Running head: LEADERSHIP AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT 1

Leadership and Personal Development

Adrianne Paeth

Northwest Nazarene University

NURS 6110: Leadership Perspectives for Advancing the Profession of Nursing

Dr. Kattie Payne

February 1, 2020
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Introduction

As the healthcare field continues to rapidly grow and progress, the need for nurse leaders

practicing to their full potential is more urgent now than ever (Scott & Miles, 2013). In order to

positively impact patient care nurses at every level must develop their leadership abilities to

challenge current practice (Hallock, 2019). As I begin a Master of Science in Nursing, it is

imperative to understand my own leadership style and how to fully develop it through personal

and professional growth.

Leadership Skills Development

Personal Leadership Assessment

Upon completing the Interactive Leadership Style Assessment (see Appendix), I was

identified as a contrarian leader. The contrarian leader is a valuable member and aids in the

success of any management team. Their tendency to carefully examine the pros and cons of

every situation, improves the organization’s functioning by bringing new evidence to decision

making (Holley, 2019). A contrarian sees situations in shades of gray, instead of in black and

white. In order to think and see in gray, contrarians do not form opinions until they have been

presented with all relevant facts and arguments (Sample, 2001).

Contrarian leaders exhibit many traits that strengthen the team and individuals.

Contrarians often delegate decision making to subordinates which, encourages subordinates to

strengthen their overall capacity and engage them more deeply (Sample, 2001). Holley (2019)

goes on to say when team members display differing opinions, contrarians accept arguments

without considering it to be a challenge of their authority. They appreciate being told of bad

news, so problems can be dealt with and be kept apprise of what is happening within the

organization.
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While many contrarian traits provide valuable contributions to a team, those that fall into

this leadership group need to be cautious. Holley (2019) notes contrarians can often be viewed as

nay-sayers on all issues because they often disagree about the means to reach a goal. Even

though disagreements are expected and encouraged during times of change, the contrarian leader

should propose other options so as not to be perceived as opposed to change all together. The

need for all pertinent information prior to making a decision, can pose a problem for the

contrarian when an immediate decision needs to be made. These situations are painful for the

contrarian leader and often leads to “flip-flopping when additional information is received”

(Sample, 2001).

This assessment accurately describes my leadership style. I frequently will hold off on

making a decision until all of the possible information has been gathered. If a decision has been

made and new information arises, I will often change my mind. Unfortunately, I habitually feel

as if I do not have all of the information, which makes me second guess decisions I have made. I

have a hard time delegating tasks and often take on too many responsibilities as a result. The

more responsibilities I accept, the less time I spend on tasks already accepted and tasks required

of a nurse leader. As change is suggested, I will frequently oppose an area or idea of the plan to

implement the change. When there is a discussion or difference of opinions, I am flexible to

hearing new ideas and listening to what another team member has to say and do not get upset or

feel challenged with opposing ideas. Due to this trait, I have been described as approachable and

I am usually the one other team members come to with problems. As I progress through my

personal and professional plan for growth, I will explore options to strengthen weaknesses and

further develop strengths.

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Plan for Ethical Leadership

Pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing to become a Family Nurse Practitioner is

accompanied with the accountability to uphold a high standard of personal and professional

integrity. The American Nurses Association’s Code of Ethics (2015) explicitly demands all

nurses to follow to values, moral norms, and ideas of the profession in every aspect of the

nurse’s life. For example, when nurses are out in the community, patients or their family

members may recognize them from the hospital or clinic. If the nurse is not acting ethically, the

patient may not trust the nurse to act ethically with their care. Nurse leaders have a responsibility

to fully understand and exude the ethical standards of the nursing profession to support other

nurses in their implementation of these obligations (Hemberg et al., 2018; ANA, 2015a)

In order to develop my ethical leadership skills, it is important to first know the ethical

standards required of all nurse leaders. The ANA (2015a) emphasizes the need to provide

compassion and respect for all individuals, to set the tone for ethical care and leadership to be

established. Ethical leadership is developed when colleagues feel their accomplishments are

recognized and they are valued as a trusted and competent member of the team (O’Neill, 2013).

O’Neill (2013) states that by elevating team members in this way, individuals will be more

committed to colleagues and to the overall team. Ethical nurse leaders are also responsible for

ensuring the maintenance of therapeutic relationships by taking the time to get to know each

individual along with their values. Encouraging and establishing an environment of open

communication will allow team members to express frustrations and ideas. The nurse leader is

responsible for actively listening to team members to navigate and seek guidance on situations

that may threaten an ethical workplace. Below I will lay out a plan to utilize these techniques

which will allow me to become an effective and ethical nurse leader.

