Introduction
In nursing, leadership is very important as it sets out a chain of command of how the nurses will be allocated different duties. Leadership may be defined as the process of socially influencing people to follow ones’ way. It can also be taken as a group of people who are influenced by a common goal to achieve a collective gain together. Thus nursing as a professional should be well managed as its operations affect the society in its quest for better services and medical care (Dreher & Glasgow, 2011). This paper seeks to establish how to combine leadership and advocacy in the nursing professional and ways in which an individual can change the work ethics in a given organization. Leadership is very important in management of an organization or an institution and thus it should be formulated to ensure people perform as per the required ethics. Leadership skills are very important aspects in any responsibility as they influence the success or failure of the said objective.
Personal and professional accountability
Combining nurse leader with advocacy refers to the process of using a nurse leadership role to change the settings of a work place to suit the current employment needs and the needs of the organization. A leader needs to identify his/ her own strengths and weaknesses when given a responsibility to lead people. Personal and professional accountability should be a leader’s driving force (Tilley & Watson, 2004). As a nurse leader I am faced daily with different aspects that require me to use my personal and professional ethics in dealing with issues at my work place. My actions are guided by professional accountability when dealing with a patient or a fellow nurse. A leader is given a responsibility to serve people and thus he/she should be willing to be held accountable for the duties awarded to him/her. Nursing should be a calling where a person expresses care and compassion as expressed in the nursing fraternity. A leader’s action while in office should not negate the public trust awarded to him/her despite personal interests. It’s thus crucial that a nurse who holds a leadership position should apply his or her skills in changing the environment at the workplace for the good of the patients, nurses and the health institution (Harris & Roussel, 2010).
Career planning
As a nurse it’s important to develop one’s career by tying to work on your leadership weakness and at the same time improving on your strengths. Planning the right career path will help a leader in delivery of services as a job relies mostly on the mode and method of doing it. Finding new challenges in the nursing profession helps me in tackling and handling different scenarios and thus i am able to interact with people at different levels. A leader is required to lead by example and thus consulting with other professionals has always helped learn a thing or two concerning how they operate and their suggestions. In areas that I am weak I am to go an extra mile and consult with my fellow nurses as we strive to work together and improve the conditions at our work place.
Personal journey disciplines
Counseling fellow nurses and patients is an activity that I have undertaken for quite a while now as it helps me reach out to a group of people and help them nurture their personal growth. My career discipline has revolved around nurturing talent for the different staffs in our department ad help them realize their career goals by working and improving on their weaknesses. This activity has been helpful in my personal growth as it gives pleasure and joy to learn that I have used my leadership skills to change the ethics of operation in our department. As a nurse leader, I am very involved in group growth through gaining the right kind of skills and expertise which also helps me evaluate my personal growth and work on my weaknesses.
Reflective practice reference behaviors
In leadership different scenarios arise that requires an individual to express the best practice behavior when dealing with a group of people in an organization. Nursing practice and behavior should incorporate work ethics that are given under the nursing profession. Identifying the weaknesses of fellow nurses gives a leader an edge on ways to improve their skills and behavior in the nursing environment. Advocating for good morals among nurses should be a responsibility of all players in the nursing environment as the public perceives the picture portrayed by nurses.
Conclusion
The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses which is normally abbreviated as AACN has been on the fore-front of encouraging nurses and their supervisors in carrying out-self assessment that will help improve the operations of the nursing professional. A nurse leader should be able to direct his or her subordinates in a way that will help them perform their duties better without interference. Leadership skills are very crucial in that nurse leaders should be able to evaluate their fellow nurses and give guidelines as required by their job specification. This will improve the delivery of services by nurses and how the organization can achieve its goals and objectives.
References
Dreher, H. M., & Glasgow, M. E. S. (2011). Role development for doctoral advanced nursing practice. New York: Springer Pub. Co.
Harris, J. L., & Roussel, L. (2010). Initiating and sustaining the clinical nurse leader role: A practical guide. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Tilley, S., & Watson, R. (2004). Accountability in nursing and midwifery. Oxford: Blackwell Science.
