Posted: April 8th, 2023

Leadership and Management Attributes

Leadership and Management Attributes
Competency
Evaluate leadership and management attributes that support critical decisions for nursing practice.

Scenario
You have recently started a position as a department director with five managers reporting to you. Earlier today, one of your managers reports that a client expired on her unit. She suspects that a factor that may have contributed to the client’s demise may be related to the actions of a nurse on her unit. This nurse has several notes in her personnel file that reflect potential client abuse. You and the nurse manager both have concerns that this sentinel event must be investigated.

Later in the day, the Chief Nursing Officer asks you to speak to new nurse managers to share attributes of leadership with the plan of enhancing their leadership skills. You see an opportunity to combine the situation of the client with a bad outcome, due to the alleged influence of one of the nurses, while building information to share this real-life situation with new nurse leaders.

Instructions
As a follow up to the investigation of the client’s unexpected death, generate an internal memo to your managers to reflect leadership and management attributes and include steps taken to investigate this unfortunate situation. As you create this memo, keep in mind that you should include:

At least five leadership and/or management attributes for nurse leaders, as well as how they can improve client outcomes.
Steps you would take to ensure the collection of data regarding this incident.
Describe how transformational leadership style may influence the process of investigating this professional nurse colleague that reports to one of your unit managers.
Provides stated ideas with professional language and attribution for credible sources with correct APA citation, spelling, and grammar.

MEMORANDUM

To: Department Managers
From: [Your Name]
Subject: Leadership and Management Attributes to support critical decisions for nursing practice

As a department director, it is crucial to demonstrate strong leadership and management attributes to support critical decisions for nursing practice, especially during situations where patient outcomes are affected. I would like to share some essential attributes that every nurse leader must possess to enhance patient outcomes and lead effectively.

Effective Communication: As nurse leaders, we must have excellent communication skills to relay essential information to staff, patients, and families. It includes active listening, providing feedback, and creating an open and safe environment for communication.

Critical thinking and problem-solving: Effective nurse leaders must be able to think critically and solve problems promptly, which is essential in situations that demand quick thinking and decision-making.

Teamwork and Collaboration: Promoting teamwork and collaboration is essential to provide safe and quality patient care. Nurse leaders must foster a culture of collaboration and support between team members to achieve positive patient outcomes.

Accountability: Leaders must be accountable for their actions and the actions of their team members, which is critical in ensuring patient safety and providing quality care.

Continuous Learning and Improvement: Nurse leaders must be committed to continuous learning and improvement in the nursing profession. It includes staying updated with current trends and research, pursuing further education, and promoting professional development.

Regarding the recent incident of the patient’s unexpected death on one of our units, it is imperative to ensure the collection of data regarding this incident to conduct a thorough investigation. The following steps will be taken to ensure that data is collected effectively:

Gather data from the nurse in charge of the patient’s care, including relevant documentation and records.
Collect statements from all staff members present during the patient’s care.
Obtain information from the family or next of kin.
Consult with external experts in the field to analyze and provide insights on the collected data.
As nurse leaders, it is our responsibility to investigate such unfortunate situations and ensure that appropriate actions are taken. Transformational leadership style can influence the process of investigating professional nurse colleagues in several ways. This style emphasizes trust, collaboration, and empowerment, promoting a culture of transparency and accountability.

In conclusion, as nurse leaders, it is crucial to possess and demonstrate strong leadership and management attributes to support critical decisions for nursing practice. It includes effective communication, critical thinking, teamwork, accountability, and continuous learning and improvement. By adhering to these attributes and following the necessary steps, we can ensure positive patient outcomes and provide safe and quality care.

References:
American Nurses Association. (2015). Nursing: Scope and standards of practice (3rd ed.). Silver Spring, MD: Nursesbooks.org.
Institute of Medicine. (2010). The future of nursing: Leading change, advancing health. National Academies Press.