Leadership Styles in Nursing

Leadership is important through a variety of roles in the health care field, but especially important for a person that has chosen nursing as their career path. Leadership gives the nurse the ability to take on the role required, directing other nurses on the team and ensuring that the patient receives the level of care that is going to assist the patient in their recovery.

It is quite important to develop leadership qualities as a registered nurse, because there are often going to be other nurses that are present through the team, looking for the direction from the registered nurse. Licensed Practical Nurses and nurses assistants both look to the registered nurse for direction in the tasks that should be completed and the assurance that the job is being completed satisfactorily.
 

What are some of the leadership styles that can be developed by nurses?

Direct Leadership
 

Direct leadership is often achieved by those with a very strong personality and includes the registered nurse having the ability to direct the other nurses and members of the team with the tasks that need to be completed, ensuring that everyone is aware of their role but also their responsibilities. This type of leadership enforces control for the tasks that are going to be completed to ensure that everything is completed as required.

Positive Leadership
 

Positive leadership skills are put into place in a work environment that maintains a positive atmosphere through the staff members, with the leadership team using elements like positive reinforcements and incentives to get tasks finished and ensure that everyone is performing up to par when it comes to their responsibilities through the job.

Learning to define which style of leadership that you are going to use throughout the career in nursing can be an effective way to develop your leadership style. Researching the various methods of nursing leadership can also be an effective way to ensure that the style is found that best suits the position and personality of the person in control.

Finding a leadership style that works for you, as a nurse, can help to increase the performance of the nurse and deliver the style that is bound to excel in the workplace.