FMQ for tomorrow, August 11, 2021, from 7 AM to 8 AM:

1. Nursing Leadership: What Is It and Why Is It Important?

Nursing leadership is one of the single most important factors in motivating and inspiring nurses (who
make up the clear majority of the healthcare workforce) to practice at the top of their licensure. The
ANA Leadership Institute describes a nurse leader as “a nurse who is interested in excelling in a career
path, a leader within a healthcare organization who represents the interests of the nursing profession, a
seasoned nurse or healthcare administrator interested in refining skills to differentiate them from the
competition or to advance to the next level of leadership.”

Nursing leadership and management is most successful when the entire team is also successful. While
the definition of leadership in nursing often includes qualities such as encouraging, inspirational, and
supportive—truly successful nursing leadership must be equipped to evolve as the nursing industry itself
experiences ongoing change and shifts. This style of nursing leadership has been linked to improved
patient outcomes, reduced medical errors, and improved staff retention, benefiting the healthcare
workplace as whole.

2. Nursing Management: What Is It and Why Is It Important?

Nursing management consists of the performance of the leadership functions of governance and
decision-making within organizations employing nurses. It includes processes common to all
management like planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling. Nurse managers have a direct
impact on the quality of care provided by staff nurses, they shape how each nurse feels, which affects
burnout, turnover, and patient satisfaction. Nurse managers see the big picture on the unit and work to
ensure the unit's workflows and its activities are aligned with the hospital's strategic plans. Nursing
management roles rely on leadership skills, but nurse managers continue to work directly with patients
and nursing teams to carry out incentives that nursing leaders introduce.

3. What are the four essential functions of a nurse manager? Briefly describe each role.

 Staffing, employee satisfaction- Nurse managers are responsible for hiring, training, and
developing employees; thus, nurse managers require strong coaching skills. When working with
staff to achieve their human resources goals, nurse managers must obtain staff satisfaction
feedback regularly. Once they analyze the feedback, they can develop a plan to start the
programs and training staff members suggest. Nurse managers' work in this area supports the
work of the CUSP team by providing a means of spreading training or methodologies using unit-
wide curriculum. When hiring staff, nurse managers ensure the unit's staffing needs are met in
the most economical way possible so funds that would otherwise be used for recruitment can
instead be spent on retaining high-performing staff.
 Safety and quality- Nurse managers are responsible for managing human and financial
resources; ensuring patient and staff satisfaction; maintaining a safe environment for staff,
 patients, and visitors; ensuring standards and quality of care are maintained; and aligning the
unit's goals with the hospital's strategic goals.
 Customer satisfaction- Nurse managers ensure the care delivered on their unit is customer
focused. The hospital unit has numerous customers, and each has its unique needs and care
delivery requirements. Nurse managers are responsible for ensuring the needs of customers are
met.
 Budgeting- Nurse managers ensure the unit's expenses fall within its budget. This includes
sharing financial expectations with unit staff so staff members are aware of the unit's financial
goals.

The FMQ for August 18, 2021, from 7 AM to 8 AM, serves as both your attendance and is also
considered a graded paperwork requirement.

Questions:

1. What leadership and management skills or qualities should you possess as a future head nurse that
will make you good role models in unifying your soon to be subordinates to achieve your common goal
or purpose of continuously providing quality care to the patients?

1. Emotional Intelligence

In clinical settings, nurse leaders work closely with trainees to help them develop emotional intelligence.
Such support helps peers to cope with the stressors that present during routine challenges. Nurse
leaders assist trainees in managing those challenges and other counterproductive influences that can
result in emotional exhaustion and poor team collaboration.

2. Integrity

Integrity for one’s self and among charges is a primary objective for nurse leaders. Personal integrity
aids nurse practitioners in making the right choices during critical junctures in patients’ treatment plans.
Additionally, effective leaders adapt to use, and teach, ethically viable practices that enable fledgling
nurse leaders to make safe and effective care decisions intrinsically.

