Our reasons for choosing a profession change as we grow. At five, kids may feel drawn to the courage of a firefighter. A preteen may adore the “big adult” vibe of an office worker or the glamor of a musician. Nursing is one profession that resonates with the heartstrings. It evokes kindness, empathy, and nurture.
Gallup’s 2023 Honesty and Ethics report turned out to be dismal. It found that many professions in the US have seen a fall in ethics ratings. Still, nurses remain the most trusted. Almost 78% of adults in the US believe that nurses are honest and ethical.
A career in nursing can bring emotional fulfillment. But like any other profession, it is crucial to keep learning to better oneself. As a nurse, you may aspire to a leadership position in education services. Or you may be considering
academic medical centers. Nursing leaders and managers can play a deciding role in healthcare policy. They can shape more satisfactory care for patients.
Here are three essential skills you must develop as a nurse for a future leadership position.
#1 Emotional Intelligence
Empathy and responsiveness emerge as top-of-the-mind skills when you think of a nurse. Emotional strength is an important personality trait for nurses. This is especially true among those in substance abuse hospitals and home-based healthcare. Facing daily exposure to physical and mental illness can be taxing. It often takes a toll on a nurse’s health.
To excel in a leadership position, you should strengthen your emotional sensitivity. You can fine-tune it into emotional intelligence.
The Journal of Nursing Management reports that emotional intelligence can influence nursing performance. It also boosts work engagement. As a leader, you must lead team members compassionately, like you treat patients. Doing so requires distinct emotional intelligence skills. For example, you should know how to motivate others and be empathetic in emergencies.
The journal further notes that nurse leaders must showcase caring for the team. It requires an understanding of motivational leadership. Nurse leaders can adopt a people-centered management style with effective communication. It will help the team work well in a fast-paced healthcare setting.
Tip: Workshops are a great way to improve emotional intelligence. They encourage group participation while balancing your sense of self. You should also exhibit emotional intelligence in work situations. For example, you should encourage cooperation among fellow nurses and other health practitioners.
You should also work on building stress tolerance. Nurses can do this by practicing techniques for self-regulation and active listening. Sometimes, little things like taking a walk or having a coffee with a colleague can help clear your mind. Building such habits will help you prepare for more responsibilities in the hospital.
#2 Strategic Problem Solving
Lest you assume “strategy” is a term restricted to a corporate boardroom, we should prepare you.
Nursing is a challenging profession. Many nurses face service delivery and quality issues in their establishment. Overburdening is a rampant problem due to understaffing and inefficient planning or allocation. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the problem of safety risks in hospitals. Many nurses lacked adequate personal protective equipment.
Leadership positions in nursing will involve strategic brainstorming and problem-solving for service-related issues. You will share insights into the organization’s quality management model. It will help you plan quality initiatives with other departments. These could be training programs on tackling an infectious disease breakout.
Tip: Put in the work to get a solid foundation in nursing leadership. Online DNP programs are a convenient way to build your leadership potential. You can continue working and access the course material on the web.
Tips to Pick an Educational Program for Nursing Leadership
Rule of thumb: Pick a program that aligns with your intrinsic motivations. It will keep you committed to the task during the long days and the exhausting shifts.
Spring Arbor University recommends following a combination of innovative and evidence-based initiatives. This approach will train you to develop an overarching vision of healthcare. You’ll also understand how to optimize delivery.
#3 Interprofessional Collaboration
Taking an integrated approach in healthcare is core to offering patient-centric care. It requires taking inputs from different sections under the healthcare ambit. These include diagnosis, therapy, and clinical instruction.
A Frontiers in Psychology study recommends that healthcare practitioners have an integrated view. They are students of nursing, psychology, medicine, and social work. It’s a harmonious world. Healthcare technologies are bringing diverse people together. It will become vital in the future to develop interprofessional competencies.
Nurses experienced in inter-professional contact will have an edge over others. They will feel comfortable working with different approaches to patient care.
Tip: You can improve this skill by seeking opportunities for shared training. You can improve this skill by seeking opportunities for shared training. These may be available in the hospital or community. It will expose you to different beliefs about patient health. At the same time, you can nurture your unique identity.
Despite the world’s technological progress, the population isn’t getting healthier. More of us are coming down with lifestyle-related disorders. High blood pressure, diabetes, and mental health problems are on the rise. The need for considerate and capable nurses is more urgent than ever.
While you make a growth path for your nursing career, you must sharpen your leadership skills. Shortcomings like communication issues and struggling with teams can loom big at work. Don’t let a skill gap affect your chances of doing something meaningful for healthcare.
