Effective Nursing Leadership Research Articles

Priorities in nursing management

Priorities in nursing management

Hospital Information Technology Systems' Impact on Nurses and Nursing Care

We conducted a review of the literature to determine the impact of health information technologies (HITs) on nurses and nursing care. Nurses' effective use of HIT has the potential to produce a positive impact on nursing-sensitive patient outcomes, patient safety, and quality of care. A review of the literature produced 564 unique references of which 74 were selected for review. Findings suggest that (1) HIT improves the quality of nursing documentation; (2) HIT reduces medication administration errors; (3) nurses are generally satisfied with HIT and have positive attitudes about it; and (4) nurse involvement in all stages of HIT design and implementation, and effective leadership throughout these processes, can improve HIT. HIT has had positive influences on nurse satisfaction and patient care. Effective nursing leadership can positively influence the effective development, dissemination, and use of HIT.

DONs Build Teams Even in Challenging Times

DONs Build Teams Even in Challenging Times

Managerial Leadership for Nurses' Use of Research Evidence: An Integrative Review of the Literature

Integration of research evidence into clinical nursing practice is essential for the delivery of high-quality nursing care. Leadership behaviours of nurse managers and administrators have been identified as important to support research use and evidence-based practice. Yet minimal evidence exists indicating what constitutes effective nursing leadership for this purpose, or what kinds of interventions help leaders to successfully influence research-based care. (1) To describe leadership activities of nurse managers that influence nurses' use of research evidence; and (2) to identify interventions aimed at supporting nurse managers to influence research use in clinical nursing practice. A search of electronic databases was conducted for studies on behaviours or activities of nurse managers/administrators and the use of research evidence by nurses. Sifting, screening, and quality assessments were done by two reviewers. Results were synthesized by study type (quantitative and qualitative) and reported. Twelve studies met inclusion criteria (eight quantitative, four qualitative). Three activities were found in quantitative studies that influenced nurses' use of research: managerial support, policy revisions, and auditing. Qualitative studies showed organizational issues as barriers to managers' abilities to affect research use, while role modeling and valuing research facilitated research use. Four studies, one of which was experimental, included an intervention to support managers, but all had insufficient information about leadership development. To date, important descriptive work highlights the strategic role managers have in research transfer. Both facilitative and regulatory activities appear to be necessary for managers to influence research use. These findings have important implications for evolving theoretical models describing factors that affect the process of research utilization. It is time to move the science forward and test a hypothesis linking leadership to outcomes. Qualitative methods are essential for understanding the process of leadership for research transfer.

The Role of Nurse Educators in Grooming Future Nurse Leaders

The authors have found in their research that too often our current nurse leaders have "fallen into" their positions, rather than choosing nursing leadership as a career path. With the impending retirements of so many nurse leaders, there is a need for a more proactive approach to ensure the next generation of nurse leaders is ready to assume the leadership of our profession. Guiding the development of a leadership mindset and promoting nursing leadership as a career choice are two important strategies. Nurse educators are in a key position to influence students and start grooming our future nurse leaders. There is no time to waste.

Sustaining Knowledge Transfer Through Leadership

ABSTRACTThe delivery of efficient and high quality nursing care in today's health care environment requires that nurses utilize research evidence to guide their decision‐making in clinical practice. Best Practice Guidelines (BPGs) are an accessible link to research evidence and an effective tool for improving quality health care. Despite reported benefits and dissemination strategies, the transfer and uptake of guidelines does not always occur, and sustainability over time is seldom evaluated. Emerging evidence indicates that leadership plays a fundamental role in the transfer and sustained use of BPGs in clinical decision‐making. However, a clear understanding of effective nursing leadership to sustain knowledge transfer remains unclear and research is limited. Objective: To describe the evolving development of a conceptual framework for sustaining knowledge transfer of BPGs into nursing practice in Canadian health care settings. Methods: A critical review of the literature has been conducted. A model was developed to direct an inquiry about leadership characteristics and activities in 10 organizations that either sustained, partially sustained, or did not sustain practice guidelines 2 years after a pilot implementation initiative administrated by the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario Best Practice Guideline (RNAO‐BPG) Project. Findings: A conceptual framework has been developed to represent the key components of leadership and how these components are operationalized for knowledge transfer of BPGs into clinical practice. The model is an assimilation of the United Kingdom and North American literature and includes a pathway for personal attributes, defined skills, and knowledge repertoires that emerge from two domains of influence: cultural/clinical and political/organizational. Although the literature shows many similarities between leadership paradigms, some differences in discourse and approach were found. Implications: To create successful strategies to sustain practice innovations, we need to better understand how nursing leaders operate effectively within both clinical and organizational environments. This framework is the groundwork for conceptualizing nursing leadership as a vehicle to influence, shape, and sustain evidence‐based nursing practice.

Conferences.

Developing effective nursing leadership June 12 Venue: RCN, London A one-day, case study based conference examining effective nursing leadership as a key component of improving patient care. Speakers include director of the European Nursing Leadership Foundation Jean Faugier. Further details: Healthcare Events. Tel: 020 8541 1399. Email: info@healthcare-events.co.uk Website: www.healthcare-events.co.uk.

Nursing leadership: influencing and shaping health policy and nursing practice.

The leadership discourse in the United Kingdom has to date been concerned with professional issues and as a result has focused upon developing nurses and nursing. This paper reports on the findings of a research study which examined the broader socio-political factors impacting upon nursing leadership. The study forms an integral part of the Royal College of Nursing's leadership programme. The principal aim of the research was to examine critically contemporary nursing leadership within the context of health policy. An ethnographic approach was used. Informal semi-structured interviews were undertaken with a purposive sample of 24 leaders who were recognized for their effectiveness in leading nursing. Data were analysed for themes. The main themes are presented and discussed here. The findings of the study question the political success which the internally focused nature of leadership has had for the profession. Nursing and therefore nursing leadership is shaped dramatically by the impact of politics and policy. The research discovered that in recognition of this, contemporary nursing leadership has both an internal and an external focus. That is, effective nursing leadership currently is a vehicle through which both nursing practice and health policy can be influenced and shaped. The research also identified the profile of the effective nurse leader, together with the processes through which leaders interpret and translate between the macro issues of policy and the micro issues of practice. In addition, an understanding of what nursing leadership is, has been proposed. Appropriate recommendations for the future of nursing and nursing leadership are outlined.

Theory into Hospital Practice

Implementing the Adaptation Model required that the model's concepts be explicitly identified, defined, and understood. Guidelines, standards and tools had to be revised or developed. Effective nursing administration leadership and the personal and professional commitment of administrators, educators, and staff nurses to the goal were necessary ingredients. The abstract nature of theory often requires sheer determination and hard thinking if it is to be effectively applied to practice. A formal education process must also be dynamic and ongoing. Project members continue to gain greater insight into the model's structure, identify problems in its application, and seek ways to solve them. Their combined, concentrated efforts have proved a cost-effective way to close gap between education and practice. The project's initial outcomes, increased patient satisfaction and expanded professional nursing, support the application of the Adaptation Model in our hospital. Further validation of its structure and the value of its outcomes, however, needs additional study, and extended application in multiple practice settings. Validation of the Roy Adaptation Model or any of the evolving conceptual frameworks for nursing practice requires use, input, and evaluation by nurses in all settings. Opening the theoretical domain to hospital nurses needs the support and leadership of nursing and hospital administrators.