Nurse Leadership: Strategies to Motivate and Support the Nurses

Nurse leaders take responsibility for ensuring a positive working environment for every employee on the nursing team. In order to meet the expectations of the staff, leaders use various strategies to both motivate and support the nurses. A prime example of such a strategy would be actively involving staff in decision-making. For example, the responsibilities of any nurse leader presuppose the allocation of budget and shift scheduling. According to the researchers, burnout and lack of financial incentives are some of the most detrimental contributors to adverse patient outcomes and high rates of nurse turnover (Dewanto & Wardhani, 2018). Hence, by encouraging nurses to contribute to the final decision, they will feel more appreciated by the administration and give some insights into the specifics of their working patterns.

Another strategy would be to promote nursing education through seminars, training, and intervention, as the process of education assumes more nursing autonomy in the future, reducing the risks of error and improving nurses’ self-actualization in the profession. Finally, it would be extremely beneficial to provide emotional support to nurses through one-on-one meetings with the administration and regular supervision (Bowles et al., 2019). Indeed, an early indication of the nurses’ worries will help the nurse leader both advocate for better working conditions and react to the problem promptly.

When reflecting on personal experience, I recall a situation when a fellow nurse had a hard time concentrating on the tasks during the first months after starting the job. Since I had more experience at the time, I assumed it was my responsibility as a leader to address her concerns. After talking to the nurse, I found that her errors in the workplace concerned the lack of proper onboard training, so I helped her over the next few days. It became evident over the week that additional education not only reduced the number of errors but boosted her self-confidence as well. Looking back at this situation, I now understand that it would also be beneficial to voice my concerns over the quality of onboard training to the administration and present my suggestions on how to make the program more productive.

References

Bowles, J. R., Batcheller, J., Adams, J. M., Zimmermann, D., & Pappas, S. (2019). Nursing’s leadership role in advancing professional practice/work environments as part of the quadruple aim. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 43(2), 157-163. Web.

Dewanto, A., & Wardhani, V. (2018). Nurse turnover and perceived causes and consequences: A preliminary study at private hospitals in Indonesia. BMC Nursing, 17(2), 1-7. Web.