Ethical Leadership in Nursing

Ethical Leadership in Nursing

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Ethical leadership in nursing

Introduction

Ethics is an arm of psychology that deals with the study of human morals. Its concerns with distinguishing between the good and bad in the society, between wrong and right, that human do in the society (Aronson, 2014). Ethics also helps in differentiating between pure and impure traits of people (Mendonca & Kanungo, 2006). In medical world, ethics has been popularly cognized as various ways of empathizing and examining moral life.

Behavioral scientists for a long time, tried to find out of traits, ability and sources of powers of situations that determines the capabilty of a team leader  to influence the acolytes and accomplishing group objectives (Pera, & Van, 2005). According to the trait report, the essential attribute of determining good ethics in leadership were based on the physical characteristic for example, level of one’s intelligence and skills in additional to his/her personality factors. In other words, this approach states that what leaders do, is that makes them very efficient. Contingency strategy theory was later formulated to supplement and critics the trait approach (Mendonca & Kanungo, 2006). Contingency approach identifies conditions under which a leaders task or role becomes active after implementation of leadership ethics.

Categories of Nursing Leadership Skills include the Following

Senior nurses normally engage in different leadership activities as they carry out their daily routines. Majority of them automatically adopt an effective leadership method while, some of them find it difficult to conceptualize leadership (Aronson, 2014).  Above all, effective leadership is a key to success in delivering quality health care and ensuring the patient’s safety.

To ensure ethical leadership in nursing, the following category of leadership skills should surface in an organization; decision-making skills, skills inappropriate delegation of duties, skills in conflict resolution, and working with integrity. The above categories of nursing skills are the core elements needed by the senior nurses to bring forth leadership connections with efficient developments of other team members.

Rationale for having the Guidelines in the Unit

Ethical decision making is a mandatory in health unit as it helps to address conflicts that are regarding competing values such professional, personal and societal values. The nurse’s leaders that are involved in decision making should include ethical principles like justice, beneficiaries and autonomy as well codes, professionalism and organization ethical standards (Pera & Van, 2005). Many factors have generated a list of growing concerns in health care units over ethical issues. These factors are numerous and ranges from insufficient facilities to help nurses during their daily duties (Aronson, E. (2014). At certain times, the nurses do contract some disease pathogens which they obtain as they handle patients with inadequate protective equipment. Hand hygiene is, therefore, the most ethical issues that should be addressed by the nurse’s’ leader in this unit, because this will aid in reducing physical-nurse conflicts.

Good ethical decision making should be geared towards achieving goals of reducing costs during merger and acquisition of health facilities, advancing in medical technology as well as addressing financial constraints. The health units should have mechanisms that should contain health ethics committee, written policies, ethics consolation services, procedures and guidelines to help them with ethics making processes (Benjamin, 2010).

Characteristic of Ethical Nursing Leadership for a Nurse Manager

A nurse manager should possess ethical leadership skills that have the roles of nurturing others and being in a state of knowing how people in the team are feeling by being emotional with tune of the staff members. They should, therefore, show the ability to promote, respect and uphold decision making by honoring the autonomy of other team leaders (Munroe & Levine, 2009). The nurse manager should, therefore, be someone who respects all heath care professional and attribute to his code of ethics. He should also provide and understand all information delivered to him by nurses as well as ensuring that patients receive the best services from his health unit voluntarily without being forced.

Good leaders are often describing as visionary. They should be able to have a third eye which is capable of providing all-round view on what happening within the health unit (Daly, Speedy, Jackson, 2004).. This should couple with their potential to gate keep health information and services. Senior nurse leaders should understand the ethics behind safe keeping the health information in a professional way. Under his custody, he should be able to keep inappropriate information away from patients (Fowler, & American Nurses Association, 2008). Decision making within the staff should be done in a more dynamic and cooperative manner among the staff members.

A good ethical quality possessed by nurse managers is the ability to have a proper plan and aim of directing his team and his services to a future goal. A good leader will use a problem-solving method to maintain effectiveness within the group as well as developing the group’s identification. He should be able to emphasize the need for good communication, collaboration and commitments within the nurses’ staff. In addition, the leader should be responsible for the ethics of their acts (Pera & Van, 2005). The nurse’s code of ethics should be used to draw their responsibilities and also guide them in their decision-making. Other resources recommended for nurse staff and nurse managers for ethics in nursing.

Aronson, E. (2014). Integrating Leadership Styles and Ethical Perspectives. Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences / Revue Canadienne Des Sciences De L’Administration, 244-256.

This journal is the latest in the market and has received the highest number of sales. The Author of the journal articulates into details the connection between transitional leadership and deontology. It also gives into details the behavioral ethics which are very relevant to nursing professional and it also classify the current leadership skill in nursing management.

Benjamin, M., & Curtis, J. (2010). Ethics in nursing: Cases, principles, and reasoning (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

A pat from being ranked second as the best writer in nursing ethics, Benjamin has been known for his regular review of his works. In this book, he has done well in reviewing his old renowned book. He has updated and has made the work of nurses easier by giving the latest ethical issues affecting professionals in the fields of public health. This book is a modern version of the third edition. Here additional chapters have been captured that talks about the reasoning ability of nurses especially the juniors who are still inexperienced.

References

Aronson, E. (2014). Integrating Leadership Styles and Ethical Perspectives. Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences / Revue Canadienne Des Sciences De L’Administration, 244-256.

Benjamin, M., & Curtis, J. (2010). Ethics in nursing: Cases, principles, and reasoning (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Daly, J., Speedy, S., & Jackson, D. (2004). Nursing Leadership. London: Elsevier Health Sciences APAC.

Fowler, M. D. M., & American Nurses Association. (2008). Guide to the code of ethics for nurses: Interpretation and application. Silver Spring, MD: American Nurses Association.

Mendonca, M., & Kanungo, R. N. (2006). Ethical leadership. Maidenhead [u.a.: Open Univ. Press.

Pera, S. A., & Van, T. S. (2005). Ethics in health care. Lansdowne, South Africa: Juta.