Are you a Leader?

This is a motivating video on ARE YOU A LEADER?

This video shows some successful leaders who either failed at some point in their lives or had someone tell them they wouldn't succeed, but they overcame the doubt.  This short video shows that we can succeed and make a difference even if we are told we CAN'T. The only person who can decide if you are going to be a leader is YOU.

1. Know your purpose
2. Commit to your goals
3. Remain open-minded
4. Realize your fullest potential
5. Learn from your mistakes

AND YOU WILL BE A SUCCESSFUL LEADERS!

Here is how to develop as a LEADER

Developing as a LEADER throughout your career.....

"Emergence as a leader is a developmental leaning process in which capacities, insights, and skills gained through one experience or at one level serve as the basis for further growth; this leaders go through stages in their development" (Grossman & Valiga, 2009, p.158). 
Leadership is a lifelong process.   It is not something that is inherited.  Leadership needs to be learned and continuously improved or altered.  As our lives change and evolve, our leadership will be altered, and our skills will be refined, renewed and further developed (Grossman & Valiga, 2009). 

Here are ways to enhance your leadership.......

1. Participate in lectures, discussions, or formal coursework on leadership while in school.
2. Getting involved in role-playing and simulations even though they are STRESSFUL.
3. Observe others who are successful leaders.
4. Getting first hand experience- on the job training.
5. Constantly reflecting and performing self-assessments to make changes as needed.
6. Getting feedback from others.

These are great tips to enhance leadership.  One that really caught my attention was getting involved in SIMULATION.  Throughout nursing school we have done numerous simulations.  No matter how many we have done they are still stressful and anxiety provoking. This being said, I think we gain a lot of knowledge and leadership skills. 

Observing others who are successful leaders will help us as new nurses enhance our leadership skills and become more confident.  We can also learn what works and does not work as a leader!

"The development of leadership knowledge and skills throughout your career requires purposeful, goal directed action; honest, extensive self-assessment; a willingness to ask for assistance or guidance; and willingness to accept help or guidance when it is offered" (Grossman & Valiga, 2009, p.14).

“Eighty nine percent of what people learn comes

from what they see, ten percent from what

they hear, and one percent from other senses.

Thus, true leaders need to be consistent in

words and in action and behavior” (Maxwell, 1993).

So I encourage YOU to be aware of what kind of leader YOU want to be and support others to be successful leaders!

 

Grossman, S. & Valiga, T. (2009). The new leadership challenge: creating the future of nursing. F.A. Davis Company. Philadelphia, PA.

Maxwell, J. (1993). Developing the leader within you. Success Strategies. 75(74), 1-6. Retrieved from http://www.people.vcu.edu/~nlortiz/SuccessSummaryDLWU.pdf

The 3 C's of LIFE

Choices~selecting or making a decision when faced with possibilities.  

Each day we are faced with choices. Choices must be made considering the benefits, advantages or disadvantages of the choice made. How we respond and deal with them is different for each individual. Although we may be faced with the same choices, depending on how we respond, the outcomes can be completely different. Yes, we can come up with plenty of excuses as to WHY we didn't choice one option over another, but at the end of the day excuses are choices too. Sometimes it comes down to realizing that a change needs to happen and we have absolute control on how that will occur! Just remember NO CHOICE IS A CHOICE!

Chance~something that happens unpredictably.
How we react to the chances in front of us is the most important. Yes, taking a chance can be scary. If you stay positive and keep your eye on the end result you will succeed. The fear of failing and letting others down can STOP us from taking that chance. If we realize that the only person we are letting down is OURSELVES for not taking the chance. We will miss 100% of the chances never taken. TAKE THE CHANCE AND SEE WHERE IT TAKES YOU!

Change~to make different.
How you decide to change depends on the choices and chances you took. No one can change a situation you are in except for YOU. Change can also be scary and intimidating, but in the end it can be SO worth it.

So how does the 3 C's of life fit into my life?

