NURS 8302 Assignment Week 9: Leadership Assessment
Walden University NURS 8302 Assignment Week 9: Leadership Assessment-Step-By-Step Guide
This guide will demonstrate how to complete the Walden University NURS 8302 Assignment Week 9: Leadership Assessment assignment based on general principles of academic writing. Here, we will show you the A, B, Cs of completing an academic paper, irrespective of the instructions. After guiding you through what to do, the guide will leave one or two sample essays at the end to highlight the various sections discussed below.
How to Research and Prepare for NURS 8302 Assignment Week 9: Leadership Assessment
Whether one passes or fails an academic assignment such as the Walden University NURS 8302 Assignment Week 9: Leadership Assessment depends on the preparation done beforehand. The first thing to do once you receive an assignment is to quickly skim through the requirements. Once that is done, start going through the instructions one by one to clearly understand what the instructor wants. The most important thing here is to understand the required format—whether it is APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.
After understanding the requirements of the paper, the next phase is to gather relevant materials. The first place to start the research process is the weekly resources. Go through the resources provided in the instructions to determine which ones fit the assignment. After reviewing the provided resources, use the university library to search for additional resources. After gathering sufficient and necessary resources, you are now ready to start drafting your paper.
How to Write the Introduction for NURS 8302 Assignment Week 9: Leadership Assessment
The introduction for the Walden University NURS 8302 Assignment Week 9: Leadership Assessment is where you tell the instructor what your paper will encompass. In three to four statements, highlight the important points that will form the basis of your paper. Here, you can include statistics to show the importance of the topic you will be discussing. At the end of the introduction, write a clear purpose statement outlining what exactly will be contained in the paper. This statement will start with “The purpose of this paper…” and then proceed to outline the various sections of the instructions.
How to Write the Body for NURS 8302 Assignment Week 9: Leadership Assessment
After the introduction, move into the main part of the NURS 8302 Assignment Week 9: Leadership Assessment assignment, which is the body. Given that the paper you will be writing is not experimental, the way you organize the headings and subheadings of your paper is critically important. In some cases, you might have to use more subheadings to properly organize the assignment. The organization will depend on the rubric provided. Carefully examine the rubric, as it will contain all the detailed requirements of the assignment. Sometimes, the rubric will have information that the normal instructions lack.
Another important factor to consider at this point is how to do citations. In-text citations are fundamental as they support the arguments and points you make in the paper. At this point, the resources gathered at the beginning will come in handy. Integrating the ideas of the authors with your own will ensure that you produce a comprehensive paper. Also, follow the given citation format. In most cases, APA 7 is the preferred format for nursing assignments.
How to Write the Conclusion for NURS 8302 Assignment Week 9: Leadership Assessment
After completing the main sections, write the conclusion of your paper. The conclusion is a summary of the main points you made in your paper. However, you need to rewrite the points and not simply copy and paste them. By restating the points from each subheading, you will provide a nuanced overview of the assignment to the reader.
How to Format the References List for NURS 8302 Assignment Week 9: Leadership Assessment
The very last part of your paper involves listing the sources used in your paper. These sources should be listed in alphabetical order and double-spaced. Additionally, use a hanging indent for each source that appears in this list. Lastly, only the sources cited within the body of the paper should appear here.
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Sample Answer for NURS 8302 Assignment Week 9: Leadership Assessment
Relevance of the Goals to My Development as a Nurse Leader
Skills acquisition enables leaders to understand issues and address them appropriately. Excellence in verbal and nonverbal communication is pertinent to development as a nurse leader due to the diverse nature of the health care workforce and patient problems. According to Kwame and Petrucka (2020), excellent communication promotes suave interaction in health care environments. Along with active listening, improved communication skills facilitate understanding and interaction at all organizational levels. A better understanding of issues and smooth interaction enables health care providers to work towards a shared vision. Improving systems thinking is vital to improving patient-centered care and fostering problem-solving. Through systems thinking, a health care problem is analyzed within its system, and those who interact with the problem form a solution collectively (McNab et al., 2020). A nurse leader embracing systems thinking would encourage participation and make meaningful connections between systems. Such an approach will encourage questioning and engagement, promoting an inclusive workforce.
Information and communication technologies are requisite in health practice. Zonneveld et al. (2020) found health information technology to be integral in facilitating care coordination, addressing practice inefficiencies, and enabling health care organizations to track data over time. Developing information and management skills is crucial for nurse leaders as promoters of efficient and up-to-date health care processes. Addo and Agyepong (2020) also found information and communication technologies in health care vital in increasing provider capabilities and promoting care access. Suitable technologies in enhancing capabilities and patient access include remote patient monitoring, clinical decision support, and practice management software. Utilizing them and leading other health care providers in their adoption will positively impact the health care industry and society by improving overall health outcomes.
