Nurses Are Leaders

Summary

In this discussion, Dr. Ann Abra Woods, Chief Nurse of Walters for Health, and Lisa Bundle, Senior Clinical Editor at Lippincott Nursing Center, explore the evolving role of nurses as leaders. They highlight how leadership in nursing is no longer confined to administrative roles but extends to bedside care. They emphasize the importance of nurses driving healthcare outcomes, referencing the 'Future of Nursing' report. Nurses are encouraged to see themselves as leaders, no matter their role, and to engage in committees and boards to influence healthcare practice and improvement.

Takeaways

• 👩‍⚕️ Nurses are increasingly recognized as leaders, not just in management roles, but also at the bedside.
• 📈 The role of nurses in driving quality patient care outcomes has grown significantly over the past 20-30 years.
• 📋 The Institute of Medicine and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s 'Future of Nursing' report emphasizes the importance of nurses transforming the profession.
• 🩺 All nurses, regardless of their role or experience, have leadership potential, whether they specialize in a clinical area or act as preceptors or charge nurses.
• 🌍 Nurses are trusted community leaders, a fact demonstrated repeatedly in healthcare settings.
• 🏥 Lippincott Nursing Center's theme, 'All Nurses Are Leaders,' aims to highlight the leadership potential of every nurse, whether at the bedside or in boardrooms.
• 💡 Nurses have the ability to drive change, participate in committees, and contribute to boards that influence healthcare decisions.
• 📚 Lippincott Nursing Center provides resources to help nurses turn their passion for the profession into leadership actions.
• 👨‍⚕️ New nurses may not always recognize their leadership abilities, but experienced nurses should empower them to see their potential.
• 🔧 Nurses are encouraged to get involved in quality improvement projects and advocate for healthcare advancements across their communities.

Q & A

What is the focus of the conversation in this transcript?

The focus is on nurses as leaders, particularly how the role of nurses as leaders has evolved over the past 20-30 years, and how nurses are leading in various capacities beyond traditional management roles.

How has the perception of nurse leadership changed in the past 20-30 years?

Previously, nurse leadership was associated primarily with roles like nurse managers or chief nursing officers. However, this perception has shifted, and now nurses at the bedside are also seen as leaders because they directly influence patient care and drive quality outcomes.

What role does the 'Future of Nursing' report play in nursing leadership?

The 'Future of Nursing' report by the Institute of Medicine and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation emphasizes that nurses must transform the profession themselves. It encourages nurses to step up as leaders and make necessary changes to advance nursing and healthcare.

What is the significance of the theme 'All nurses are leaders' for Lippincott Nursing Center?

The theme 'All nurses are leaders' highlights that leadership extends beyond traditional roles, encompassing expertise in clinical areas, mentorship, community trust, and everyday patient care. The goal is to empower nurses to recognize their leadership potential regardless of their position.

How does the transcript suggest that nurses can demonstrate leadership?

Nurses can demonstrate leadership by being experts in clinical areas, acting as preceptors, being involved in committees and boards, and leading quality improvement projects. Leadership is about influence and impact in various areas of healthcare.

Why is it important for nurses to get involved in committees and boards?

It is important because nurses need to be represented where decisions affecting healthcare are made. By being part of committees and boards, nurses can influence policies and practices, ensuring that their insights and expertise shape healthcare outcomes.

What is Lisa Bundle's view on nurse leadership and expertise?

Lisa Bundle believes that all nurses are leaders, whether they are experts in IV placement or are trusted preceptors. She stresses that nurses may not always recognize their leadership abilities, but their expertise and influence make them leaders in their roles.

How does the Lippincott Nursing Center support the development of nurse leaders?

Lippincott Nursing Center provides resources and collections that teach nurses how to take their passion for the profession and turn it into leadership. This includes guidance on improving healthcare outcomes, participating in quality improvement, and engaging in leadership roles in various settings.

Why might some nurses feel intimidated by terms like 'leader' or 'advocacy'?

Some nurses might feel intimidated by these terms because they associate leadership with formal titles or positions of authority. They may not realize that leadership also includes their everyday influence, clinical expertise, and community trust, which are crucial in driving healthcare improvements.

What message does the transcript convey to new nurses about leadership?

The message is that even new nurses or those starting in new roles can be leaders. They have valuable knowledge and expertise that can influence patient care and healthcare outcomes. It encourages all nurses to recognize their potential to lead, regardless of their experience level.

Outlines

00:00

🎤 Introduction of Dr. Abra Woods and Discussion on Nurse Leadership

Dr. Abra Woods, the Chief Nurse at Walters Health Littering Research and Practice, introduces herself and welcomes the audience. She is joined by Lisa Bundle, a nurse practitioner and senior clinical editor for Lippincott Nursing Center. They begin discussing the evolving role of nurses as leaders, noting how in the past, the term 'nurse leader' was often reserved for higher-ranking roles such as nurse managers or officers. However, there has been a significant shift over the last two to three decades, where bedside nurses are now also considered leaders due to their direct involvement in patient care and the positive impact they have on healthcare outcomes.

