Personal Philosophy of DNP Leadership

Introduction

My personal philosophy of DNP leadership is based not only on my own experiences as a nurse but also on the education I have received throughout the years in nursing school. Leadership is a particularly important element of nursing because it is where the example, tone and conduct of what it means to be a nurse is seen first and foremost. For that reason, I take leadership very seriously, and in this paper I explain what I value in nursing leadership, what my mission statement is, what my style of leadership is, how I communicate, how I view the elements of the nursing paradigm, how I incorporate compassion into care, and how I reflect on DNP essentials

What I Value in Nursing Leadership

What I value in nursing leadership is the ability to demonstrate ethics and responsibility to other nurses. For them I serve as an example of how they are expected to act. Without nursing leadership, newer nurses do not have a standard that they can see in a person who embodies the ethics and accountability of nursing. After ethics, communication is the most important area of nursing leadership because it is the foundation stone upon which effective collaborative care is delivered.

My Personal Mission Statement as a DNP Leader

My mission statement as a DNP leader is to deliver quality care to patients and to serve as an example of an authentic leader and excellent communicator by being brief, clear, timely and complete in all messaging.

My Leadership Style

The leadership style I most often ascribe to is a mixture servant, authentic and transformational leadership. My leadership style in nursing is most frequently based on authentic leadership, the core component of which is to have a strong ethical base for all actions and decision-making. Authentic leaders also focus on being transparent and open with other so that there is never any question of being misled or lied to. For me it is important that an atmosphere of honesty be cultivated, and that example is set by the leader. When nurses feel that they can be open and honest, they tend to be more tolerant, forgiving and helpful overall in my experience: they respect their leader and learn to appreciate one another. They more readily admit mistakes and try to learn from them so as to improve.

To make sure that my nurses do try to learn, I also incorporate elements of transformational leadership into my style: I try to communicate a clear vision of what I want us all to be as nurses, and I use logic and reason to explain why I want everyone to buy into standards and evidence-based practices that are implemented. For...

When patients and other nurses see that I put them first and make sure that their needs are being met, it really makes them feel valued, and they in turn value me all the more. It is a way too to make others feel empowered, which I love to do.

When I Used Ineffective Communication Techniques

Communication in nursing is meant to help foster consistency among nurses and to promote connectivity. It is also essential in preventing nursing errors and reducing the risk of important information falling between the cracks. Communication serves as the backbone of effective collaborative care and teamwork. Common communication techniques in nursing include the bedside report, the huddle, the handoff, the check-back, and the Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation (SBAR).

Huddles are particularly important because they help to make sure everyone is on the same page at the start of a shift or with reference to a particular resident. When there is going to be a new arrival, a new resident huddle can be helpful. One time I failed to use effective communication techniques was when I neglected to take part in a new resident huddle that I should have been part of. Important information was shared with the group on that occasion, and my absence created a gap in intelligence for which I later paid dearly when I ended up responding to a call from the new resident. My lack of awareness created confusion for the patient, which affected the patients perception of the quality of care that he was receiving from us.

What I Should Have Done Differently

I learned from that experience that communication is not just a recommendation but a real necessity. If there is a huddle, everyone who can be should be there. If a quarterback calls a huddle in a game, a player who stands outside the huddle is going to be lost and will negatively impact the team. The same holds true in nursing: if a huddle is called, I want to be there because I know important information will be shared that will affect us all.

Elements of the Nursing Paradigm

Nursing

Fr me nursing is the provision of holistic care to a person in need so that the individuals health and well-being can be achieved. Nursing starts with compassion and builds upon knowledge, particularly evidence-based practice. Without knowledge of how best to care for patients, compassion has nothing to climb and therefore its potential for fruit is wasted.

Patient

The patient is not just a problemthe patient is a person. Every person should be treated with respect and as an autonomous individual. The patients rights must never be violated and the patient should always be part of the decision-making process when it comes to his health, insofar as that is possible.

Health

Health is a state of well-being that includes physical, mental, social, financial, and spiritual attributes. Too often health is narrowly defined in physical terms, and this only serves to create obstacles to holistic care. I view health as related to the…