• Well...I made a choice to go back to college.
• I knew I was taking a lot of chances by quitting work to pursue my nursing degree.
• I am excited to see how my life will change after I graduate nursing school in June 2013!!

Only YOU can make the choice, to take a chance, to change!!!

Family-Centered Care

I would like to introduce you to my nephew.  He was born at 26 weeks weighing on 14 ounces and 10 inches long.  He is 15 months, a determined, energetic, strong willed, little boy. He gives love unconditionally. He shows me one thing every day -that nurses DO make a difference in the lives of patients and families. 

I have never had an experience of this magnitude, but I am so grateful to have had this experience since it helped shape me personally and in my nursing practice!

My passion about family centered care has been framed around this personal experience and that is why I want to share that …..


Patient centered care is good, BUT family-centered care is better.

Here is why:

1. Better patient outcomes

2. Decreased length of stay

3. Enhanced parent-infant attachment and bonding

Patient-Family-centered care is an approach to the planning, delivery, and evaluation of health care that is grounded in mutually beneficial partnerships among health care providers, patients, and families. This type of care acknowledges the vital role families play in ensuring health and well-being of the patient. For more information about family centered care click here.

Viewing the family as the child’s primary source of strength and support, family-centered care incorporates respect, information, choice, flexibility, empowerment, collaboration and support into all levels care.
One of the nurse’s most important roles is to provide support to the family. This is done by enabling and empowerment. Enabling is done by allowing them to use their current skills while learning and acquiring new skills.  Empowerment is done by giving them a sense of control and encouragement.

Family-centered care needs to be responsive to family needs and the the health care needs to be planned with the family.

If your wondering how to determine if you are providing this type of care here are some TIPS.....

• If families are encouraged & supported to stay with their child when they are receiving health care services.
• If parents are able to accompany & support their child during procedures
• If  families receive the information and support they need and request
• If families are invited to share their knowledge of their child and suggestions for their care
• If families are allowed to participate in all of their child's care & become members of the care team.

So I challenge you to decide what type of care you would want to receive and ensure that is the care you are giving to others. Some times it is the smallest things that make the difference and can have a life long affect on a family!

Institute for Patient-and Family-Centered Care. (2013). Frequently asked questions. Retrieved from http://www.ipfcc.org/faq.html

Decision-Making Skills

Decision making plays a VITAL role in Nursing.....

Decision making is a vital component to life and can be looked at as a behavior.  This is because it requires critical thinking in order to make a decision. If the decision is poor it can hinder progress, waste time and resources, cause harm or damage, and can ultimately affect a career (Huber, 2006).  The outcome from a poor decision may not be seen immediately, but it may have severe consequences over time.

"Making decisions may be the most important component of any nurse's job" (Huber, 2006, p.149).  Decisions faced by nurses are related to the work environment, awareness of their clinical role, autonomy, and the level in which they see themselves as active and influential leaders in decision making.

Huber (2006) gives an example of when a decision was made to decrease the ratio of RN's to nurse's aides in order to reduce expenses. This may result in a short term cost savings, but if not implemented correctly, it could result in poor patient care over time.  Unintended consequences of a decision like this is higher turnover of senior nurses, increased adverse events, medication errors, decreased staff morale, lower patient satisfaction. The long term outcome of this decision may result in the exact opposite of what they were trying to accomplish-reducing expenses. 

So, in order to make an informed decision,  problem solving is required.  Problem solving requires.....

• Knowing who owns the problem (system, individual, etc)
• Evaluate potential solutions
• Search for alternative e solutions,
• Evaluation 
• Select an alternative solution

This will help identify obstacles that may arise and can be dealt with at the beginning stage instead of in the future. 

"Nurses make decisions in personal, clinical, and organizational situations and under conditions of certainty, uncertainty, and risk" (Huber, 2006, p.150). 

