Sealing in success
Nursing is a vital component to healthcare reform and all nurses must be equipped with leadership competencies to lead improvement and redesign healthcare in the United States. Clinical work environments largely impact patient and nursing outcomes, which is why it’s extremely important that nurse leaders utilize leadership competencies to optimize and improve practice settings.
Communication and relationship management are key competencies noted in the literature that equip nurse leaders with the knowledge they need to improve clinical work environments by overcoming conflict, establishing collegial and collaborative relationships, enabling effective adaptation to change, and promoting a workplace that enhances job satisfaction and nurse retention. Communication and relationship building can be promoted at all levels of nursing through mentorship programs, interdisciplinary education, use of EI, and teambuilding interventions.
All nurses are leaders, in some capacity, despite their position because they have the ability to affect change in this rapidly evolving healthcare system. Experienced nurses, especially those with a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, are uniquely equipped to drive these changes through effective leadership. The leadership competencies set forth by the
AONE serve as a foundation for DNP leaders. As healthcare continues to undergo changes, nursing leadership needs to be proactive and strive to create healthy work environments through effective communication and relationship building. NM