Nurse Leaders In Health Care

Leadership is a fundamental part of effective nursing care and nurses are recognized as leaders in patient care. Nursing involves the implementation of goal-driven interventions which aim to improve a patient’s health status or comfort. Nurses are recognized for their role as alliance builders: nurses coordinate and motivate care teams, families and patients to support patient wellbeing (James 2010). Nurses need to be adaptable and have effective communication skills, including the ability to influence others towards a common goal. It is for this reason that nurses are often at the forefront of initiatives to improve safety and quality in health care systems.
When nurses move into leadership roles within health care organizations or the wider health care system, they build on skills that are intrinsic to the delivery of nursing care. Nurse leaders are needed in all settings and across all levels of the organizational hierarchy, as well as throughout the health system at large. However, the contribution that nurse leaders make is not always fully recognized or understood. …show more content…
Health systems around the world are facing many of the same challenges, including workforce development, ageing populations and reduced funding for health care. The world is also confronting global challenges which can only be effectively managed by the international community, including antibiotic resistance, climate change and the risk of pandemics. Nurses are often at the frontline of care in responding to natural and human- induced disasters, incidents of terrorism and the like. Institutions and organizations responding to regional crises, including the military and aid organizations, employ nurses in leadership