Nurse leaders should advice organizations regarding process and outcome improvements and influence changes in the broader health practice. As a result, an in-depth understanding of federal and state payments, insurance issues, and the organization’s payer mix will enable me to advice health care organizations on financial matters. Advanced knowledge in health care policy will enable me to play an active role as a population health advocate and participate in the legislative process. For example, I can propose a policy on helping young mothers cope with postpartum depression if I understand the policy formulation and implementation process. In this case, population health outcomes would be improved as my knowledge to articulate and implement health care policy improves.
In conclusion, nurse leaders should be competent overall to drive the necessary organizational changes and positively influence staff. Nurse executives’ competencies include knowledge of the health care system, communication and relationship management, leadership skills, professionalism, and business skills. A self-assessment enables nurse leaders to understand their ability to lead and where to improve. As discussed, my goals primarily focus on where I should advance my skills to be a proficient nurse leader. Developing these competencies will improve health outcomes at all organizational levels.
References
Addo, K., & Agyepong, P. K. (2020). The effects of information and communication technology on health service delivery at Tafo Government Hospital. E-Health Telecommunication Systems and Networks, 9(3), 33-48. doi: 10.4236/etsn.2020.93003
Kwame, A., & Petrucka, P. M. (2020). Communication in nurse-patient interaction in healthcare settings in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review. International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences, 12, 100198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijans.2020.100198
McNab, D., McKay, J., Shorrock, S., Luty, S., & Bowie, P. (2020). Development and application of ‘systems thinking’principles for quality improvement. BMJ Open Quality, 9(1), e000714. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjoq-2019-000714
Oldland, E., Botti, M., Hutchinson, A. M., & Redley, B. (2020). A framework of nurses’ responsibilities for quality healthcare—Exploration of content validity. Collegian, 27(2), 150-163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2019.07.007
Sharp, S., Mcallister, M., & Broadbent, M. (2018). The tension between person centred and task focused care in an acute surgical setting: A critical ethnography. Collegian, 25(1), 11-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2017.02.002
Varkey, B. (2021). Principles of clinical ethics and their application to practice. Medical Principles and Practice, 30(1), 17-28. https://doi.org/10.1159/000509119
Zonneveld, M., Patomella, A. H., Asaba, E., & Guidetti, S. (2020). The use of information and communication technology in healthcare to improve participation in everyday life: a scoping review. Disability and Rehabilitation, 42(23), 3416-3423. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2019.1592246
Assignment: Leadership Assessment
What personal strengths do you have that would make you an effective nurse leader? What potential gaps might you need to address to improve your ability to be an effective nurse leader?
As a future DNP-prepared nurse, you will be called upon as a leader in your field, a leader in your practice, and a leader in your organization. Throughout your program of study, you will develop the skills, strategies, and knowledge to not only harness this role successfully but to do so at a high level of achievement and performance.
Photo Credit: [Squaredpixels]/[iStock / Getty Images Plus]/Getty Images
However, everyone must acknowledge both their own strengths and weaknesses, as a leader, and identify potential areas of improve to enhance these capabilities.
For this Assignment, you will explore your strengths and potential gaps based on the nurse leadership competencies provided. After assessing your performance, reflect on potential goals you might set to improve as a nurse leader. You will also reflect on how this goal setting and self-examination will not only improve your nursing practice but also your healthcare organization.
To Prepare:
- Review the nurse leadership competencies presented in the Learning Resources for this week.
- Reflect on these competencies, and consider your own personal strengths and potential gaps in relation to these competencies.
- Consider potential goals for your leadership development in relation to the nurse leadership competencies presented.
The Assignment: (4–5 pages)
- Explain your self-assessment in relation to the nurse leadership competencies. Be sure to identify your strengths and potential gaps in relation to these competencies.
- Describe at least four goals for nurse leadership development that you would like to pursue, given the results of your self-assessment. Be specific.
- Explain why these goals are pertinent to your development as a nurse leader. How will developing these leadership competencies support your healthcare organization or nursing practice? Be specific.
Reminder: The College of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The Sample Paper provided at the Walden Writing Center provides an example of those required elements (available at https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates/general#s-lg-box-20293632). All papers submitted must use this formatting.
By Day 7
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Sample Answer 2 for NURS 8302 Assignment Week 9: Leadership Assessment
Patient safety in quality care in the care environment is one of the central focuses of healthcare facilities. Therefore, a proactive healthcare facility is usually engaged in various quality improvement efforts, which involves identifying gaps in patient care and implementing relevant strategies to address the gaps (Whitfill et al.,2018). The initiation of such quality improvement gaps, implementation of relevant interventions, and sustaining the same heavily hinges on the kind of leadership in the organization. The implication is that the leaders play a critical role in improving patient care as they assume the role of the force that drives change initiatives.
