Applied Leadership Reflection
To effectively influence and lead healthcare teams, nurse leaders must be visionaries who see the big picture and set clear goals. Applied leadership represents the act of applying skills such as critical thinking, communication, and skilled guidance to control and manage a team toward a given goal (Indeed, 2022). During this program, I observed that nurse leaders must be skillful and know how to apply their skills in managing employees and motivating their teams.
During the coursework, I managed to develop my understanding of applied leadership by leading colleagues during shifts and making decisions when necessary. I got to observe how nurse leaders solved complex healthcare situations and the skills required to manage employees. I also managed to solve a few problems between colleagues and mobilized nurses during the strike.
The artifact that supports the definition of applied leadership is the leadership and professional image task completed in October. In this task, I managed to identify the challenge of communication between inpatient and outpatient departments. Through the use of investigation, research, and evidence-based practice, I managed to identify areas that could benefit from change and the most appropriate method to improve the issue of communication between the two departments. Skills like effective communication, time management, and collaboration were key to the success of the project.
Professional collaboration is a practice that involves working together with multiple healthcare teams towards a common goal. Professional collaboration is important because it promotes trust and respect among colleagues (Folkman et al., 2019). Secondly, professional collaboration promotes employee engagement and is a key aspect of improving employee satisfaction during healthcare service delivery.
References
Folkman, A. K., Tveit, B., & Sverdrup, S. (2019). Leadership in interprofessional collaboration in health care. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 12, 97–107. https://doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S189199
Indeed. (2022). Applied Leadership in Nursing (Plus Important Leadership Skills). [online] Indeed Career Guide. Available at: [Accessed 26 May 2022]
