. In addition to this, leadership approach on nursing consist traits or qualities
approach, functional or group approach and situational approach & contingency models.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
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