As a benchmark, nursing leadership has various competencies that a nurse leader has to achieve to enable them to appropriately lead in the care environment and drive change for quality improvement. As such, an individual should assess themselves to identify their strengths and weaknesses in relation to the nurse leadership competencies for better leadership (Huber, 2017). The purpose of this week’s assignment is to explain the self-assessment and connected to nurse leadership competencies and describe the goals of nurse leadership development to be pursued. In addition, the importance of such goals will be described.
Self-Assessment In Relation to the Nurse Leadership Competencies
As earlier indicated, nurse leaders should be competent to offer effective leadership in the care environment, hence a need for self-assessment to identify potential individual strengths and weaknesses. As such, a self-assessment was undertaken in relation to the nurse leadership competencies. According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), the nurse leadership competencies include collaboration, communication, education, environmental health, ethics, evidence-based practice and research, leadership, resource utilization, quality of practice, and professional practice evaluations (Clipper & Dawson, 2018).
From the self-assessments, my strengths stood out in various competencies, while other competencies exposed various weaknesses. One of the competencies assessed was collaboration. From the results, this can be regarded as a major area of strength as I seamlessly collaborate with families and patients towards better care for them. In addition, I also effectively work together with other nurses and the management for collaborative relationships to improve patient care. However, the identified gap is in Interprofessional collaboration. I have to improve on how to collaborate with other healthcare professionals to improve care. In terms of communication competency, the assessment revealed strength is verbal and written communication. Besides, I have been able to concisely and clearly express ideas related to patient care. Good communication also involves attentively listening to what others are saying (Sibiya, 2018). This was exposed as an area of weakness as I have had a tendency to hurry others to talk faster when addressing issues. Therefore, such impatience negatively impacts communication efficiency.
I also performed a self-assessment in relation to environmental health. This is an area where I still have to develop competency to ensure that every nursing practice engaged in is healthy and environmentally safe. An environmentally safe environment will ensure that patients get quality care a good relationship exists between other professionals and myself (Huber, 2017). An assessment was also conducted on ethics. This was an area of strength as I have been able to demonstrate credibility, responsibility, and honesty as part of the elements displayed through integrity competency. However, a gap was identified in using ethical decision-making in clinical situations. There is still a need to further develop ethical decision-making in practice settings.
In terms of Evidenced-based practice and research, the self-assessments revealed the ability to integrate research findings and evidence into practice (Culyer et al., 2018). In addition to such indications, I have been able to demonstrate this competency through my learning capacity. The professional practice evaluations indicated high competency as I have been able to display self-development, self-insight, self-management, learning capacity, and self-awareness. However, I need to show adaptability to various situations to show a complete competency in the item. The self-assessment also revealed competency in quality of practice as I have displayed innovation and creativity to support quality improvement.
Goals for Nurse Leadership Development Goal
Self-assessment gives an individual an opportunity to grow by examining various weaknesses and strengths. Goals can then be formulated regarding the pursuant of nurse leadership development of interests. From the self-assessment, some of the goals include:
- To increase hours of work contact with other healthcare professionals in the care environment to improve Interprofessional Collaboration-This nursing leadership goal is related to collaboration competency. It was noted as a gap during self-evaluation, and therefore, it would be prudent to pursue it and develop it fully for a complete competency.
- To practice listening skills during conversations with the patients, their families, and fellow professionals for better communication- This nursing leadership development goal is connected to communication competency. Even though the self-assessment exercise revealed that I am largely competent in relation to this item, I need to listen more to improve further; hence it is a goal worth pursuing.
- To practice clinical ethical decision making and engage more in the ethical situations in the care environment. This goal stemmed from ethics competency as the clinical and care environment usually calls nurses to make numerous ethical decisions regarding patient care and safety. Therefore, this s an area that should be pursued for complete development.
- To show improvements on adaptability in various care settings by working in different care environment-This goal arises from the professional practice evaluations competency. Nurse leaders may be called upon to offer their leadership skills in different clinical environments; hence adaptability is key. By pursuing it, I will be able to seamlessly work in every new environment and offer the needed leadership qualities.
