Reflective Practice on Leadership and Management

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Conclusion

Although the outcome of the event was positive, I am now aware the areas of improvement. I realized that I need to further strengthen my knowledge on different leadership and management theories so as to efficiently lead a team in future. I will do so because I am aware that the skill sets and knowledge I used to manage in this situation might not work in a different situation. Benner (2008) argued that evidence based practice to acquire experience and skills in one situation are transferable to other. However, NMC (2008) recommends the nurses to take steps to develop their competency skills so as to manage any given situation. During the situation, better knowledge on the antipsychotic medications and leadership and management theories could have helped me and others to manage the situation more efficiently.

Action Plan

If again similar situation ever arose, I will make sure I have enough staffs to help managing such patients and also reduce the burden over the staff by providing them more breaks. I would also assign two staff for observing the risk patient so as to prevent such incidents. I will also make sure the patient rooms have no such thing using which patient can use to harm himself. Curtis (2011) adds that transformational leadership is about ability to motivate, vision, team- work, trust and ability to empower. Thus, I will make sure that I poses all these skills to manage such situation in future more efficiently

Summary

Looking back at the incident, I realize the importance of motivation, communication and critical thinking in transformational leadership and management in order to achieve one’s goal. Managing patients who have suicidal tendencies needs one to be alert all the time and since observing continuing can be stressful, it is essential to have tea- breaks or alone time. To manage the given situation more effectively, it is further important for one to be aware of different leadership and management theories so that one can implement it to sort out the issue. Shortage of staff is a common and growing problem in every organization so it is important for a leader to find out different ways to keep the existing staff motivated and prevent staff burnout.

References

Benner, P. Hughes, R. G. and Sutphen, M. (2008). Clinical Reasoning, Decision Making, and Action: Thinking critically and clinically. In Hughes, R. G. Patient Safety and Quality: An evidence-based handbook for nurses USA: Rockville.

Covey, S. (2004). The 8 Habits: From Effectiveness to greatness London: Simon and Schuster.

Curtis, E. A., de Vries, J. and Sheerin, F. K. (2011) Developing Leadership in Nursing: Exploring core factors. British Journal of Nursing. 20(5), 306-309.

Gurling, J. (2011) Link Mentorship: Improving support for pre-registration students and mentors. British Journal of Community Nursing 16(9), 435-440.

Huczynski, A. and Buchanan, D. (1991) Organizational Behaviour: An Introductory text (2nd edn) London: Prentice Hall.

NMC (2008) The Code-Standard of Conduct, Performance and Ethics for Nurses and Midwives London: NMC.

Marquis, B. L. and Huston, C. J. (2009) Leadership Roles and Management Functions in Nursing: Theory and application (6th edn) Philadelphia: Wolters/Kluwer/Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.

Royal College of Nursing (2009) Developing and Sustaining Effective Team: Getting started: An introduction and overview London: RCN.

Walsh, D. (2010) The Nurse Mentors Handbook: Supporting students in clinical practice Berkshire: Open University.

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