📈 The Impact of the Future of Nursing Report

Lisa Bundle highlights the significance of the 'Future of Nursing' report by the Institute of Medicine and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. This report calls on nurses to take initiative in transforming the profession and emphasizes the need for nurses to make changes and lead. Lisa explains that the responsibility to steer the future of nursing lies with the nurses themselves, rather than relying on others. The report has brought nursing leadership to the forefront and advocates for nurses to step up as key players in healthcare transformation.

🌟 Redefining Nurse Leadership: 'All Nurses are Leaders'

Lisa discusses the new definition of nurse leadership, which now encompasses nurses in various roles, not just those in management or research. Whether a nurse excels at specific skills like IV placement or serves as a preceptor or charge nurse, they are seen as leaders in their field. The community’s trust in nurses further strengthens their leadership roles. Lippincott Nursing Center is promoting this theme through a series dedicated to showcasing how all nurses, regardless of their position, can be leaders. This aims to inspire nurses, especially new graduates, to recognize their leadership potential early in their careers.

💼 Empowering Nurses to Lead and Make an Impact

Dr. Abra Woods praises Lisa for her work in developing resources on Nursing Center that help nurses harness their passion and leadership potential. These resources show that nurses can lead not just at the bedside but also in boardrooms, quality improvement projects, and healthcare advancements across communities. Lisa emphasizes that nurses shouldn’t be intimidated by terms like 'leader,' 'advocate,' or 'committee member.' Instead, they should feel empowered to represent the nursing profession in decision-making spaces and drive improvements in healthcare outcomes and practices.

👩‍⚕️ Inspiring Future Generations of Nurses

Dr. Abra Woods wraps up the discussion by stressing the importance of empowering younger nurses to recognize their leadership abilities. Senior nurses should guide and inspire new nurses to realize that they too have the potential to create change and improve healthcare. By nurturing these skills, the nursing profession can continue to grow and evolve, with nurses playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of healthcare. Lisa echoes this sentiment, emphasizing that experienced nurses have a duty to mentor and cultivate leadership qualities in their peers and successors.

Keywords

💡Nurse Leader

A 'nurse leader' refers to any nurse who demonstrates leadership qualities, regardless of their formal title or position. In the video, this concept is expanded beyond traditional roles like 'nurse manager' or 'chief nursing officer' to include nurses at the bedside who directly impact patient outcomes and quality of care. The transformation in defining leadership emphasizes that all nurses, through their daily actions and expertise, are leaders in healthcare.

💡Institute of Medicine (IOM)

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) is an American nonprofit organization that provides national advice on issues related to healthcare. In the video, the IOM report is referenced as a pivotal document calling on nurses to take a transformative role in healthcare. This report underscores the importance of nursing leadership in driving positive healthcare outcomes, pushing nurses to embrace leadership in various forms.

💡Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is a philanthropic organization dedicated to improving health and healthcare in the U.S. It collaborated with the IOM on the 'Future of Nursing' report, which is highlighted in the video as a driving force behind the modern understanding of nurse leadership. The report challenges nurses to take initiative in transforming the healthcare landscape.

💡Future of Nursing Report

The 'Future of Nursing' report is a critical publication by the IOM and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, mentioned in the video as a foundational piece calling for changes in nursing leadership. It promotes the idea that nurses must be proactive in shaping the future of healthcare by stepping into leadership roles at all levels, from bedside care to executive positions.

💡Bedside Nurse Leadership

In the video, the term 'bedside nurse leadership' refers to the leadership role played by nurses who provide direct patient care. These nurses influence patient outcomes daily and are now seen as leaders in healthcare because they drive quality and safety in clinical practice. This challenges the traditional view of leadership being confined to administrative roles.

💡Quality Outcomes

Quality outcomes in healthcare refer to measurable improvements in patient health and the overall efficiency of care. The video emphasizes the role of bedside nurses in achieving these outcomes, positioning them as leaders in the process. Nurses' direct involvement in patient care makes them key players in promoting the positive results healthcare systems aim to achieve.

💡Lippincott Nursing Center

Lippincott Nursing Center is a resource platform for nursing professionals. In the video, it is described as an educational hub that supports the development of nurse leaders by providing resources and tools to enhance leadership at all levels of nursing. The platform emphasizes that every nurse, regardless of their role, can be a leader in their field.

💡Preceptor

A preceptor is an experienced nurse who mentors and trains new nurses or those transitioning to new roles. The video highlights the preceptor as an example of informal leadership, where expertise and guidance shape the professional growth of other nurses, thus fostering leadership qualities in the clinical setting.

💡Nursing Advocacy

Nursing advocacy involves promoting the interests and well-being of patients and the nursing profession. The video touches on the importance of advocacy as a form of leadership, urging nurses to represent their profession in decision-making spaces, such as boards and committees, where they can influence healthcare policies and practices.

💡Community Trust

Community trust refers to the high level of confidence that society places in nurses due to their role in patient care. The video points out that this trust empowers nurses as leaders, whether in clinical settings or the broader healthcare system. Nurses are seen as reliable figures whose actions influence public perception and healthcare outcomes.