How the Goals are Pertinent to the Development as a Nurse Leader
Nurse leaders need to show various leadership abilities in the care environment to support efforts and interventions made to improve quality. As such, nurse leadership should formulate quality improvement initiatives, plan for their implementation and support similar interventions and initiatives (Huber, 2017). Therefore, as a nurse leader, the discussed goals are pertinent to my development. Besides, developing leadership competencies will help my healthcare organization in various ways. The first goal, “To increase hours of work contact with other healthcare professionals in the care environment to improve Interprofessional collaboration,” is pertinent to my development as a nurse leader since it will help me tap into other professionals’ pool of knowledge to help in improving care. Besides, I will substantially be able to develop my skills of care provided to the patients.
The second goal, “To practice listening skills during conversations with the patients, their families, and fellow professionals for better communication,” will greatly improve my relationship with the patients, their family members, and fellow nurses. This will ensure that I offer improved care and improve the working environment (Huber, 2017). The third goal, “To practice clinical ethical decision making and engage more on the ethical situations in the care environment,” is also pertinent as I will develop in terms of making better decisions in ethical situations to boost my professionalism and give the patient better care and services. The last objective, “To show improvements on adaptability in various care settings by working in different care environments,” will boost my ability to work in any care environment, even in the most challenging ones. This will enable me to grow professionally and become more competent as a nurse leader.
The Importance of Developing the Competency to my Organization
Healthcare organizations are constantly under pressure to offer safe, reliable, and quality patient care. Therefore, nurse leaders need to develop leadership competencies to help better the organizations achieve such goals. Developing competence in collaboration will improve care coordination activities, hence boosting the organization’s chances of offering quality care (Huber, 2017). In addition, the development of communication competency will help the organization in avoiding potential medical errors, which are majorly due to poor communication. Such errors are usually costly. By developing the competency in environmental health, I will support my organization in ensuring that the care environment is secure and safe for patients and promote relevant self-care and wellness programs.
Conclusion
In conclusion, leadership nature and structure in a healthcare organization can either foster or hinder patient quality improvement initiatives. Therefore, nurse leaders need to develop various leadership competencies as they directly relate to better and improve patient care and safety. This assignment has explored the nursing leadership competencies, self-assessment discussion regarding the competencies, and how the development of the competencies would help my organization.
References
Clipper, B., & Dawson, J. M. (2018). Key competencies for nursing. American Nurse Today, 13(2), 24-25.
Culyer, L. M., Jatulis, L. L., Cannistraci, P., & Brownell, C. A. (2018). Evidence-based teaching strategies that facilitate transfer of knowledge between theory and practice: What are nursing faculty using?. Teaching and Learning in Nursing, 13(3), 174-179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.teln.2018.03.003
Huber, D. (2017). Leadership and nursing care management-e-book. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Sibiya, M. N. (2018). Effective communication in nursing. Nursing, 19.
Whitfill, T., Gawel, M., & Auerbach, M. (2018). A simulation-based quality improvement initiative improves pediatric readiness in community hospitals. Pediatric emergency care, 34(6), 431-435. Doi: 10.1097/PEC.0000000000001233
Sample Answer 3 for NURS 8302 Assignment Week 9: Leadership Assessment
DNP-prepared nurses get appropriate and sufficient training, which helps them perform various roles in the healthcare sector and healthcare organization. Indeed, they are expected to offer leadership in the field, practice, and various organizations. As such, DNP-prepared nurses need to develop knowledge, strategies, and skills that help harness the role successfully and at higher levels of performance and achievement (Moran et al.,2023). As part of the plan to develop such knowledge, strategies, and skills, an individual needs to consider, reflect, and acknowledge their weaknesses and strengths in leadership and identify potential areas that can be improved to enhance such capabilities. One relevant aspect to use in reference to such a reflection is the AONL Nurse Leader Competencies (Morse & Warshawsky, 2021). Therefore, the purpose of this assignment is to explore the strengths and potential gaps based on the nurse’s leadership competencies provided. As such, a self-assessment about the nurse leadership competencies, four goals for the nurse leadership that would be pursued, and the goals pertinent to the development as a nurse leader.
The Self-Assessment In Relation to the Nurse Leadership Competencies, Strengths, and Weaknesses
As earlier indicated, the appropriate development of the right skills requires reflection and self-assessment. Therefore, this section offers a self-assessment in relation to the nurse leadership competencies, strengths, and weaknesses. I have demonstrated various strengths in communication and relationship-building, such as continually demonstrating effective communication skills. I have always tried to clearly communicate with colleagues and team members while focusing on ensuring that the information is comprehensively and accurately conveyed. In addition, I have purposed to be an active listener. Hence, I value understanding feedback from others, which then helps improve open communication. On the other hand, one aspect that may need improvement is my ability to adapt my communication styles for different audiences; as such, I will need to start by tailoring my communication based on the setting (Christy et al.,2022).
