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Analyzing a Nurse LeaderKelly Berthoud Ferris State UniversityNursing leaders have had great impact in the growth and development of my career. A main focus of all healthcare organizations and their leadership teams is patient safety and quality (Yoder-Wise, 2014, p. 26). The leader whom I chose to interview has had a huge impact on how I look at challenges and problem solving in my day to day work. Melinda Gevaart MSN RN NE-BC is the Manager of Nursing Quality as well as the Magnet Program Director at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The major focus of her role is to collect, validate, monitor and report data relating to the nursing sensitive indicators across the organization, including three separate hospitals within the Bronson System. The American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE), has developed a set of competencies which they view necessary for nurse leaders in the challenging world of health care. The AONE Nurse Executive Competencies (2005), along with other references will be used as assessment tools for this paper, to analyze the nurse leader and determine how these competencies are evident in her leadership. Theory will also be discussed in order to support decision making and information received from the nurse leader. Melinda began her career at Bronson in 1989 as a radiologic technologist in the cardiovascular lab (cath lab). After obtaining a cardiovascular certification, she became a charge tech for this department, which had never before been held by someone without a nursing license. With encouragement of her nurse leader, Melinda returned to school and obtained her Bachelors of Science in Nursing in 2004. She was promptly promoted to manager of the cath lab. Furthering her education and obtaining a Masters in Nursing Education allowed her to advance her career and accept her current position in 2012. The following year, Melinda became board certified as a Nurse Executive, validating her expertise. Role and ResponsibilitiesAs the Manager of Nursing Quality, Melinda has a wide variety of responsibilities. On a daily basis, Melinda attends multiple meetings with other leaders, executives, and staff nurses. She is continually reviewing nursing quality data, confirming the validity of it and keeping the nursing scorecards current for the Division of Nursing. She reviews articles that are to be submitted for publication by Bronson nurses and aids in the editing process. She also is responsible for gathering stories and creating the yearly Nursing Outcomes book to highlight and show value to what nursing is doing. The other piece of her Role, Magnet Program Director, is an ongoing task which ramps up during a designation period. Melinda gathers stories and coordinates the writing team to create the magnet application document. She serves to educate the staff about magnet, and also organized the site visit this past January. She visits the Magnet ListServ on a daily basis as a way to share Bronson’s best practices with peers, and also to seek solutions and advice to challenges that arise within the Division of Nursing. The recent merging of three separate hospitals has added some responsibility to Melinda’s role. She is currently acting as the interim Case Management Manager for Bronson Battle Creek and has become the Manager for Radiology Nursing. The Radiology Department is the only patient care area that reports up to Melinda. Melinda is responsible to report up to the Director of Nursing Professional Practice, who then reports to the Chief Nursing Officer. Communication and Relationship BuildingAmong their competencies, the AONE lists shared decision-making as a quality (AONE, 2011). Bronson strongly supports the Shared Governance Model for the Division of nursing. Melinda serves as a leadership mentor for the Clinical Quality Council, a sub council of the Divisional Nursing Shared Governance Council. In this role, she supports the active staff members on the council. She assists a successful council by using action plans, and working with the council to understand the Nursing Sensitive Indicators. This council allows Melinda to have a direct impact on patient care by working with the bedside caregivers on many quality improvement projects. Through the council, Melinda assists with making practice changes. Often in communication with staff members, she has learned that “silence is golden” that listening to staff can be very powerful, and often it’s appropriate to try something even if skeptical at first. According to Yoder-Wise (2014), barriers to communication can include inadequate knowledge, poor planning and differences in perception (p. 350-351). Melinda assists the Clinical Quality Council to break these barriers with her expertise, knowledge sharing and assistance with planning. One of the most incredible examples of relationship building was observed watching Melinda bring together the division of nursing to achieve Magnet Re-designation in 2014. She started with a small group of “magnet champions” to get information back to each unit about the re-designation process. The momentum that she and the champions created and the positive energy became contagious and recognized on every nursing unit. Because of the planning, open communication and team building that she encouraged, the Magnet site visit was a lot less stressful than most anticipated. Health Care EnvironmentThe three AONE competencies that Melinda strongly exhibits in her practice of knowledge of the health care environment include clinical practice knowledge, governance, and evidence-based practice. Much of her responsibilities are related to data. When implementing changes, Melinda looks to relevant data to make sure that the change is evidence driven to effectively impact patient outcomes and economics of the organization. Melinda stays current on nursing practice which is