The three most important power sources for a nurse leader, in my opinion, are referent power, expert and reward power. Referent power is important for a nurse leader because if a nurse leader is hardworking, responsible and sets an example for the team, the team will follow their example which will benefit the organization. Expert power can be a needed benefit in leadership role, this gives employee’s and team members confidence in their leader and they will feel as the leader can mentor them as the leader has a high level of knowledge and skills. Expert power and leadership can be a great asset to an organization with new employees and new nurses. Finally reward power can be used as a tool to motivate staff to reach their full potential by using rewards as an incentive.

Leaders create a culture of ownership and investment in the collective action of work, helping to build a community around the purposes of work and deepening the understanding of the relationship among individual work activities, the collective convergence of that effort, and its power to make a difference (Porter-O’Grady, 2016). Using referent power leaders must first gain the trust of the followers or team members by leading by example. After the leader’s trust, honesty and respect are gained by the team members, they will model the leader’s behavior. Expert power is best used by teaching staff new techniques new evidence-based practice, and new policies and procedures. If staff know their leader as an expert, they will be more likely to absorb the new information.  Reward power can be used to increase performance, and rewards can incentivize the benefits of doing a good job.

Expert power is a frequently used source of power in my work. On our unit we have a manager, assistant manager and a clinical nurse leader. With these three leaders available it allows the nurse of the floor to feel confident that they can go to one of the three managers/ leaders to obtain information if they are unsure of a policy, procedure and or if they just need some advice. I know personally having this type of support empowers me to be a better nurse because I know we have a support system to back us up.

4-The functions of management include planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling. Within each of these functions, decisions must be made to optimize the care provided while remaining fiscally responsible.

Leadership is a more challenging role to define. At times, leaders may not have formal authority, but they may have power through their ability to influence others. A leader’s emphasis is on interpersonal relationships; they may be known as mentors, coaches, advocates, or role model. (Lecture 1)

Management and leadership may coexist in one, though they may not at all. Some managers are leaders as well, and some are not. You may think they would go together, but we have all had experience with a manager that is NOT a leader. You know the one. The one who is the boss, and handles business, but not one that inspires, advocates or mentors staff.

One the other side of the coin, you may have had the pleasure of experiencing a manager that is a leader as well, someone who is part of the team and inspires, mentors, and coaches staff. The inspiration and the management. The boss who rally’s the troops and makes you WANT to be there and WANT to work for them. The two overlap in multiple areas.

As a nurse leader, I do believe I can expand my influence to create change by taking advantage of this overlap. I feel that I am inspiring and able to mentor and encourage and advocate for not only my patients, but my coworkers, company, and my profession. I would take advantage of the overlap by using my leadership abilities to continue to mentor, inspire, and encourage others in doing their best and being team players. A huge part of this is leading by example, which I strive for daily.

Resources

Lecture 1. (2018). NRS-451V. Theories and Concepts in Leadership and Management. Phoenix, AZ: Grand Canyon University.

5-management and leadership does overlapped to be a good manager you must have good leadership skills, managing is also means to lead making things happen,leader shares what he/she knows with others so that they can follow willingly. good leadership and  managment together can build a successful organization

6-Although often used interchangeably leadership and management are very different. “management and leadership do share many similar duties which consist of working with people and influencing others to achieve goals. Management skills are used to plan, build, and direct organizational systems to accomplish missions and goals, while leadership skills are used to focus on a potential change by establishing direction, aligning people, and motivating and inspiring.”(Algahtani, 2014). As a nurse leader you can expand your influence to create change and accomplish goals by overlapping your leadership and management skills. By using your leadership skills you can motivate other nurses to go above & beyond when caring for patients and encourage them to come up with solutions to our everyday problems. Leadership skills will also help you when developing your nurses to become future leaders or to meet their personal goals, doing so will in turn provide them with a sense of fulfillment. By using your management skills you can also ensure that your nurses have the adequate staffing and supplies needed to get perform their duties. A managers main function is “to provide services to the community in an efficient and sustainable manner”(Algahtani, 2014).

Algahtani, D. A. (2014). Are Leadership and Management Different? A Review. Journal of Management Policies and Practices,2(3). doi:10.15640/jmpp.v2n3a4

Post your week 8 discussion questions here.

People of Haitian Heritage

People of Iranian Heritage

Read chapter 15 and 32 of the class textbook and review the attached PowerPoint presentations.  Read content chapter 32 Davis Plus Online Website.  Once done present a 800 words essay discussing the Haitian and Iranian Heritages.  The essay must contained the following;

-Geographical localization and topography

-Politic and economy

-Health care beliefs and the relationship with their religious beliefs

-How they view the health, illness and death concepts

You must used at least two evidence-based references (excluding) the class textbook. 

Comment 1

My definition of spiritual care is being there for my patients beyond their physical needs, to care for their whole person, not only their physical body. It includes listening to their struggles, worries, or concerns they might feel the need to share as well as coordinating a chaplain and respecting their own religious or personal beliefs. 

My definition is similar to the one offered in the readings in that it involves caring for the whole person: listening, praying, being present, etc. (Meilaender, 2013).

My definition differs from the description given by Meilaender in a couple ways. One, I left out that it is an integral piece of the assessment, which Meilaender states at the beginning of the discussion on spiritual care. It is not something that should only occur when we “have time”, and it should not need to be private or undocumented either (Meilaender, 2013).

Meilaender (2013) also defines spiritual care as, “facilitating a person’s relationship with God through Jesus Christ.” (p.264). It also included that spiritual care is a way of bringing people closer to God through compassion, listening, prayer, etc. This is not something that I included in my definition. 

I very much appreciated that Meilaender (2013) included that spiritual care is never rude or coercive, and if patients have other belief systems, that we must be respectful of their preferences. I believe this is very important also because judging people generally tends to push them away and make them disconnect from the person passing judgment as opposed to make them feel loved and comfortable. 

Comment 2

From a nursing perspective, spiritual care is meeting the spiritual need(s) of your patient whenever it is required. This can be accomplished through active listening, prayer, or offering of religious services (i.e. chaplain). My definition and understanding of spiritual care is similar to the description offered in the topic readings. According to Shelly and Miller (2009), spiritual care is defined as “putting people in touch with God through compassionate presence, active listening, witness, prayer, Bible reading and partnering with the body of Christ (the church community and the clergy). It is never coercive or rude” (p. 265). 

Compassionate presence is described as providing assistance at the moment it is needed and constantly nudging patients toward the goals that God has for them (Shelly & Miller, 2009, p. 265). “Active listening includes hearing what a person is not saying as well as the actual thoughts and feelings articulated” (Shelly & Miller, 2009, p. 266). Witness involves sharing a story or providing scripture that may be helpful toward patient healing. It is important to remember that “our witness should not be self-righteous or manipulative, but it can be bold” (Shelly & Miller, 2009, p. 268). Prayer is communicating with God in whichever manner the patient feels is helpful. Bible reading allows the patient to search for scripture that “can be a deep source of comfort and strength to the believer” (Shelly & Miller, 2009, p. 271). Remaining in touch with the church community and the clergy allows the patient to have a larger support base and helps the nurse further meet their patient’s spiritual needs.