Why are leadership skills an important attribute of a Registered Nurse?

[Hopeful2011]

So.. I'm just wondering what people's thoughts on are this topic. Why do you think leadership skills are an important attribute of a RN?

[roser13, ASN, RN]

Homework?

[iNurseUK, RN]

Well you have to know how to motivate your team (I find pizza works well)

[Hopeful2011]

No it's not homework.. I'm just curious because I've been reading threads about people saying that leadership skills are important for a nurse to have, but no one ever elaborates on why they are important...

[LAM2010, BSN]

There is a lot of teamwork in nursing, and often, nurses manage care for a patient. So a nurse has to be a take-charge kind of person. If you aren't, you certainly learn to be :) A person may even have leadership qualities and not even know it. And some things that are taken for granted are actually leadership skills.

[Moogie]

I guess I am surprised at the question---unless the OP is not a nurse.

Registered nurses are expected to act as leaders of the nursing team so they can appropriately delegate tasks and patient care assignments, manage their co-workers (teammates), and act as patient advocates so they can to ensure that the patient is the priority of care. Additionally, in most states, registered nurses act as charge nurses (LPNs can in some states and some facilities but it depends on the nurse practice laws) and registered nurses can function as managers and educators (again, in some states LPNs can do these things but in others it is out of their scope of practice.)

If you don't have leadership skills going into a nursing program, you will learn. If you don't develop leadership skills either in school or on the job, you will flounder.

HTH!

[leslie :-D]

rn's need to be able to facilitate the plan of care...

and that takes understanding, vision, and leadership to implement what is ordered for the pt.

it is also a team effort, in which the rn is in charge.

we just cannot afford to be passive and indifferent.

and, what moogie said.:)

leslie

[RNperdiem, RN]

If you stay in one place long enough, you will expected to be the charge nurse sometimes, you will be expected to precept new nurses, and when big trouble crops up, the newer nurses will be looking to you for help.

This is leadership in action.

[JB2007, ASN, RN]

Well you have to know how to motivate your team (I find pizza works well)

Baked goods work well also.:)

If you do not have leadership skills your patient will not get the care they need. You must be able to guide and instruct others in what kind of care your patient needs.

[Hopeful2011]

Thank you all for your answers... It was good to see some good positive responses regarding leadership and nursing.. versus alot of the negative feedback I've read!

Good luck to all!

[DoGoodThenGo]

I guess I am surprised at the question---unless the OP is not a nurse.

Registered nurses are expected to act as leaders of the nursing team so they can appropriately delegate tasks and patient care assignments, manage their co-workers (teammates), and act as patient advocates so they can to ensure that the patient is the priority of care. Additionally, in most states, registered nurses act as charge nurses (LPNs can in some states and some facilities but it depends on the nurse practice laws) and registered nurses can function as managers and educators (again, in some states LPNs can do these things but in others it is out of their scope of practice.)

If you don't have leadership skills going into a nursing program, you will learn. If you don't develop leadership skills either in school or on the job, you will flounder.

HTH!

Co-Sign!

As a RN you never know where your career will take you and under what conditions you will practice. Under most nurse practice acts and or local customs RN are responsible for all and sundry sort of "unlicensed" persons, including not only assigning and supervising their work, but their training and education as well.

If you are the only RN on a floor with a handful of NAs, or such, you are going to need every inch of leadership skills to make sure patients are taken care of *safely*.

Consider also as a nurse you are dealing with persons who may have various levels of *ahem* professional and or job skills. You need to know the right way to get them to do the work without a huge amount of passive-aggressive attitude.