Highlights

The traditional definition of a nurse leader has evolved from just being a nurse manager or nursing officer to including bedside nurses as leaders.

Nurses at the bedside are now recognized as leaders due to their direct involvement in patient care and driving quality outcomes.

The Future of Nursing report by the Institute of Medicine and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation calls for nurses to transform their profession and take charge of changes.

Nurses must take ownership of their profession and step up to meet the key messages and goals outlined in the Future of Nursing report.

The theme 'All Nurses Are Leaders' emphasizes that leadership is not limited to management positions but is demonstrated in various nursing roles, including IV specialists, preceptors, and charge nurses.

Nurses are viewed as leaders in the community and healthcare settings because of the trust people place in them.

New nurses or those in new roles may not initially view themselves as leaders, but they often possess valuable expertise and knowledge.

Encouraging nurses to get involved with committees, boards, and leadership opportunities can help them demonstrate their leadership skills and contribute to healthcare improvements.

Lippincott Nursing Center has created collections and resources to help nurses harness their passion for the profession and develop leadership skills.

Nurses can make an impact whether at the bedside, in the boardroom, or through quality improvement projects in their organizations.

Empowering experienced nurses to recognize their leadership potential can inspire younger nurses to see themselves as agents of change.

Nurses have the ability to drive healthcare outcomes and practice improvements, contributing to the overall betterment of the profession.

Nurses should not be intimidated by words like leadership, advocacy, or board involvement, as they play a crucial role in decision-making.

There is a need for more nurse representation where important healthcare decisions are made, including on boards and in leadership positions.

The message of leadership should empower all nurses, regardless of their role, to take initiative and contribute to healthcare outcomes.

Transcripts

[Music]

hello my name is doctor and Abra woods

and I'm the chief nurse of Walters for

health littering research and practice

and I'm happy to welcome you today -

from the desk of the chief nurse and

joining me today is Lisa bundle she's a

nurse practitioner as well as our senior

clinical editor for Lippincott Nursing

Center so thank you Lisa for joining me

today hi Ann I'm happy to be here good

good so today we want to talk about

nurses as leaders I think you and I can

both remember about 20 years ago or so

when you thought of the term nurse

leader we thought of someone who was the

nurse manager the JI nursing officer we

really didn't think of a nurse leader as

someone who is at the bedside and I

think we've seen a real change in that

over the last twenty to thirty years

where the nurses the bedside is now

considered a leader in healthcare

organizations because he or she is the

one who's really taking care of the

patient day in and day out and really is

the one who's driving as quality

outcomes we're looking for in patient

care today and in healthcare today so

Lisa I know that this whole idea of

nurse leadership has really been brought

to the forefront from the report that

came out of the Institute of Medicine

the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation the

future of Nursing and do you think you

tell us a little bit about that report

and what it means for nurses absolutely

so the future of Nursing report really

calls on nurses to transform our

profession and we can't depend on

somebody else to do that for us so we

really need to step up and make changes

to meet the key messages and transform

our profession and take it in the

direction that it needs to go based on

all the work that's going on with the

future of Nursing reporters that are

some boards coalition you were the one

that came up with the idea that the

theme for Lippincott Nursing Center was

all nurses are leaders could you tell us

a little bit more about that and what

we're doing is a company to support that

theme this year

sure so like you said that definition of

nurse leader has changed immensely it's

not just about managing a unit it's not

just about spearheading a research study

we're all leaders whether you're an

expert in

IV placement or maybe you're the

preceptor that everybody wants or the

charge nurse we're leaders in the

community people trust us that's been

proven again and again so we're leaders

no matter where we are or what we're

doing so we're kind of taking you

through a series on nursing center of

all the ways that you're that you're a

leader I think that it's just important

for nurses to hear that because we might

not think of ourselves as leaders you

know if you're a new grad or you're just

starting at the bedside or starting in a

new role you might not think of yourself

as a leader but you have so much to

offer because you do have either a

clinical area that you're an expert in

or a just something that you're so

knowledgeable that people seek you out

for information so I think it's really

important for nurses to hear the message

so that they can believe it and then

take it forward and get involved with

committees get involved on boards and

show show the world our leadership

skills well I know you've been really

instrumental in building different

collections on nursing center that

actually teach nurses how to take their

passion for our profession and really

put it into the fact that they can be

leaders wherever they are whether it's

at the bedside in the boardroom whether

they're working on their quality

improvement projects whether they're

working you know to just improve health

care betterment across their entire

community so thank you for doing that

Oh a pleasure I'm something I'm

passionate about because I think that

when nurses hear words like leader or

maybe advocacy or board or join this

committee we cut it might get a little

intimidated but we shouldn't because we

need to be represented where these

decisions are being made and if they

certainly grow our own so that the

younger nurses who are coming into the

profession really we need to those

who've been in it for a while empower

them to see that they have the ability

to make change human to drive health

care outcomes and drive practice

improvements well thank you very much

for being with you here with us today

and thank you everyone

[Music]