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S.M.A.R.T. Goals

I will facilitate professional and therapeutic relationships with each team member. When

team members are dedicating time to a task, I will take the time to recognize them for their hard

work and accomplishments through a face to face interaction, email or card. Once a month, I

will bring breakfast or lunch for the team to encourage communication and team building.

Utilizing surveys every 4 months, will give the team a chance to provide feedback.

I will participate in 30 minutes of exercise alone and away from home at least 4 days per

week. I will wake up 45 minutes earlier to ensure the time is uninterrupted by family members. I

am setting this goal to provide myself with exercise and time to decompress from stressors as a

caregiver and leader. I will reassess stress levels, sleep quality, and overall mood in 3 months

and adjust exercise time accordingly.

I will delegate at least one skill level appropriate task per day while at work. Tasks such

as calling patients with normal lab results, changing appointment times, or faxing medical

records can be delegated to a medical assistance or secretary. This will strengthen open

communication between team members and myself. Appropriate delegation will allow me to

complete tasks with more focus and efficiency. I will compare the number and quality of current

tasks to tasks I have in 2 months.

When I need to make a decision, I will set an appropriate amount of time to research and

gather information pertinent to issue. After the set time has passed, I will form a decision and

will not change my decision. This will allow me to be more consistent and decrease unnecessary

time spent communicating different plans for the same issue. Over the course of 1 month, I will

make a list of notable decisions and their outcomes. If decisions had poor outcomes, I will allow

for more time to gather information.

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Personal Development Skills

Practicing at Highest Level of Education and Competency

The master’s prepared graduate is provided with an education that allows them to

practice in a wide variety of different roles (AACN, 2011). According to the AACN (2011),

graduates can enter the field by delivering direct patient care or by focusing on organizational

and system development. In any setting, master’s prepared nurses contribute fully to healthcare

by assessing and translating current evidence to improve quality of the healthcare system. The

AACN (2011) suggests that in order to fully contribute in this way, importance should be placed

on demonstrating leadership by utilizing respectful communication and collaboration to initiate

and maintain working relationships. By nurturing and maintaining these relationships, master’s

graduates can effectively lead interprofessional teams to find new solutions and solve current

practice problems to advance healthcare overall.

My goal in pursuing a master’s and become a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), my goal

is to begin my career by delivering direct patient care in a clinic setting. I hope to spend the first

5 years building my client base by providing high quality, safe, ethical, patient centered care.

During this time, I will build a network of professional relationships by actively participating in

local and national committees and organizations. This time will also be utilized to continually

observe, assess, and prioritize areas of the clinic setting and healthcare as a whole (AACN,

2011).

Once I feel confident in my field of practice, I will begin to truly utilize the information I

observed during the first few years of practicing as an FNP. During the next 5 to 10 years, I will

begin to research and translate evidence to advance current policies, practices, and procedures

that need improvement (AACN, 2011). Past and present professional relationships will support
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collaboration between different specialties and areas within healthcare. The more diverse

opinions and perspectives are, the more well-rounded suggested improvements and changes

become. The AACN (2011), notes the cyclical process of graduate nurses to include identifying

problems, researching solutions, evaluating outcomes, and identifying additional questions. To

fully practice to the highest extent of my education, I hope to be continually revolving through

the cyclical process for the rest of my nursing career.

Life-long Learning

The Institute of Medicine’s Future of Nursing (2011) report clearly states that a nurse’s

commitment to lifelong learning is a necessity to stay current with the rapidly evolving field of

healthcare. Lifelong learning helps establish an environment to embrace change by continually

encouraging nurses to develop personally and professionally (Kelley & Huckaby, 2015).

Deliberate learning provides an opportunity for individuals to expand fully into their role and

ultimately strength their nursing practice. In order to better serve patients, expand qualifications,

develop and refine skills within the continually evolving field of medicine, I am devoted to

continual learning (Petoloti, 2011).

Upon completion of a master’s degree, I want to begin my career as a nurse practitioner

in a cardiology or electrophysiology clinic. By utilizing ethical leadership skills and practicing to

the full extent of my education, I aspire to establish a practice where patients come to me for

safe, quality, and ethical care. In order to provide such care, it is imperative to stay current with

evidence-based practice and research. This will be accomplished by fulfilling the necessary

licensure requirements and by making active learning a part of my everyday practice (Kelley &

Huckaby, 2015).
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Within the next 15 years, I have several larger goals and certifications I hope to complete.

