Leadership is a critical practice in every nursing practice. According to Chesterman (2012, p. 3), “leadership exists when there is a shared purpose, a leader, and a follower”. These three aspects will always be indivisible. The concept of leadership focuses on a shared purpose in order to achieve the best outcomes. The main role of true leadership is to achieve the targeted goals. This fact explains why Challeff offers a powerful concept of leaders. According to Ira Challeff, followers and leaders should always orbit around a common goal or purpose. This knowledge explains how nursing can benefit from this concept. Staff nurses should “focus on the targeted purpose while at the same time playing the role of active followers” (Vondey, 2008, p. 54). Leaders should always support the goals of their staff nurses. Every staff nurse should be ready to become an effective follower. This position will give them the power to learn new competencies. This scholarly paper describes a clinical situation involving staff nurses. The discussion explains why staff nurses and leaders should work harmoniously in order to get the best outcomes.
Scholarly Paper
Analysis of a Clinical Situation Involving Staff Nurses
The ultimate goal of medical practice is to support the health needs of many citizens. Staff nurses should work hard in order to achieve this ultimate goal. A “staff nurse is a registered practitioner who works in a medical facility” (Hoption, 2014, p. 132). Staff nurses do not assist in different surgeries. The success of every clinical practice depends on the application of different nursing theories. Such theories present powerful concepts that can improve the performance of many medical practitioners. Medical practitioners can use such theories to fulfill the health expectations of their patients. They can also use their skills to support the needs of different communities.
The targeted clinical scenario takes place in a general health facility. The targeted facility treats over 200 patients every day. The institution also offers both inpatient and outpatient medical services. The health facility has a total of 20 staff nurses. Every nurse in the hospital works hard in order to provide quality care to their patients. The concept of teamwork is also evident in the facility. Every team has a competent Nurse Leader (NL). Such NLs identify and implement powerful practices that can produce the best medical outcomes. They also cooperate with their nurses in order to achieve the targeted results. Majority of the staff nurses always focus on the changing needs of their patients (Hoption, 2014). They work tirelessly in order to meet the desires of their patients.
Nurses should “always be patient-advocates” (Hoption, 2014, p. 131). This knowledge makes it easier for them to monitor and manage their patients. They interact with their patients using evidence-based strategies. For instance, the institution is admired by many patients because it provides culturally-competent care. This situation shows clearly that the healthcare workers fulfill the socio-cultural and religious needs of their patients. These staff nurses have been promoting the best disease management practices (DMPs). They also encourage different family members to support their clients (Vondey, 2008). The hospital uses effective medical interventions in an attempt to provide quality health services.
These practitioners also form a powerful healthcare team. Such staff nurses have been working with different medical practitioners in order to achieve the best health outcomes. For instance, such NPs collaborate with different experts such as physicians, caregivers, nurse aids, and physical therapists. These individuals work together without any form of discrimination. They also share their ideas and suggestions. Such nurses embrace every suggestion presented by their NLs. The leaders in the facility also borrow numerous ideas from these NPs (Vondey, 2008). Every medical leader in the facility works hard in order to treat more patients.
The other notable practice in this medical facility is the promotion of evidence-based practices. Most of the staff nurses read widely. They also undertake numerous researches and studies in order to improve their competencies. Knowledge-sharing has become a common practice among these nurse practitioners (NPs). Most of the leaders in the institution encourage their nurses to use modern health technologies. For instance, such nurses are encouraged to use modern medical equipment. They also share patient information using modern communication systems (Grossman & Valiga, 2013). The use of such technologies has improved the level of decision-making at the hospital. Majority of these staff nurses also embrace the power of evidence-based practices. The workers have been expanding their skills and competencies in order to get the best results. Personal growth is taken seriously by many NPs. The above practices make it easier for many medical organizations to support the health expectations of their patients (Peter-O’Grady & Malloch, 2013).
Applying Chaleff’s Perception of Leaders and Followers
The above clinical situation presents numerous ideas and practices that can improve the nature of nursing. The above scenario supports Chaleff’s perception of followers and leaders. The agreeable fact is that the staff nurses and leaders in the institution work hard in order to achieve their goals. The medical facility also supports the changing health needs of many patients. The NPs and NLs work together without any form of hierarchy. It is also notable that nurses should always respect their leaders. The role of the leader is “to monitor and lead others by example” (Grossman & Valiga, 2013, p. 29).
