In a 1994 publication, Storch was bold in her suggestions for nurse managers and administrators to heed the call of ethical leadership responsibilities at macro-, meso-, and microlevels of their work within and outside their organization.1
At macrolevels, leaders were called to be spokespersons, political strategists, and advocates ‘‘for health care reform, for maximizing the utilization of nurses as a valuable human resource, advocating client-centered attention in government policy and law reform, and ensuring nurses’ voices are heard and their views well represented’’ (p. 155).
At the mesolevel, ethical responsibilities called for the nurse manager to serve as the conscience of the health-care team, to avoid compromises that lead to decreased standards of care by neutralizing nursing contributions, to interpret nursing clearly, to support research, to support developing guidelines for client care, and to support nurses in dealing with ethical problems.
At the microlevel, nurse managers were called on to foster healthy work environments, create a climate that fosters caring and connectedness, recognize the importance of meeting nurses’ needs in order to meet client needs, and provide meaningful participation in decision making. They were also reminded that ‘‘ ... to deskill and to displace is to devalue’’ nurses and nursing (p. 156).
However, later statements48 are not nearly as bold or forceful and are sogentle that such considerations would likely be missed by the reader. Was this because the ideals and the realities of formal nurse leadership were no longer a fit with the changing leadership positions and/or had organizational values changed?