 This quote is so true!  I see this occurring every time I am work in the hospital. Nurses are always problem solving and making decisions. Nurses are faced with having to make difficult decisions with little if any evidence based research to support their potential decision. This being said, other nurses are available to problem solve with and the physicians are a phone call away for support and additional knowledge when needed.   I think when having to problem solve and make a decision it is vital to have a strong TEAM like work environment.  This will enhance the process of problem solving and decision making.  Also having a multi-generational workforce and a range of experience levels will improve the outcomes.

 

Awareness of decision making contributes to effective nursing leadership and management decision making (Huber, 2006).

Huber, D. (2006). Leadership and nursing care management (3rd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier

Which do you want to be?

Are You A Manager Or A Leader?

Here is some information that will differentiate the two and then YOU can make the decision on which you want to be.

Managers focus on the coordination and integration of resources through planning, organizing, coordinating, directing, and controlling to accomplish goals and objectives. Leaders do all this, but in addition they influence people to accomplish goals and objectives (Huber, 2006).

Managers focus on tasks while leaders focus on the people.
Here is some differences between the roles.....
 
Martin Seidenfeld wrote an article called "Are you a manager or Leader?" and he makes some interesting points about leaders. 

• Intelligence it important, but intelligence alone does not predict your ability to be a successful leader.
• Emotional Intelligence really distinguishes a successful leader.
• Self-awareness of strengths and weakness in order to change behavior style as needed.
• "The ability to moderate their own behavior is the skill needed for effective self-management: great leaders don’t lose their cool under pressure"(Seidenfeld, n.d.).
• Social awareness in order to see conflict approaching and to create a successful team
• Relationship management

Leaders make themselves available to others.  They understand the importance of relationship building.  Teamwork and cohesiveness is what a leader will aim to achieve.
 
In order to become a successful leader focus on improving your emotional intelligence. This is not something you are born with, you have to work for it.
 
"One way to train yourself to become a great leader is to think of the best manager you ever had, the one who everybody liked and strove to do their best for. Try to analyze what there was about him that made him such a great leader" (Seidenfeld, n.d.).

To read more from this article click HERE.

I have worked with mangers and with leaders.  I think more gets accomplish with a leader approach.  The work environment is also more welcoming, friendly. and creative. I don't know about you, but I like to be involved is decision making, when possible rather than being told what to do and how. I understand there are time when that is appropriate, but I also think there are times when more input should be allowed.

I know I will continue to work on myself in order to become a successful leader.  I challenge YOU to do the same.

READY, SET, GO.............

Huber, D. (2006). Leadership and nursing care management (3rd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier 
Seidenfeld, M. (n.d.). Are you a manager or a leader? Retrieved from http://www.alnmag.com/print/6161

Lets Talk About Strengths.....



Do you know what your strengths are?

As a leader knowing your strengths and your employees will help increase productivity, improve patient and family satisfaction and employee morale through an enhances understanding of how to work together successfully and respectfully.  Since each individuals strengths vary, it is ideal to pair them up as they will each bring something different to the table. 

As an employee it is also important to know your strengths. You can learn a lot from others and be a inspiration to others as well.  Each individual will approach things based on their strengths and it is a good idea to be aware of others strength around you.
3 reasons why you should know your strengths

1. Saves time
2. Enhances self confidence
3. Allows for further growth

So I challenge you to make a list of your strengths...

I think being aware of our individual strengths will help us stand out in an interview, especially if we can give examples of how we use our specific strengths.  I  needed to work on my list of strengths, so after attending a discussion at the Denford Center at the University of Minnesota with director Dr. Dan Pesut, I went home and complete a FREE online strengths assessment.
I went to strength insight to complete the assessment.  After completing the questions it gave me a list of my top 3 strengths, my middle strengths, and my least valued strengths. 

The description of my strengths was:

You are in control of your thoughts, actions, and emotions.

Taking unnecessary risks in life does not appeal to you.

When making decisions you carefully analyze how those choices will affect you.

 You are not prone to outbursts or erratic behavior; you take care not to say or do something that you may regret at a later time.

People respect and trust the decisions and choices that you make.

