Introduction
The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, or NONPF, has developed several core competencies that every medical specialist who wants to successfully conduct nursing practice should possess. They define an individual’s main characteristics and skills that will ensure the highest quality of nurse practitioners’ work and which should be mastered by each student during their studies. Thus, NONPF core competencies include scientific foundation, quality, practice inquiry, technology and information literature, policy, health delivery system, and ethics competencies. Leadership has become my chosen NONPF core competence for examination. This discussion post will provide an illustration of this competence in the context of my work as a student and a healthcare professional.
Discussion
Firstly, it is necessary to gain an understanding of what the chosen competence is. Leadership is one of the most valuable components of the work of nurse practitioners. This is because this competency implies constant interaction with other specialists and working in a team that requires leadership qualities for effective decision-making (Ledlow et al., 2023). Moreover, this competence implies “complex and advanced leadership roles to initiate and guide change” and the use of “critical and reflective thinking” (Thomas et al., 2017, p. 3). Therefore, compliance with this component of nurse practitioners’ activities will lead to changes in the healthcare sector, improve the quality of medical services, expand accessibility, and create cost-effective healthcare.
As a student, I can give some examples of how this competence manifests itself during my studies and the coursework or assignments completed in other classes. Leadership qualities can manifest themselves when performing group tasks in which it is necessary to distribute roles between participants. This includes identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each student and assigning roles that will allow the most successful completion of the task assigned to the group. Moreover, leadership competence can be exemplified through acquiring the skills of establishing communication with people, both other students and teachers, and professors. This provides an opportunity to understand the dynamics of relationships between people of different positions and responsibilities. Another example may be acquiring knowledge about various innovative methods of treatment, which can then be translated and initiated into professional medical activities to drive change.
Leadership competence assists me not only during training but also in internal professional activities. Therefore, I work as a home health nurse whose activity involves taking care of patients in a home environment. Within the framework of this activity, leadership contributes to “delivering excellent patient care, collaboration and implementation of innovations” (Heinen et al., 2019, p. 2389). When carrying out my activities and tasks, I always try to consult with other specialists who will help me in finding solutions to improve the condition of patients and improve the quality of services provided. In addition, leadership competence can be reflected in finding ways to interact with patients, understanding their needs and desires, and making joint decisions to ensure a comfortable course of treatment for them.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties’ core competencies allocated for nursing practitioners occupy a valuable place both for students and those who are already involved in professional activities. Leadership competence can be exemplified in group work, communication, and teaching innovative treatment methods in an educational setting. In medical practice, it can be used to improve the provision of medical care and improve the quality and effectiveness of its outcomes.
References
Heinen, M., van Oostveen, C., Peters, J., Vermeulen, H., & Huis, A. (2019). An integrative review of leadership competencies and attributes in advanced nursing practice. Journal of Advanced nursing, 75(11), 2378-2392. Web.
Ledlow, G. R., Bosworth, M., & Maryon, T. (2023). Leadership for health professionals: Theory, skills, and applications (4th edition). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Thomas, A., Crabtree, M.K., Delaney, K., Dumas, M.A., Kleinpell, R., Marfell, J., Nativio, D., Udlis, K., & Wolf, A. (2017). Nurse practitioner core competencies content. NONPF. Web.