used to impact patient care decisions as well. When asked what the key is to successfully implementing organizational changes, Melinda gave that change can be successful with teamwork, action plans, and making sure the change is data driven. She exhibits strong characteristics of transformational leadership. A transformational leader “must listen, challenge, influence, and affirm as the organization makes its way into the future” (ANCC, 2014). Melinda does a great job communicating the needed changes, and rational behind them utilizing her expertise and resources. With staff understanding rationale behind the changes being implemented, it aids in success. LeadershipThe key practices of transformational leadership according to Kouzes and Posner (2007) include challenging processes and thinking creatively, unity towards a shared goal that all accept as desirable and achievable, empowering others, modeling the way with an active role of change, as well as paying attention with personal things, such as giving praise for a job well done (Yoder-Wise, 2014 p. 42). As a leader and a mentor for the Clinical Quality Council, she clearly demonstrates these transformational leadership practices. She does very well at uniting the group for a common goal to positively impact patient outcomes and keeping the group organized and motivated throughout the process. During our interview, Melinda stated that she believed in leading by example. As a leader, she doesn’t expect those she’s leading to do anything that she wouldn’t do. She maintains positive relationships by recognizing a job well done with a simple thank you, which can mean so much. According to the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC, 2014), “this transformational way of thinking should take root in the organization and become even stronger as other leaders adapt to this way of thinking.” It is clearly evident that this is not only Melinda’s way of thinking, but also of acting. ProfessionalismContinued development of oneself professionally is important to become a great leader. Some of Melinda’s traits which make her a great leader are natural. She has always been one to question what is right and wrong, and never shy away from conflict. Some skills, on the other hand needed to be developed or “softened” as she became a leader. She had to learn to be a better listener, and “soften” the way she gave feedback or criticism. To do this, she found success in watching other leaders, asking for advice on how they would handle specific situations, and also take advantage of Bronson’s Leadership tools that they offer such as classes and scripting. One study showed that participation in a Leadership Development Program improved leadership skills such as active listening, crucial conversations and self-awareness (Vitello-Cicciu, Weatherford, Gemme, et.al, 2014). The American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics can also be seen evidenced in Melinda’s practice. Working relationships which I have observed her in have always maintained respect and dignity for all involved. She listens to all, regardless of what they have to say, and I feel that she values their opinions. The ANA states that “the nurse’s primary commitment is to the patient, whether an individual, family, group, or community (ANA, 2001). While Melinda is not in a position of providing direct patient care, her impact on the patients is invaluable. Her commitment and passion to always improve patient outcomes and raise the bar truly shines through in her actions. To continue her professional development, Melinda strives to stay current by being an avid reader. The Journal of Nursing Administration (JONA), among other professional journals is a great source for leadership advice and new information. She also attends conferences and always continues to learn from others as a way of staying committed to the profession of nursing. Business SkillsMelinda impacts the organization through the nursing strategic planning process. She maintains focus on nursing quality, understanding the importance of patient outcomes as well as quality of care delivered at Bronson. AONE states in their competencies that the nurse executive will “educate patient care team members on financial implications of patient care decisions” (2011). Melinda reports nursing sensitive indicators monthly to bedside staff along with the leadership team. This information is not only valuable to see how the outcomes can be improved, but also how nursing can impact the financials of the hospital. Melinda presents the data passionately, engaging the staff and starts the thought process of how things could change. She will often ask questions and seek input from the direct caregivers during this time. As healthcare advances, and the Bronson system expands, Melinda will remain a valuable leader. Her exceptional leadership skills paired with her passion and drive to improve quality is inspiring for nurses such as myself. I sometimes think that leaders are only concerned with the business side of the organization. That is clearly not the case with this leader. ReferencesAmerican Nurses Association. (2001). Code of ethics for nurses. Silver Spring, MD. American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) (2014). Magnet recognition program model. Retrieved from: . American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE). (2011). The AONE nurse executive competencies. AONE. Chicago, IL. Gevaart, M. (Personal communication September 30, 2014). Vitello-Cicciu,J., Weatherford, B., Gemme, D., Glass, B., & Seymour-Route, P. (2014). The effectiveness of a leadership development program on self-awareness in practice. Journal of Nursing Administration. 44 (3). 170-174. Yoder-Wise, P. (2014). Leading and managing in nursing (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO. Elsevier Mosby ................
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