Within 2 years of graduation, I will begin working on the International Board of Heart Rhythm

Examiner’s Certified Cardiac Device Specialist certification. This certification will provide a

mastery of programming and overall functionality of pacemakers and defibrillators. After 5 years

of practice, I will study to become a Board-Certified Cardiovascular Nurse Practitioner from the

American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine. Once I have completed the above certifications, I

plan on continuing my education by returning to school to obtain a Doctor of Nursing Practice

(DNP). After these goals have been completed and I have about 10 to 15 years of direct patient

care experience, I hope to transition into an indirect patient care role, such as research,

management or education. However, the direction of which role I will pursue will depend upon

how my passions develop over the next 15 years.

While I love to learn, I have more drive to learn when I have a goal or a deadline to

meet. Knowing this about myself, I am continuously working on a certification relevant to my

field of study or pursuing formal education. As I work towards furthering my knowledge and

skill set in this way, my passion and drive for the nursing profession is kept alive.

Personal Plan to Support Self-care

Personally, the most difficult yet most important aspect of caregiving is to provide myself

with the same respect, encouragement, and care as I provide to my patients. Unmanaged stress

related to work can cause the work environment and other staff members to have decreased

morale, lowered efficiency, and a negative impact on patient care (Hines, 2019). However, self-

care looks different to every individual and a conscious effort must be made to find specific

selfcare techniques that are effective in decreasing stress. As a nurse leader, I must explore,

develop, and nurture my own self-care practices in order to promote health and safety, preserve
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wholeness or character and integrity, maintain competence, and continue personal and

professional growth (ANA, 2015b).

As a caregiver at work and home, many of the recommendations provided by the ANA

are tasks I should begin improving immediately for my own health and safety. Effective

techniques I have utilized in the past to reduce stress revolve around healthy eating habits,

routine exercise and family time, and performing an activity to relax my mind. Keeping a journal

where I can check boxes on selfcare items I complete each day, helps keep me motivated to

continue with the goals I have set for myself.

Within the next 3 months, I will increase my water intake and decrease sugar intake to

less than 25 grams of per day. I will exercise at least 30 minutes per day. For 8 consecutive

hours every weekend, I will focus on my relationship with family. I will not have my smartphone

or think about schoolwork during that time. During school breaks over the next 2 years, I will

read fiction books that I enjoy instead of focusing leisure time to scientific or medical literature.

Keeping track of each selfcare item and overall feeling every day will allow me to adjust goals

based off of how I am feeling and how successful I have been with each goal.

Professional Organization Involvement

Participating in professional organizations within the field of nursing is an effective way

of networking and staying current within a field of practice (Greggs-McQuilkin, 2005). As a

student nurse practitioner, I have recently joined the American Association of Nurse

Practitioners to begin networking and learning from other students and nurse practitioners across

the nation. Upon completion of my master’s degree, I will travel to conferences to further

network, enhance skills, strengthen knowledge, and discuss a wide variety of issues.
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As I begin practicing as an FNP, I will also join organizations more specific to my field

of practice. I hope to join the Heart and Rhythm Society within a year of practicing at an

electrophysiology clinic. Once I become a Board-Certified Cardiovascular Nurse Practitioner, I

will be eligible to apply for membership to The American College of Cardiology. These

organizations will provide valuable learning opportunities on the most current practice

recommendations and networking opportunities with specialists in the field of cardiology. These

organizations also hold conferences to bring members together to share knowledge and in turn

advance the field of cardiology.

Promoting Nursing’s Future

The rapidly growing profession of nursing has evolved faster than the policies that

govern it (IOM, 2011). Unfortunately, IOM (2011) further states that the healthcare as a whole

suffers from the outdated policies that place strict limits on a nurse’s scope of practice. Many of

these policies are created from individuals with little to no patient care experience (Govindarajan

& Ramamurti, 2018). In order to reform these policies, innovation must be driven by individuals

and groups intimately familiar with the needs of the health care system. As a master’s prepared

nurse, I hope to become an advocate for changing these policies on a state and national level.

