NHS FPX 8002 Assessment 3 Personal Leadership Portrait Part 2

Name

Capella University

NHS-FPX 8002 Collaboration, Communication, and Case Analysis for Doctoral Learners

Prof. Name

Date

Transformational Leadership

After completing a leadership assessment, my results were as follows: Trait—15, Transformational—14, Contingency—13, Servant and Charismatic—12, and Transactional—9. The evaluation indicated that I am primarily a leader by trait, suggesting an inherent ability to lead. However, I perceive myself predominantly as a transformational leader. According to Akhtar et al. (2016), transformational leadership emphasizes developing each individual follower, fostering growth in self-awareness, teamwork, empowerment, and shared values within the workplace (p. 18). Transformational leaders typically lead by example. When new organizational practices are introduced, I take the initiative to demonstrate these practices, providing staff with a clear reference for implementation. One approach I actively engage in is conducting nursing visits. By dedicating a few hours daily to visit patients, I illustrate the importance of these interactions, ensuring that patients and families feel supported by the hospital, which, in turn, enhances the hospital’s HCAHPS scores.

In leadership, effective dialogue with team members is essential. Clear communication guarantees that expectations are fully understood. A vital aspect of effective communication is emotional intelligence, which involves being aware of one’s emotions and engaging with team members thoughtfully and empathetically. I recognize that emotional intelligence is an area where I need improvement, as I often approach situations with a “matter-of-fact” attitude. However, I am committed to enhancing this aspect of my leadership. Conversely, as a transformational leader, I am a good listener and genuinely care about the professional and personal growth of my team members. This leadership style allows me to identify team members ready for advancement and guide them toward leadership opportunities. Additionally, I see value in incorporating democratic leadership, as it encourages all team members to participate in decision-making processes, fostering a sense of shared governance that empowers individuals and ensures their voices are heard.

Interprofessional Relationships, Community Engagement, and Change Management

In my role as a healthcare leader, I have consistently approached the development of interprofessional relationships with authenticity. I respect each individual’s profession and engage with them as peers rather than elevating or diminishing their status. This respectful communication extends to community agencies, organizations, and stakeholders alike. My background growing up in underprivileged urban communities instilled in me the necessity of effective communication; I recognized early on that improving my vocabulary and presentation skills would be crucial for success. As a result, I have developed strong communication techniques that facilitate better interprofessional relationships, community engagement, and successful change management. Effective communication is the foundation of interprofessional collaboration. Although numerous tools have been developed to enhance communication over the years, opportunities for further innovation remain. Strategic communication is essential for empowering team members to collaborate effectively, enabling informed and responsive healthcare (Kreps, 2016).

Ethical Leadership Principles in Professional Practice

Ethical leadership can be defined as “the demonstration of normatively appropriate conduct through personal actions and interpersonal relationships, and the promotion of such conduct to followers through two-way communication, reinforcement, and decision-making” (Price, 2017, p. 689). Integrating ethical principles into professional practice is integral to transformational leadership. Leading by example is one of the most effective methods for promoting ethical standards. Ethical leaders must strive to model integrity, developing appropriate norms through their actions and interactions while remaining sensitive to moral issues. Additionally, they should enhance nurses’ performance by fostering respect for human dignity and promoting the same behavior in their subordinates (Barkhordari-Sharifabad et al., 2017). According to the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) (2017), leaders have a duty to earn the trust, confidence, and respect of healthcare professionals and the general public by modeling ethical behavior. The ACHE framework offers leaders a foundation for cultivating an ethical culture within interdisciplinary practice.

Addressing Diversity and Inclusion

Leaders must exemplify diversity and inclusion throughout the organization. Diversity encompasses race, culture, age, religious beliefs, political opinions, and physical attributes. Embracing diversity fosters varied perspectives that enhance problem-solving capabilities. Historically, diversity has faced challenges in acceptance, but inclusion has become increasingly vital in healthcare. Inclusion involves integrating individuals from diverse backgrounds or disciplines to improve patient outcomes. The National League for Nursing (NLN) developed a toolkit to assist leaders in formulating policies and practices that promote diversity and inclusion at two levels: administrative leadership and faculty/staff engagement. The NLN (2017) posits that diverse perspectives enable nurse educators to collaboratively establish policies that benefit all members of the healthcare system, while a lack of diversity impedes the nursing profession’s ability to deliver exemplary care (p. 3).

Scholar-Practitioners in Health Care

Scholar-practitioners bridge the gap between academic theory and practical application by merging scholarly research with hands-on experiences to enhance patient outcomes. They play a critical role in contemporary healthcare by developing and implementing innovations that improve the quality and safety of care for both patients and healthcare personnel, thereby fostering leadership and personal growth. Wright et al. (2018) noted that employing Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) students provided organizations with the capability to implement best practices supported by data, without the expense of hiring consultants (p. 329). Scholar-practitioners gather data from research studies and analyze solutions that have achieved similar outcomes.

They synthesize this research to create best practices for specific tasks, ultimately improving organizational efficiency. Critical thinking is a fundamental trait of scholar-practitioners, enabling them to tackle complex problems. Their expertise is invaluable across the healthcare spectrum, addressing research-to-practice and practice-to-research gaps. According to Smith et al. (2018), scholar-practitioners not only enhance hospital practices but also contribute to broader population-level changes. They leverage theoretical knowledge and research to refine their practices while using their experiences to inform the development and implementation of best practices.

References

Akhtar, M., Casha, J. N., Ronder, J., Sakel, M., Wight, C., & Manley, K. (2016). Leading the health service into the future: Transforming the NHS through transforming ourselves. International Practice Development Journal, 6(2), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.19043/ipdj.62.005

American College of Healthcare Executives. (2017). ACHE code of ethics. https://www.ache.org/about-ache/our-story/our-commitments/ethics/ache-code-of-ethics

Barkhordari-Sharifabad, M., Ashktorab, T., & Atashzadeh-Shoorideh, F. (2017). Obstacles and problems of ethical leadership from the perspective of nursing leaders: A qualitative content analysis. Journal of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine, 10(1), 1-12. http://library.capella.edu/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.proquest.com%2Fdocview%2F1991186346%3Faccountid%3D27965

Kreps, G. L. (2016). Communication and effective interprofessional health care teams. International Archives of Nursing and Health Care, 2(3). https://doi.org/10.23937/2469-5823/1510051

NHS FPX 8002 Assessment 3 Personal Leadership Portrait Part 2

National League of Nursing. (2017). Diversity and inclusion tool kit. National League for Nursing – Membership Association for Nurse Educators. Washington, DC. https://www.nln.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/diversity-toolkit

Price, T. L. (2017). A “critical leadership ethics” approach to the ethical leadership construct. Leadership, 14(6), 687-706. https://doi.org/10.1177/1742715017710646

Smith, L. S., & Wilkins, N. (2018). Mind the gap. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 24(1), S6-S11. https://doi.org/10.1097/phh.0000000000000667

Wright, P. P., & Cranmer, J. N. (2018). Leveraging graduate academic-practice partnerships to transform health system outcomes. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 42(4), 324-330. https://doi.org/10.1097/naq.0000000000000311