The other aspect of focus is the healthcare environment. I have a considerable understanding of healthcare, especially in aspects such as current trends, regulations, and policies. I have also continually undertaken education with the primary focus of staying informed regarding various aspects, such as advancements in the healthcare field and healthcare delivery. However, there are also potential gaps that I may need to address. For example, it will be important to enhance my understanding of emerging and useful healthcare technologies and how they can be applied in various healthcare settings to help improve patient outcomes (Qadri et al.,2021). In addition, I also have a weakness of not being vigilant regarding the significant aspects of change and healthcare policy revisions within our organization. As such, I will have to use appropriate strategies to address this gap.
The next competency worth exploring is leadership, which is at the core of qualities and competencies that a DNP-prepared nurse is expected to acquire and develop. I also have both strengths and weaknesses regarding this competency. One of my strengths is that, in various capacities, I have endeavored to guide my team through challenges by using various strategies such as collaboration. I have also successfully inspired other people and built a positive team culture to help drive the organization forward and achieve the set organizational goals. On the other hand, there are potential gaps that I need to work on to be a more effective and all-rounded leader. For example, it is important that I become more competent in engaging and motivating others, especially in the face of change (Bonawitz et al.,2020). Such skills can be fostered through pursuing more opportunities for leadership development as appropriate.
Professionalism is a competency that allows a nurse to align behavior and personal values with that of a particular organization’s culture and ensure that there is a just culture of accountability. It also involves aspects such as governance, advocacy, health equity, and social determinants of health. As such, I also have various strengths and potential gaps regarding this competency. I have always made efforts to align my behavior with the culture of organizations I have ever worked in. Besides, I have always upheld professional and ethical standards as a leader, advocated for patients, and triggered professionalism in my interactions with patients and colleagues. Advocacy and professionalism, especially when patients are involved, usually come with ethical dilemmas or ethical issues (Doherty, 2020). However, I still have a shortfall when it comes to dealing with complex ethical dilemmas or situations, which then requires that I improve my capability and competency in such situations. Various efforts will be used, such as seeking guidance from senior professionals, guidelines, and, in some cases, ethical committees when making my decisions.
The next competency DNP-prepared nurses must develop is business skills and principles, which entails financial management, human resource management, and strategic management. All these skills are important, especially when understanding and managing the financial aspects of a particular organization. I also have various strengths and potential gaps that need to be addressed to acquire these skills adequately. One of my strengths is that I have an appreciable understanding of the financial processes of healthcare organizations (Cleverly et al.,2023). My active involvement in resource allocation and budget management has highlighted this aspect while ensuring that the available resources are efficiently and appropriately used. On the other hand, I still have glaring deficiencies when it comes to strategic planning. I need to improve my ability to undertake strategic planning initiatives, which can be achieved through a productive collaboration with various administrative and financial teams, which can hugely contribute to helping align the initiatives with the organization’s goals, mission, and vision.
Goals for Nurse Leadership Development To be Pursued
Improvement in the identified potential gaps requires that an individual takes proactive steps and uses specific and effective strategies to help fill the potential gaps. Such goals will also ensure that a person becomes an all-round leader with the right knowledge, skills, and competencies. Therefore, this section explores the potential goals.
- To enhance my ability to adapt my communication style for diverse situations and audiences in health care settings.
This goal will be achieved through various steps and activities, such as proactively practicing effective communication strategies in situations such as one-on-one and team meeting interactions, participating in mentorship programs, and practicing communication in seminars and workshops.
- To boost my knowledge regarding emerging healthcare technologies and explore their effect on organizational efficiency and patient care.
This goal will also be achieved through actions such as collaborating with various IT experts, attending conferences covering the healthcare technology trends theme, and taking online courses on the same.
- To improve my capability and skills in recognizing, addressing, and navigating ethical dilemmas in healthcare.
This goal will also be achieved by engaging in regular ethical decision-making situations, seeking mentorship from leaders engaging in ethics, and attending training workshops.
- To develop a more robust understanding of strategic planning within healthcare organizations
This goal will also be achieved through various strategies such as taking leadership roles, collaborating with other teams, and attending strategic planning workshops and seminars.
Why The Goals Are Pertinent to the Development As A Nurse Leader
The formulated goals are all pertinent to the development of a nurse leader. Enhancing my communication ability is relevant in that it is key to boosting seamless coordination in health care, helps prevent misunderstanding, and fosters collaboration. This goal will impact the organization since it can help reduce errors and boost the culture of safety (Berry et al.,2020). The goal of enhancing my knowledge of emerging healthcare technologies is also relevant since it will help me engage in using the latest technology to enhance patient outcomes. It also impacts organizations positively since using such technologies has been key to streamlining organizational processes and improving patient-centered care. It is also important to improve on ethical dilemmas since it ensures an alignment with organizational values and professional standards. Such an aspect can help in upholding the organization’s reputation. The goal of focusing on strategic planning is also relevant as it will enable me to align the nursing services with the organization’s vision and goals. It also impacts the organization since it can lead to its financial stability.