Becoming an active member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)

will provide opportunities to meet new people and learn about new perspectives. Networking

with healthcare professionals, and patients, can help build a large group of individuals with one

collective voice. The AANP hosts an annual Health Policy Conference in Washington D.C. at

which current issues are discussed and individuals and groups are provided with the opportunity

to sit down with Idaho representatives or politicians to discuss those issues and offer solutions

face to face. If I attend this conference and actively advocate for policies to be updated, I can
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educate politicians who may not fully understand the constraints and detrimental effects these

policies have on healthcare. One face to face meeting will probably not produce results and

presenting new information as it becomes available along with frequent follow ups with

politicians will be expected.

Conclusion

The field of medicine is progressing faster than was ever imagined. Nurses must

intervene by utilizing their leadership skills and knowledge to challenge current practices and

policies hindering nurses from practicing to the full extent of their license and education. Patient

care and patient access across healthcare are suffering because of the limitations placed upon

nurses. Fully developing every nurse’s leadership style to become an effective nurse leader is

imperative to break the barriers and create a fully functioning healthcare system.
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References

American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2011). The essentials of master’s education in

nursing. Washington, DC.

http://www.aacnnursing.org/portals/42/publications/mastersessentials11.pdf

American Nurses Association, (2015a). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements.

Silver Spring, MD: American Nurses Association.

American Nurses Association, (2015b). Nursing: scope and standards of practice. Silver Spring,

MD: American Nurses Association.

Govindarajan, V. & Ramamurti, R. (2018). Transforming health care from the ground

up. Harvard Business Review, 96(4), 96–104. Retrieved from https://search-ebscohost-

com.nnu.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=130332114&site=ehost-

live&scope=site

Greggs-McQuilkin, D. (2005). Why join a professional nursing organization? Med/Surg Insider.

(35)8, 19. https://search-ebscohost-

com.nnu.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cmedm&AN=16127323&site=ehost-

live&scope=site

Hallock, A.B. (2019). A case for leadership development in nursing practice. Nephrology

Nursing Journal, 46(3), 325-328

Hemberg, J., Syrén, J., & Hemberg, H. (2018). Ethical Leadership in a New Light: As Described

by Leaders in Public Healthcare. International Journal for Human Caring, 22(4), 179–

188. https://doi-org.nnu.idm.oclc.org/10.20467/1091-5710.22.4.179
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Hines, M. (2019). Implementing self-care guidelines for nurses. Oklahoma Nurse, 64(4), 8–10.

https://www.nursingald.com/articles/24469-implementing-self-care-guidelines-for-nurses

Holley, R. (2019) The Contrarian Manager: The Importance of Alternative Viewpoints, Journal

of Library Administration, 59(3), 334-341, DOI:

https:////doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2019.1583013

Institute of Medicine. 2011. The future of nursing: leading change, advancing health.

Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/12956.

Kalb, K. A., & O’Conner-Von, S. (2007). Ethics education in advanced practice nursing: respect

for human dignity. Nursing Education Perspectives (National League for

Nursing), 28(4), 196–202. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17715804

Kelley, C. & Huckaby, S. (2015). Modeling the practice of lifelong learning in the changing

health care environment. MEDSURG Nursing, 2–3. https://search-ebscohost-

com.nnu.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=c8h&AN=113313831&site=ehost-

live&scope=site

O'Neill, J. A. (2013). Advancing the Nursing Profession Begins with Leadership. Journal of

Nursing Administration. 43(4)m 179-181.

Petaloti, S. (2011). Lifelong Learning in Nursing Science and Practice: A Bibliographic Review.

Greece: The Hellenic Journal of Nursing Science. http://journal-ene.gr/wp-

content/uploads/2010/11/Tomos02_teyxos02-aggl-dragged3.pdf

Scott, E. S. & Miles, J. (2013). Advancing leadership capacity in Nursing. Nursing

Administration Quarterly. 37(1), 77-82.

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Appendix

Interactive Leadership Style Assessment: Contrarian Leader

You’ve been liberated from binary thinking, rarely jumping to either/or solutions. Contrarian

leaders can hold conflicting ideas and perspectives in their minds for long periods of time. You

never blindly trust experts and defer decision making if it is reasonable to wait. You may even

delegate the decision to a subordinate. Selling yourself and your vision to followers helps you

gain buy in from followers and get their input as well. Contrarian leaders know they only spent a

fraction of their time moving forward an important agenda, this is the nature of the job.

However, you know how to make that time count by following a counter-intuitive and

challenging path.

Link to Leadership style Assessment: https://eml.usc.edu/blog/leadership-style-quiz