The calling to go into nursing leadership is undeniable for several nurses. Others may feel the urge, but are hesitant or maybe doubt their ability to manage nursing staff, troubleshoot patient care concerns, and collaborate with the administration. no matter where you fall on the spectrum, deciding to become a part of a nursing leadership team may be a big one. It’s essential to recollect that anyone will be a pacesetter which advancing your nursing career doesn’t always require more training.
Nursing leadership titles and job descriptions vary. Many leadership roles start near the bedside. you’ll become a charge nurse or unit manager, which needs daily management of staff and patients. If you have got your sights set a bit higher, you’ll be able to work towards executive-level leadership roles like a chief nursing officer or VP of patient services.
No matter where you see yourself within the spectrum of nurse leadership, it’s critical that you simply understand some of the qualities that successful nurse leaders possess. Here are some characteristics of successful nurse leaders that may facilitate your decision if nursing leadership could also be an honest fit.
5 Qualities of a Good Nursing Leader
Communication Skills
Being a wonderful communicator is quite just knowing the way to put together some words or sentences. you want to have a decent understanding of the way to actively hear peers and staff. Good communicators also know that visual communication can communicate a strong message, too.
If you’re not comfortable together with your current communication skills, you’ll want to require a category or continuing education course on communication skills in healthcare management.
Sense of Mentorship
Being a decent mentor is crucial in healthcare. Mentorship requires you to quickly identify learning opportunities so you’ll work with staff to higher their clinical and non-clinical skills. Successful nurse leaders can show mentorship qualities by remembering that they were once within the staff nurse role and inspiring their team members to ask questions. These simple strategies can empower your nursing staff and guide them throughout their entire career journey.
Dedication to Healthcare Outcomes
Showing a commitment to reaching and exceeding healthcare outcomes could be a critical part of the healthcare continuum. Nurse leaders must be dedicated to overseeing the nursing process to confirm patients meet their highest level of wellness. Patient outcomes dictate payments and regulatory milestones, which suggests that nurse leaders must remember of institutional goals and to figure towards them the least bit times. Other healthcare outcomes that you’ll have to address during a leadership role are associated with your staff. you want to work on initiatives that decrease the rates of burnout for all staff under your leadership. functioning on patient and staff outcomes will facilitate you to realize a high level of success as a nursing leader.
Critical Thinking
As a frontrunner, you may be faced with many challenging decisions. you may probably still be involved in patient care decisions. you wish to use critical thinking in other areas, too. some examples include performing staff disciplinary action and overseeing facility or unit budgets.
Service-Oriented Outlook
Serving others could be a key quality that several nurses possess. Nurse leaders serve others in a type of way. you’ll be mentoring a staff nurse or coping with a patient or loved one who is unhappy with their care. you want to be desperate to help others solve their problems and willing to figure collaboratively with a multidisciplinary team.
Self-Awareness
There will be times as a frontrunner that you simply may feel lonely or may be defeated. Staff won’t always like your answers, and patients won’t be completely satisfied with the care they received. However, performing from an area of open, honest, and authentic communication can go an extended way in easing the emotions of everyone involved.
Nurse leaders trust their intuition and enkindle help after they need it. You’ll must have a powerful sense of who you’re as someone, nurse, and leader. you may have to act on your personal beliefs and nursing concepts while also upholding the mission and vision of the ability.
Empathy
Leaders must be able to understand and share the sentiments of these around them. you want to be ready to relate to your nursing staff and remember what it’s preferred to be in their shoes. Using your understanding of your nurses’ situations to guide your communication and decisions will go a protracted way in improving nursing engagement in your unit or throughout your institution.
Becoming a frontrunner
Taking on the challenge of being a nursing leader could be a significant decision. It’s one that you simply should take seriously, but also remember that leadership isn’t about perfectionism. you’ll have on-the-job training and plenty of opportunities to find out as you go. the primary step is deciding that you simply want to begin on this career path so aligning yourself with these characteristics needed for fulfillment.
A version of this article was originally publishe
d on https://www.hospitalrecruiting.com/blog/6100/is-nursing-leadership-right-for-you/ by Melissa Mills, RN