Conclusion
This assignment has focused on the nurse leadership competencies. As such, a self-assessment aspect has been explored. In addition, the strengths and potential gaps which need to be filled have been explored. It is important to address the gaps to be an effective leader.
References
Berry, J. C., Davis, J. T., Bartman, T., Hafer, C. C., Lieb, L. M., Khan, N., & Brilli, R. J. (2020). Improved safety culture and teamwork climate are associated with decreases in patient harm and hospital mortality across a hospital system. Journal of Patient Safety, 16(2), 130-136. Doi: 10.1097/PTS.0000000000000251
Bonawitz, K., Wetmore, M., Heisler, M., Dalton, V. K., Damschroder, L. J., Forman, J., … & Moniz, M. H. (2020). Champions in context: Which attributes matter for change efforts in healthcare? Implementation Science, 15, 1-10. Doi: 10.1186/s13012-020-01024-9
Christy, K. R., Minich, M., Tao, R., Riddle, K., & Kim, S. (2022). To tailor or not to tailor: An investigation of narrative tailoring for health communication. Journal of Health Communication, 27(3), 152–163. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2022.2068702
Cleverley, W. O., Cleverley, J. O., & Parks, A. V. (2023). Essentials of health care finance. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Doherty, R. F. (2020). Ethical dimensions in the health professions-e-book. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Moran, K. J., Burson, R., & Conrad, D. (2023). The Doctor of Nursing Practice project: A framework for success. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Morse, V., & Warshawsky, N. E. (2021). Nurse leader competencies: Today and tomorrow. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 45(1), 65–70. https://doi.org/10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000453
Qadri, Y. A., Nauman, A., Zikria, Y. B., Vasilakos, A. V., & Kim, S. W. (2020). The future of healthcare internet of things: a survey of emerging technologies. IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials, 22(2), 1121-1167. 10.1109/COMST.2020.2973314
Sample Answer 4 for NURS 8302 Assignment Week 9: Leadership Assessment
Nurses should be committed to providing more in practice besides primary care. They should be at the center of problem-solving, organizational development, and nursing management, among other roles. DNP-prepared nurses are prepared to lead their respective fields, practices, and organizations. However, they cannot effectively lead without understanding their strengths and applying them appropriately. DNP-prepared nurses must also analyze their leadership weaknesses and set goals for improvement. A self-assessment enables nurses to evaluate their nurse leadership competencies. The purpose of this paper is to describe my nurse leadership competencies, leadership development goals, and why the goals are pertinent to my development as a nurse leader.
Self-Assessment in Relation to the Nurse Leadership Competencies
I primarily assessed my leadership competencies focusing on the nurse manager competencies. In routine practice, nurse managers provide a crucial link between the administration and the point of care. Given the demanding nature of patient care, it is crucial to have individuals involved in creating healthy environments, guiding efficient management of organizational resources, and inspiring the nursing staff to adopt appropriate practices to optimize patient outcomes. The nurse manager competencies are in three broad categories- the science, the art, and the leader within (American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL), n.d.) A successful nurse leader must have adequate expertise in the three domains. Such expertise will enable them to contribute effectively in patient engagement, influence appropriate organizational cultures, and create safe, healthy environments for patients and health care staff.
Self-Assessment Results
| Domain | Defining Elements | Competency Level | Strengths | Weaknesses |
| The Science | Managing health care organizations as business. | Basic | Performance improvement and clinical practice knowledge. | Strategic planning, technology, and human resource management. |
| The Art | Leading the people | Proficient | Leadership skills and diversity. | Relationship management |
| The leader within | Creating the leader in yourself | Mastery | Personal and professional accountability and career planning. | Action planning, engagement in reflective practice |
The science domain involves seven areas where a nurse’s expertise is critical to being an effective leader. The first four areas include financial management, human resource management, performance improvement and foundational thinking skills (AONL, n.d.). These domains imply that nurse leaders should be competent in maximizing care efficiency through human resource and finance management, adopt appropriate practices to enhance performance, and apply systems thinking knowledge in analysis and decision making. The other three areas of the science domain include technology, strategic management, and appropriate clinical practice knowledge (AONL, n.d.). Nurse leaders should integrate appropriate technologies into patient care processes, facilitate change strategically, and meet performance expectations by having adequate clinical practice knowledge. Overall, I am at the basic level in the science domain since I need to improve on financial management essentials, human resource management, and technology integration into health care processes.
