Growth in leadership

Reflection

Growth in leadership is critical because leaders provide the necessary guidance to employees. According to AONE (2005), “excellent leadership is essential to ensure excellent patient care” (15). I have learned and gained knowledge about the leader’s role in ensuring the delivery of safe and quality care. I agree with Bush (2014) that nurse administrators should understand and develop nurse-training programs to develop professionals who can deliver quality care. The course has improved my competence in the development of knowledge and skills among nursing staff. It has improved my leadership, collaboration, and communication skills. I have achieved considerable growth in knowledge sharing and used AONE checklist to evaluate my growth. After assessing my competencies, I have realized that I have improved in various areas and achieved positive personal development. For instance, I have attained communication competency, including the ability to deliver “good and bad” news to the patients and family. Secondly, I can communicate with the medical staff and work with my team collaboratively to achieve common objectives. Thirdly, I have gained knowledge in the health care environment. Fourthly, I have improved in professionalism.

However, the achievements have not been easy because I have been stretched and challenged as a nursing administrator. For instance, after the legal course, it was a challenge to write a letter to legislator and advocate for nurses’ needs. After successfully overcoming the problem, I can now contact a legislator and encourage other nurses to do so. I have been challenged to develop financial skills, an area I still consider myself a beginner. I should study and practice skills in real life. I need to improve; hence, I am working with a preceptor. Another challenge was the use of information management and technology, which are some of the skills I developed from the nursing informatics class.

As nurse leaders, we should continue learning and enhancing our skills to update our knowledge. Communication is essential to share knowledge with the staff and support their innovativeness. The AONE vision is to shape the future of healthcare through creative leaders (AONE, 2005). Therefore, I strive to become such a leader in my career.