Rash decisions often have poor results.

Practicing prudence ensures that you have carefully examined the potential outcomes of your actions. This trait is often possessed by people that are known for being very balanced.

 

I  found this assessment to pretty accurate and extremely helpful.  It helps focus your strengths and explains how to apply them.  I encourage you to go to this website and answer the questions. 

 

 

StrengthsInsight. (2012). Discover your strengths. Retrieved from http://strengthsinsight.com/?gclid=COSryYHxqrUCFe9aMgodFVAAVA

STAKE

What's at Stake?



On Tuesday February 5, our Leadership class attended a round table discussion at the Densford Center at the University of Minnesota with Dr. Dan Pesut.

Dr. Dan Pesut showed a website called  ThePrimes.com, which I think is a very beneficial website with multiple videos for educational purposes.  They are not long, but they contain very useful and valuable information.
Chris McGoff states that the "whats at stake makes people go from the current state to a future state."  In order for people to want to change they need to focus on what is at stake.

In order to make a change or transformation, leaders need to motivate their employees and ensure that all learners are address. Mr McGoff refers to this as addressing the 3 kinds of listening.

The STAKE video shows the three basic ways that people listen:

1. Analytical people listen with their Heads (brain)
2. Emotional people listen with their Hearts
3. Financially motivated people listen with their Wallets ($$$)

According to Chris McGoff (2011), "The CORE PRIME distinguishes five essential agreements people must make and maintain to achieve extraordinary results. Get it right, you pass. Get it wrong, you fail."
The five CORE agreements are:

1. As Is — must agree on the current situation as is.
2. Environment — must agree on what’s happening around them, which they’re unable to affect, but which will affect them.
3. STAKE — must agree on what’s at stake if they stay where they are and don’t change.
4. To Be — must agree on a vision of the future they desire.
5. Strategy —Lastly, must agree on how to break out of the As Is and chart an irreversible course toward the To Be. 

According to Chris McGoff (2011) "before any change or transformation can occur, people must be convinced; therefore, the STAKE must operate on an organizational, community, and personal level."

I thought this video was very interesting, because it explains how we as  leaders should address others on each level analytical, emotional, and financial.  In order to make a change the 3 kinds of listening need to be included.  Stake conversations are made on a 3 tiered approach to motivate everyone. I thought it was interesting that the approach  in all 3 conversations should be from a negative and positive. If I wanted to make a change I would incorporate this approach to get the best outcome possible.  This will ensure that each member is addressed and respected in the process.

 

The Primes. (2011). Stake. Retrieved from http://theprimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=96&Itemid=55&prime=43

"True learning involves figuring out how to use what you already know in order to go beyond what you already think"-unknown

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking in nursing is an essential component of professional accountability and quality nursing care. Critical thinkers in nursing exhibit these habits of the mind: confidence, contextual perspective, creativity, flexibility, inquisitiveness, intellectual integrity, intuition,open-mindedness, perseverance, and reflection. Critical thinkers in nursing practice the cognitive skills of analyzing, applying standards, discriminating, information seeking, logical reasoning, predicting and transforming knowledge (Scheffer & Rubenfeld, 2000, P.357).

 

Critical thinking skills enhance the quality of clinical judgement, problem solving, and decision making" (Huber, 2006, p. 141).  In order to enhance these areas the nurse leader can encourage critical thinking and problem solving by asking questions and brainstorming. 

 

Critical thinking skills continue to evolve over time and with experience. Nurses have a tremendous influence on patient care, therefore perfecting this skill can only  lead to a better understanding of what we are doing and why it is being done.

 

When Are Critical Thinking Skills Needed?

