Free «Nursing Leadership» Essay

Effective leadership is the key important thing in the change and advancement of the nursing profession. Nurses need to be educated on it in order to participate in the formulation of various health policies and decision making related to their practice. Due to that, many professionals in this field are engaged in the process of increasing their power through political participation. Thus, there is a need to continue raising the number of those who are active politically through education to help them achieve their goals. The paper will look at how average nurses can be involved in the political process, what they should do to become politically active and how they as change agents have brought change in the health sector.

How Average Nurses can be Involved in the Political Process

Average nurses can be involved in the political process by using their local and state resources, as well as national nursing advocacy groups to understand the recent issues and know how they can contribute. Several organizations for nursing have policy experts who act as advocates for nurses. According to Oestberg (2012), these experts can help them in the preparation of hearing statements and accompany them whenever they want to present their grievances. In addition, average nurses can form a network with other colleagues to have a united voice. Similarly, they can develop a worthy working relationship with leaders elected to represent them as well as their staff to improve their credibility. Nurses can also voice their opinions on the presented legislation by contacting their elected representatives.

What Nurses Need to Do to Become More Politically Active

To be political active, as a nurse, I can decide to work on the campaign that belongs to someone else, consider vying for a political office, support other candidates financially or even stay in contact with the elected state and federal officials, and provide them with information when needed. In addition, nurses organize or establish a car pool at their polling station during the election day (Lundy & Janes, 2009). Registering as a voter will give validity to my voice making me politically active. In addition, having the voter’s card and regular participation in voting exercises enables me to initiate a change I want in the institution. I can register at the local city hall or even in various departments of motor vehicles when getting a driving license. Furthermore, I can encourage family and friends to do the same.

Nurses as Change Agents and how the Change Has Occurred

A change agent refers to a person who gives assistance or helps in ensuring a positive change is realized in any health-related areas. The nurse acts as such in health facilities. She plays an important role in improving the health of an individual, family as well as the community in various areas, such society, research, hospital, and health educational institutions. To play her role effectively, a change agent nurse should communicate to people, facilitate changes, research and help in solving problems (Cosejo, 2012).

Being an internee, I did not know about quality improvement and assurance enough. I did not think I even knew any idea about a change agent. During my duties, I focused on putting the theory I had learned into practice by improving the outcome. I proposed how the hospital can reduce the period of admissions and how to arrange patient’s follow-up after discharge. The proposal was implemented and worked very well, whereby congestion in the hospital was decreased.

Later when I started working for Health Insight, I teamed up with another nurse, and we established various quality improvement projects such as the improvement of cardiac and diabetes care processes. Although these initiatives took time to be fully implemented, the change was realized at last. As a result, quality and safety health care coupled with the reduced cost of treatment became evident in the hospital.

Conclusion

Effective leadership can help in bringing a change in the nursing profession. Therefore, nurses must be effective leaders by engaging in politics to achieve their goals. They can be involved in the political process by using their local and state resources, as well as national nursing advocacy groups and through forming a network. The nurse can become a change agent by ensuring a positive change is realized in her field. To play her role efficiently, she should communicate to people, facilitate changes, research and help in solving problems.