The second domain of nurse manager competencies is art. It involves three major areas, including human resource leadership skills, relationship management and influencing behaviors, and diversity. The critical components of human resource leadership skills are performance management, staff development, and staff retention (AONL, n.d.). It is primarily about the nurse leader’s role in staff monitoring, development, and retention by ensuring that nurses and other health care providers are satisfied. Relationship management mainly focuses on conflict and situational management and modeling appropriate behaviors to build a cohesive workforce. According to Nair and Adetayo (2019), diverse workforces foster inclusion and cultural competence. Nurse leaders must understand the essentials of a diverse workforce to achieve similar outcomes.
The third domain is the leader within. It has three major areas about an individual’s journey to full potential. The first area is personal and professional accountability involving personal growth and development, ability to practice ethical behavior, involvement in professional associations, and achieving certification in an appropriate specialty (AONL, n.d). The second area is career planning, where nurse leaders must understand their role, future, and develop a career path. The third area is personal journey disciplines involving action learning and reflective practice engagement.
Goals for Nurse Leadership Development
Growth and development in any specialty require professionals to set measurable and achievable goals. The same case applies to nurse leaders. My first goal is to develop financial management skills to ensure that I can maximize care efficiency and throughput. Expertise in this area will also put me in an excellent position to guide organizations on budgeting, productivity evaluation, and forecasting future revenue and expenses to facilitate decision-making. The second goal is to increase my knowledge on technology integration into health practice, particularly information technology. Nurse leaders cannot influence appropriate practice change without using current and emerging technologies.
My third goal for nursing leadership development is to increase my knowledge in strategic management. Attention areas include change facilitation, project management, and contingency planning. Nurse leaders play a critical role in change facilitation by communicating the necessary change and being key stakeholders. Excellent leaders also play an integral role in fostering a culture of safety and quality (Feldman et al., 2019). I should be an expert in strategic management to facilitate change effectively besides guiding organizations in project management and contingency planning. My fourth goal is to improve my skills in relationship management and influencing behaviors. Raines (2019) found that conflicts are part of everyday health practice due to the inevitable differences in perceptions, skills, roles, and expectations. Innate differences such as gender, race, and age also trigger conflicts due to misunderstandings and communication problems. A productive workforce requires nurse leaders to influence people positively and solve conflicts as they emerge.
Goals Connection with My Development as a Nurse Leader
Regardless of their specialties and routine roles, health care professionals should be committed to improving their skills over time. The same principle applies to my goals as a nurse leader. I look forward to gaining the necessary expertise to ensure that I can do more in health practice besides general patient care. Also, the goals are based on my weaknesses identified in the nurse manager competencies’ evaluation. Achieving these goals will ensure that I can deliver expertly in nursing leadership, and nurses and organizations can depend on me for guidance.
Developing the leadership competencies will also support my health care organization immensely. Generally, today’s practice is tech-driven as health care organizations continue integrating technologies into patient care (Lancharoen et al., 2020). My development in the nursing domain will ensure that I can effectively guide my organization in adopting appropriate technologies to enhance health outcomes. Growth in financial and human resource management will enable me to guide my organization to plan, budget, and use resources efficiently. Above all, I will be more influential in practice change as I lead change facilitation.
Conclusion
Nurse leaders are influential figures in health care organizations due to their high ranking and responsibilities. Regarding roles, nurse managers act as the link between administration and points of care. They play a critical role in creating healthy environments and promoting a culture where interdisciplinary team members optimize patient outcomes. As discussed in this paper, nurse managers’ competencies fall into three main domains: science, the leader within, and art. Self-assessment helps current and potential nurse leaders to assess their strengths and weaknesses in each domain and set appropriate goals for nurse leadership development.
References
American Organization for Nursing Leadership. (n.d.). Nurse manager competencies. https://www.aonl.org/system/files/media/file/2019/06/nurse-manager-competencies.pdf
Feldman, S. S., Buchalter, S., Zink, D., Slovensky, D. J., & Hayes, L. W. (2019). Training leaders for a culture of quality and safety. Leadership in Health Services, 32(2), 251–263. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHS-09-2018-0041
Lancharoen, S., Suksawang, P., & Naenna, T. (2020). Readiness assessment of information integration in a hospital using an analytic network process method for decision-making in a healthcare network. International Journal of Engineering Business Management, 12, 1847979019899318. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1847979019899318
Nair, L., & Adetayo, O. A. (2019). Cultural competence and ethnic diversity in healthcare. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Global Open, 7(5), e2219. https://doi.org/10.1097/GOX.0000000000002219
Raines, S. S. (2019). Conflict management for managers: Resolving workplace, client, and policy disputes. Rowman & Littlefield.
