Professionalism and Professional Values in Nursing

The modern nursing system in the United States is reliant on the established set of values that get incorporated into the institutionalized practices. The currently practiced leadership models in the industry are designed to further the quality of patient care and improve overall healthcare efficiency. Throughout the course, I have been exposed to the different models, approaches, and manifestations that allow the nursing profession values to manifest in everyday routines. This paper is a reflection on the material studied in relation to the professionalism and professional values in nursing, as well as the nursing values themselves.

Leadership models in nursing that are currently widely practiced include transformational, democratic, laissez-faire, and authoritarian approaches. These models are generally well-established in the lead overall but find the specific niche attribution within the nursing practice. Furthermore, however, the more niche and nursing-specific practices emerge, which I chose to discuss in this reflection in greater detail. Those are transactional and transformational models of leadership. Transactional leadership is a system in which a leader is motivating their subordinates through a well-structured and comprehensible set of rewards for task completion. Transformational leadership appeals to one’s sense of purpose and commitment to their job rather than rewards themselves. Both are understandably prevalent in modern hospital environments, with transactional leadership serving as a clear and functioning framework that helps nurses to cope with a burnout in understaffed facilities (Cummings et al, 2020). At the same time, transformational leadership promotes the core values of the nursing profession, such as commitment to the greater good, desire to help others, strict code of ethics, precision, and dedication. Personally, I believe that a merge of two approaches is both possible and beneficial for the modern nursing system.

Both leadership styles are also applicable to the patient-centered care system, which was discussed in great detail throughout the course. In patient-centered care, the individual needs and health requirements of a particular patient are behind the development of their care plan and the procedures it entails. In terms of values and commitment to quality healthcare, this system is, by far, superior to any standard packages (Eklund et al, 2019). Any pre-designed care programs usually either lack some of the necessary options or make a patient overpay for the procedures they don’t need. It is, however, important to be mindful of the resources a facility can delegate toward such a system, as patient-centered care is costly in terms of resources and talent it entails.

At the end of the day, the leadership models and patient care approaches in nursing are built to represent the values of this complex and invaluable profession. The core values include a dedication to the interests of other people, respect for their autonomy, commitment to human rights issues, integrity, honesty, and diligence. As nurses constitute the majority of the acting healthcare professionals in the industry, they are consistently expected to look after gravely or terminally ill patients. This profession is known to be emotionally and intellectually tasking, especially considering the staffing issues in the field. It is therefore all more important, that the nursing professionals understand the meaning behind their everyday tasks, taking pride in their larger social impact. Both transformational leadership and patient-centered care are efficient tools that represent the professional values of nursing. Meanwhile, the transactional leadership elements allow the nurses to remain motivated even in the face of emotional exhaustion that may affect their enthusiasm.

References

Cummings, G. G., Lee, S., Tate, K., Penconek, T., Micaroni, S. P., Paananen, T., & Chatterjee, G. E. (2020). The essentials of nursing leadership: A systematic review of factors and educational interventions influencing nursing leadership. International journal of nursing studies, 103842.

Eklund, J. H., Holmström, I. K., Kumlin, T., Kaminsky, E., Skoglund, K., Höglander, J., Sundler, A., Conden, E. & Meranius, M. S. (2019). “Same same or different?” A review of reviews of person-centered and patient-centered care. Patient Education and Counseling, 102(1), 3-11.