3. Critical Thinking

Nurse leaders guide unpolished practitioners in the use of critical thinking to develop their ability to
make decisions based on a complex array of factors. This skill is vital in a health care environment with
increasing instances of multidisciplinary collaboration. The growing trend of autonomy for nurses also
makes critical thinking a valuable professional skill for practitioners.

4. Dedication to Excellence

Nurse leaders are committed to their passion and purpose and exemplify this through their
perseverance in the caregiving setting. To foster this trait among new nurses, leaders may assess
performances quarterly. Despite the technique used to improve nurse performance, all nurse leaders
teach their charges dedication to excellence by delivering top-notch service so that trainees can learn
from their examples.

5. Communication Skills

The current multidisciplinary treatment environment greatly increases the importance of collaboration
in the care provider setting. To facilitate collaboration, nurse leaders arrange for trainees to attend
rounds while engaging with various medical professionals, such as support staff, primary care providers,
and senior executives. Some health care organizations also establish recruitment retention teams, who
might engage in these rounds with trainees.

6. Professional Socialization

During training, nurse leaders gain an intense understanding of patient-nurse dynamics. Nurse leaders
focus on developing how trainees engage with patients after the triage process. Effective nurse leaders
identify opportunities to develop new organizational leaders during this learning process.

7. Respect

Nurse leaders are passionate, dynamic influencers who inspire change in others and, in the process, win
the respect and trust of their charges. To accomplish this, leaders teach communication techniques such
as two-way communication and rephrasing to promote a workplace environment where stakeholders
engage each other in a productive, positive manner. By understanding each other’s circumstances,
trainees gain respect for their peers and nurse leaders.

8. Mentorship

Nurse leaders deploy motivational strategies that cater to the individual personalities of their trainees.
By empowering trainees and guiding them toward understanding their roles as care providers, nurse
leaders cultivate an environment of continual learning. While effective nurse leaders make every effort
to identify learning opportunities, they give trainees enough autonomy so that they do not feel
micromanaged.

9. Professionalism

Nursing is a dynamic profession that requires competent, confident leadership. As organizational

2. What additional traits and values would you adopt so you would be perceived as a caring and
effective manager and leader?

 Altruism. A concern for the well-being of others is a must for nurses and clinical nurse leaders
(CNL). You will need to demonstrate an understanding of the cultures, beliefs and perspectives
 of others, as well as act as an advocate for clients and mentor other professionals. Plus, you will
need to be motivated to help others and do your work without reward or recognition. This value
is not something that can be taught, it must be instinctive.
 Accountability. This value means the right, power and competence to act. This means being able
to evaluate client care and implement changes in health care practices to improve outcomes
within the health care system. You will be accountable for providing high-quality, cost-effective
care.
 Human Dignity. A CNL needs to have respect for the inherent worth and uniqueness of people.
The CNL will need to respect all clients and colleagues. Professionals must protect a client’s
privacy, design care with sensitivity to individual client needs and act in accordance with a code
of ethics and accepted standards of practice. For example, a CNL might have to care for
someone in the last weeks or days of his life; you might meet with the person’s family and all
people involved to safeguard his dignity as he nears the end of life.
 Integrity. This value is reflected in professional practice when the nurse is honest and provides
care based on an ethical framework. You’ll need to document care honestly and accurately, seek
to remedy errors and demonstrate accountability. As a leader, you’ll need to always uphold the
integrity of the profession.
 Social Justice. Upholding moral, legal and humanistic principles is of utmost importance. You’ll
need to support fairness and non-discrimination in the delivery of care, promote universal
access to health care and encourage legislation and policies consistent with the advancement of
nursing and health care. Practicing these values, a CNL might engage policy makers and elected
officials to influence health policy, write opinion articles for local or national newspapers or
build partnerships with community organizations to identify and address health disparities.