N108: Transition to the Registered Professional Nurse

N108: Transition to the Registered Professional Nurse Role Study Guide 3.11 Leadership Theories and Styles The making of a good leader is the focus of leadership theory. As with nursing theory and change theory, leadership theorists create models to explain relationships between concepts. In leadership theory, these concepts are the traits of the leader, the ability to lead, and the situation. Today’s healthcare work environment relies on teamwork and shared decision making. Many believe the goals of the organization are most likely to be met if transformational leadership is employed. When this is effectively implemented, transformational leadership can result in agreements about priorities, shared values, perceived common goals, and meaningful purposes. • Situational leadership : This type of leadership suggests the basis of leadership in the situation or environment and the behaviors of leaders in response to the situation. o Contingency theory examines factors in the situation and the skills of the leader and their position of power in the organization as determinants of leader effectiveness. o Path-goal theory relates leader’s ability to minimize obstructions to the goal and identifies outcomes for workers to increase worker satisfaction and productivity. • Transformational leadership : This type of leadership examines leadership in terms of striking a bargain, in which there is a mutual exchange between leaders and followers. This is sometimes referred to as a reward or punishment approach. It maintains stability of the organization while offering rewards to employees for performance and met goals. Nursing Leadership Styles Situations and settings can vary for the nurse; therefore, nursing leadership styles need to adapt within the healthcare setting. The major role of the nurse is to provide care to patients; however, the nurse also functions as an educator when she teaches a patient how to change the dressing on a wound. Nurses have the responsibility to be a patient advocate to help their patient receive high quality care. The nurse uses a variety of leadership styles and his or her behavior as a leader may be autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire, or multicratic. The characteristics are as follows: • Autocratic Leader: Manager makes the majority of decisions: o Leader controls o Leader decides o Leader is responsible o Leader is active o Group output is high and good quality o Most efficient • Democratic: This is the best style for a nurse leader to use: o Leader shares control with the group o Leaders shares decision-making power with the group o Leader shares responsibility with the group o Leader is active o Group output is efficient and high quality o Less efficient

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