Rubric Detail
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Content
Name: NURS_8302_Week9_Assignment_Rubric
| Excellent | Good | Fair | Poor | ||
| Explain your self-assessment in relation to the nurse leadership competencies.
Be sure to identify your strengths and potential gaps in relation to these competencies. |
Points Range: 32 (32%) – 35 (35%)
The response accurately and clearly explains in detail the self-assessment in relation to the nurse leadership competencies. The response includes an accurate and complete identification of the strengths and potential gaps in relation to the nurse leadership competencies. |
Points Range: 28 (28%) – 31 (31%)
The response accurately explains the self-assessment in relation to the nurse leadership competencies. The response includes an accurate identification of the strengths and potential gaps in relation to the nurse leadership competencies. |
Points Range: 25 (25%) – 27 (27%)
The response inaccurately or vaguely explains the self-assessment in relation to the nurse leadership competencies. The response includes inaccurate or vague identification of the strengths and potential gaps in relation to the nurse leadership competencies. |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 24 (24%)
The response inaccurately and vaguely explains the self-assessment in relation to the nurse leadership competencies, or it is missing. The response includes inaccurate and vague identification of the strengths and potential gaps in relation to the competencies nurse leadership competencies, or it is missing. |
|
| Describe at least four goals for nurse leadership development that you would like to pursue, given the results of your self-assessment. Be specific. | Points Range: 23 (23%) – 25 (25%)
The response comprehensively and fully describes in detail four goals for leadership development. |
Points Range: 20 (20%) – 22 (22%)
The response describes four goals for leadership development. |
Points Range: 18 (18%) – 19 (19%)
The response inaccurately or vaguely describes four goals for leadership development. OR The response describes less than four goals. |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 17 (17%)
The response inaccurately and vaguely describes four goals for leadership development, or it is missing |
|
| Explain why these goals are pertinent to your development as a nurse leader. Explain how the development of these leadership competencies support your healthcare organization or nursing practice. Be specific. | Points Range: 23 (23%) – 25 (25%)
The response accurately and comprehensively explains in detail how the goals outlined are pertinent to the development of a nurse leader. The response clearly and accurately explains in detail how these competencies support their healthcare organization or nursing practice. |
Points Range: 20 (20%) – 22 (22%)
The response accurately explains how the goals outlined are pertinent to the development of a nurse leader. The response explains how these competencies support their healthcare organization or nursing practice. |
Points Range: 18 (18%) – 19 (19%)
The response inaccurately or vaguely explains how the goals outlined are pertinent to the development of a nurse leader. The response inaccurately or vaguely explains how these competencies support their healthcare organization or nursing practice. |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 17 (17%)
The response inaccurately and vaguely explains how the goals outlined are pertinent to the development of a nurse leader, or it is missing. The response inaccurately and vaguely explains how these competencies support their healthcare organization or nursing practice, or it is missing. |
|
| Written Expression and Formatting—Paragraph Development and Organization: Paragraphs make clear points that support well-developed ideas, flow logically, and demonstrate continuity of ideas. Sentences are carefully focused—neither long and rambling nor short and lacking substance. A clear and comprehensive purpose statement and introduction is provided which delineates all required criteria. |
Points Range: 5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity. A clear and comprehensive purpose statement, introduction, and conclusion is provided which delineates all required criteria. |
Points Range: 4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 80% of the time. Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment is stated, yet is brief and not descriptive. |
Points Range: 3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 60%–79% of the time. Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment is vague or off topic. |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 3 (3%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity less than 60% of the time. No purpose statement, introduction, or conclusion was provided. |
|
| Written Expression and Formatting – English writing standards: Correct grammar, mechanics, and proper punctuation |
Points Range: 5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation with no errors. |
Points Range: 4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Contains a few (1 or 2) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. |
Points Range: 3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%)
Contains several (3 or 4) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 3 (3%)
Contains many (≥ 5) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors that interfere with the reader’s understanding. |
|
| Written Expression and Formatting – The paper follows correct APA format for title page, headings, font, spacing, margins, indentations, page numbers, parenthetical/in-text citations, and reference list. | Points Range: 5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Uses correct APA format with no errors. |
Points Range: 4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Contains a few (1 or 2) APA format errors. |
Points Range: 3.5 (3.5%) – 3.5 (3.5%)
Contains several (3 or 4) APA format errors. |
Points Range: 0 (0%) – 3 (3%)
Contains many (≥ 5) APA format errors. |
|
| Total Points: 100 | |||||
Name: NURS_8302_Week9_Assignment_Rubric