Top 5 Qualities Leading Nurses Should Carry

Top 5 Qualities Leading Nurses Should Carry You should remember that a leader is different than a boss. A boss passes orders to his employers, sits back and relaxes. A leader is different than that, as they perform the task themselves to encourage others. This is the main difference in which a leader develops a better group of workers than a boss could.

Be a leader, not a boss.

Self-Awareness In order to achieve effective leadership, take a good look at yourself. Selfawareness means reading your emotions and understanding the impact they can impose on others.

You might want to keep an exercise plan to practice controlling emotions. Some basic exercises like walking and running can have drastic effects on your mind and body, as well as relieves stress.

Time Management As you know, time management is an integral part of nursing. It is a fact that nurses go through hard times, covering the responsibilities of others in addition to their own in the workplace. While your patient’s care is your first priority, nurses usually stay late and work extra shifts. Becoming a definitive leader in nursing means that you understand how to manage your time, because you can never predict what your day will be like. You can achieve this goal by following a few simple steps: Be Organized If your work area is clean and organized, you will manage your time better.

Keeping digital files is an effective way of eliminating clutter. In the case of hard copies and charts, use of inboxes and clipboards is a good choice. A tidy working environment saves time.

Plan for daily tasks Although you can’t predict your daily routine, there's always tasks that you will have to perform regardless of what goes on during each day. So, make a list of all these tasks and plan a schedule. You’ll then be able to complete all tasks and leave extra time for unexpected problems.

Classify the tasks You should know your priorities after patient care. You must keep in mind all the important responsibilities that categorize your day. After making a list of these responsibilities, start grading them according to their importance. You’ll be able to complete the most important tasks first, and can move to lower grade tasks the next shift.

Scheduling Once you understand the daily tasks, draw a schedule. Arrange times for important meetings. Don’t forget to include time for breaks. Cover prioritized tasks of the day, followed by those that were left from the previous day.

Strong Communication Strong communication is the most effective part of nursing, and is mandatory for a leader. You have to deal with colleagues like nurses, doctors, and other healthcare workers on a daily basis, which is why you should develop good communication skills. You should be capable of communicating your needs and instructions in an identifiable way.

Appreciation Appreciation seems like a simple and small task, but it means a lot for everyone involved. You can never succeed as a leader if you don’t have the ability to appreciate others. Try to build the habit, as everyone desires admiration and appreciation. A leader who knows how to admire others has much lower chances of failing in a given category. Your co-workers will appreciate this personality trait, because they realize there is someone who admires their work and encourages them to develop new skills.

Conflict Resolution A good leader knows how to maintain his or her team and doesn’t let conflicts occur with co-workers. But in the event one does occur, then you must know how to deal with it. Try to understand the reason for the conflict and find a better solution. You need to be capable of solving issues like these, because you are a leader. If you fail to solve issues in a mannered way, then you might run the risk of developing a dysfunctional team. Try to polish these skills and start resolving complications on the job.

After reading through this list, you may find that it is easier than you thought to hone in on your inner leader. What advice can you offer for newer nurses just starting on the job?

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