The leader becomes the source of guidance and support. The conventional idea of the followers orbiting around the leader is described in the above clinical situation. The targeted staff nurses work together as a team in order to get the best results. Such “results and expectations present the targeted purpose” (Grayson & Speckhart, 2006, p. 3). These staff nurses also collaborate with their leaders in order to achieve their targets. At the same, the nurses must orbit around their leaders. NLs should always support and influence their practitioners. They also use the best skills, ideas, and competencies in an attempt to produce the best medical outcomes. They also accept useful ideas and feedbacks from their followers. This relationship is relevant because it produces the best results.
Staff nurses should work harmoniously with their leaders. However, they should “be accountable for their ideas and actions while relinquishing some power to the leader” (Grayson & Speckhart, 2006, p. 4). They also collaborate with their leaders in order to implement the best healthcare practices. This perception is beneficial because it makes it easier for many nurses to acquire new skills from their leaders. Such leaders should also borrow new concepts from their followers. This scenario explains the conventional idea of the followers orbiting around their leader. At the same time, leaders and their followers must work together in order to achieve their goals. The above clinical situation explains why the medical institution always provides quality health services to its patients. This description goes further “to support Chaleff’s perception of followers and leaders, both orbiting around a common purpose” (Chesterman, 2012, p. 3).
Significance of Staff Nurses as Effective Followers
Chaleff’s perception of leaders and followers explains how nurse staffs can provide quality support to their patients. The role of staff nurses as effective followers presents many strengths and advantages. It is agreeable that such followers (or staff nurses) do not have authority. However, they have the potential to transform the nature of medical practice (Peter-O’Grady & Malloch, 2013). These followers should also remain accountable and responsible. This role encourages many nurses to focus on the best outcomes while benefiting a lot from the leader. They also have the potential to challenge the ideas presented by their leaders. This situation makes it possible for them to focus on the best health outcomes.
They also “gain critical support and training from their respective leaders” (Peter-O’Grady & Malloch, 2013, p. 45). This knowledge gives them the autonomy to offer quality health services. They also benefit from the leader’s vision. The vision “can result in continuous learning and growth” (Hoption, 2014, p. 134). The role of a follower can be described as a personal right. These staff nurses acquire new leadership ideas that can support their future career goals. They can also undertake new challenges because they have someone to guide them. Followership also creates a sense of teamwork. The targeted followers can create new teams depending on the anticipated health goals.
The “concept of followership makes it possible for staff nurses to treat learning as a lifelong process” (Vondey, 2008, p. 56). Such practitioners will be able to acquire new competencies. The ideas presented by Chaleff make it easier for many healthcare institutions to offer quality medical services. In conclusion, staff nurses should be effective followers in order to acquire new skills. They will also become competent providers of quality medical care.
Personal Reflection
This scholarly paper has equipped me with powerful ideas that can transform my nursing philosophy. The identified clinical situation explains why staff nurses should work together in order to get the best health outcomes. I now understand how to interpret Chaleff’s perception of followers and leaders. According to the theorist, leaders and followers should always work together in order to achieve their goals. This scholarly paper shows how the concept can be applied in different clinical settings (Grossman & Valiga, 2013). For instance, Nurse Leaders should use their competencies to support their practitioners. Such practitioners should also become effective followers. This approach will ensure these practitioners work together. They will eventually be able to offer quality medical services to their patients.
At the same time, staff nurses and caregivers should also orbit around their leaders. This conventional idea explains how such nurses will be able to achieve their outcomes. They will also develop new skills in medical practice. The concept of teamwork is also identified in this paper. Leaders should create powerful teams. They should also empower their teams using the best competencies. Staff nurses should also become effective followers. Nurses should “respect, challenge, honor, and collaborate with their leaders” (Grayson & Speckhart, 2006, p. 5). This strategy will make it easier for them to acquire new competencies. Nurses should also undertake new studies in order to provide evidence-based care to their patients. I am planning to read more books and articles in order to understand the benefits of Chaleff’s leadership model. I will also apply such skills in my nursing practice. The proposed practice will eventually make me a competent provider of quality health services.
Reference List
Chesterman, D. (2012). The Road Less Travelled: Inquiring into Followership as a Means of Developing Leadership Capability. Web.
Grayson, D., & Speckhart, R. (2006). The Leader-Follower Relationship: Practitioner Observations. School of Leadership Studies, 1(1), 1-6.
Grossman, S., & Valiga, T. (2013). The New Leadership Challenge: Creating the Future of Nursing. Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Press.
Hoption, C. (2014). Learning and Developing Followership. Journal of Leadership Education, 1(1), 129-137.
Peter-O’Grady, T., & Malloch, K. (2013). Leadership in Nursing Practice: Changing the Landscape of Health Care. Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett.
Vondey, M. (2008). Follower-Focused Leadership: Effect of Follower Self-Concepts and Self-Determination on Organizational Citizenship Behavior. Emerging Leadership Journeys, 1(1), 52-61.