     *when performing a nursing

          ~assessment

          ~diagnosis

          ~planning

          ~implementation

          ~evaluation

     *to recognize, interpret, integrate information

     *when acting as a patient advocate

     *when communicating, listening, and observing

We as new graduates have the ability to enhance our critical thinking skills and bring new perspectives to the workplace.  "Putting the puzzles pieces together" will become easier with experience and the help of our successful leaders. With experience we too can perfect these skills and teach others as they enter the nursing field.  Teamwork and delegation are very important to encompass into critical thinking.  Each day at work we will face situations that require us to think critically and problem solve. I will continue to educate myself and stay on top of evidence based practice in order to think critically and provide patients with high quality exceptional care.



 

Huber, D. (2006). Leadership and nursing care management (3rd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier

Scheffer, B., & Rubenfeld, M. (2000). A consensus statement on critical thinking in nursing. Journal Of Nursing Education, 39(8), 352-359

 

The Power of Four.....

This is the first time in history that there have been four different generations working side-by-side in the workplace.  They are the Veterans (1922-1943), the Baby Boomers (1943-1960), the Generation Xers (1960-1980), and the Nexters (1980-2000).           

Lets break it down with some workplace characteristics!

1.) Veterans >hard work/see work as an obligation >respect authority >formal communication style >interact individually >experience is respected >neither work or family shall meet 2.) Baby Boomers >work all the time & work efficiently >question authority >see work as an exciting adventure >interact as a team player-love meetings >communicate in person >title recognition >NO balance between work & family: WORK TO LIVE

3.) Xers >want structure & direction >work is a difficult challenge >work is seen as a CONTRACT >entrepreneur & challenges others >communicates  directly & immediately >use cell phones >Work Life Balance 4.) Nexters >digital natives >multitasking >goal oriented & tolerant >work is a means to an end >interact in a participative manner >communicate via e-mail & voicemail >Work Life Balance

"Each of these generations are contributes to the productivity of nursing, and each is needed in the workforce despite the potential conflicts that might arise form their differing work ethics" (Huber, 2006, p.800).

 

"Although four different generations in the workforce can present leadership challenges, the diversity can also add richness and strength to the team if all staff members are valued for their contributions" (Sherman, 2006).  

               *If the leader can develop the skill to view the generational differences it will allow the leader to adapt their leadership style to enhance quality and productivity, reduce conflict, and maximize the contributions of all staff.

              *It is important that all employees are held to the same work expectations, organizational policies, and procedures regardless of generation, but nurse leaders should also consider employee needs and generational differences.

              *Ensuring accurate communication between and within each generation is understood and respected will enhance bridging the generational gap in the workforce.

 

Click HERE for entire article on "Leading a Multigenerational Nursing Workforce: Issues, Challenges and Strategies".  This article provides an overview of the generational cohorts and presents strategies that nursing leaders can use to coach and motivate, communication with, and reduce conflict for each generational cohort of nurses.

 

Click HERE for another great article on "Integrating Generational Perspectives in Nursing".  This article will discuss various sources of multigenerational misunderstandings and conclude with a discussion of approaches to strengthen intergenerational work teams. The article will emphasize that learning to appreciate the diverse points of view, leverage the strengths, and value the differences in colleagues from various generations can enable individuals to form creative, adaptable, and cohesive work groups.

 

I think the opportunity to work in a environment with four different generations can be extremely rewarding if each generation respects the other!  There is a vast knowledge base in each generation that can be shared with each other.  I personally enjoy working with all generations.  I learn just as much from the Veteran and Boomer generations as I do from the Xer and Nexter generations.  They each have their own set of skills and experiences that are valuable to me as I am nearing GRADUATION!!!  Being a nurse leader can be difficult with the diversity in the workplace, but learning these generational differences can make the relationships between employees and management successful.  And as we have all seen HAPPY nurses create less turnover and lower burnout rates!!!

 

Huber, D. (2006). Leadership and nursing care management (3rd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier

Sherman, R., (May 31, 2006). "Leading a Multigenerational Nursing Workforce: Issues, Challenges and Strategies". OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. Vol. 11, No. 2, Manuscript 2



Weston, M., (May 31, 2006) "Integrating Generational Perspectives in Nursing" OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing Vol. 11 No. 2, Manuscript 1