While patient care may have prompted you to pursue a nursing career, you may find yourself drawn to a position of leadership. Innate talent can land you opportunities in leadership and management, but developing the necessary skills can help you succeed in these higher-level nursing roles.
If you are considering a leadership or management position, be sure to cultivate the following skills.
Team Building
Healthcare typically happens in teams, making it easier to strategize duties and patient care for overall success. Good team members take responsibility for assignments and strive to accomplish the goals of the team.
Outstanding nursing leadership and management rely on the ability to build a strong team. Nursing Times mentions how important it is for all team members to understand the group’s purpose and to link their own drive to that purpose. A strong leader helps foster that connection and strengthen those intentions.
Good managers focus on recruiting and retaining staff for a high-functioning team, as discussed by American Mobile. They also work to improve the skills of their team members. You may need to help fill in educational gaps so your team members know the required techniques for achieving the team purpose. Gentle and effective correction helps your team achieve their best and can reduce issues in the long run.
Fostering connection between team members enables the best support for the entire team and its purpose. Encourage your staff to do their best.
Time and Resource Management
Any leadership position requires management of time and resources. The specific resources may vary by position, but time management skills are necessary in every job. Nurse.org points out that nurses must be able to prioritize, anticipate needs and relieve stress to manage long shifts. Nurse managers take time management to the next level with efficient scheduling, which includes balancing staffing requirements with budgetary constraints.
Resource management is often focused on the cost of doing business. Financial budgeting is a significant component, as is projecting resource requirements for the future. Addressing supply needs, drug inventory and space availability is a regular concern, which is why resource control is a component of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.
Communication
Communication keeps organizations running effectively, and that holds especially true for nurses in leadership and management positions. Effective business communications help acquire additional funds and resources, document procedures, and keep track of patient treatment.
Leading your team of nursing staff requires expert communication skills. First, you have to coordinate their actions to achieve successful patient treatment. As a leader, you must know how to encourage your team. Secondly, you must be prepared to handle staff corrections in performance reviews and group situations. Encouraging staff to advance their own careers through further education and certification is important. Giving positive feedback and praise can further bolster the developing careers of those you supervise.
Leading by Example
Great leaders set a good example. If you want to inspire professionalism in the people you manage, Nurse.org advises you to demonstrate that characteristic in your personal and professional lives. Demonstrating the qualities you want in your organization can positively impact the culture.
You also have a responsibility to advance your own education. Seek additional degrees that support your career trajectory and make you a better leader. Attain certifications and join groups that improve your network and certify your hard-earned expertise.
As a leader, you serve as an example to others. The way you treat others shapes their opinions and confidence in your skill, the organization and themselves. Employ empathy and respect in your interactions with others. Support ingenuity and don’t micromanage your team.
Adapting to Changes
Flexibility is imperative for nurses because conditions can change rapidly. Nurses should stay alert and be prepared to adapt to whatever happens. This is also true for those in leadership positions. Be prepared to readjust to unpredictable situations and learn new techniques, equipment and policies as they present themselves.
Earning a BSN prepares you for leadership by imparting these skills.
Learn more about Lamar University’s online RN to BSN program.
Sources:
Nursing Times: Teambuilding 1: How to Build Effective Teams in Healthcare
American Mobile: 7 Must-Have Nursing Skills to Transition into Nursing Management
Nurse.org: Effective Time Management Skills for Nurses
Nurse.org: 9 Ways New Nurses Can Develop Strong Leadership Skills
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