Formal Nurse Leader Role-Practicing Advanced Care Topic 5 Discussion 1 Discuss a formal role where a nurse is in a position of leadership. Formal Nurse Leader Role-Practicing Advanced Care Formal Nurse Leader Role-Practicing Advanced Care Outline the essential responsibilities of that role and the educational preparation required. Explain what leadership traits, styles, or qualities are required to be successful in this role and why.

Formal Nurse Leader Role-Practicing Advanced Care

One of the formal roles where a nurse is in a leadership position is practicing advanced care. This role is hardly recognized as a formal leadership role since the nurse leader spends most of the time providing direct care to patients. Clinical care is key in this role. According to Lamb et al. (2018), the role in practicing advanced care requires five key competencies, including consultation, research, clinical care, collaboration and leadership. The nurse leader is expected to provide specialized expert leadership and clinical guidance to help nursing staff to manage complex patients and functionality in the same regulatory and legislative framework as registered nurses. For instance, the nurse leader would be expected to make medical diagnoses, prescribe medications, order diagnostic tests and also prescribe other treatments for patients (Donald et al., 2010). Generally, advanced care is a complex role that requires the nurse leader to work attend directly to patients. This is why nurse leaders with this kind of role are not often recognized in the frontline, yet they are very impactful in their role.

More often than not advanced practice role requires a master’s level education and the key competencies highlighted above, as well as substantial experience in advanced practise nursing roles (Heinen et al, 2019). However, according to Lamb et al (2018), advanced practice roles in the nursing profession vary by description and title in every country. In addition, some of the leadership traits required to be a successful nurse leader in this role include the capability to communicate effectively and to establish relationships with people. Joseph & Huber (2015) posit that leadership is about forming relationships with people and influencing care innovations and practices. When relationships are built on mutual trust, confidence and respect, there would be exemplary outcomes in this role (Lamb et al, 2018). Therefore, this role entails managing patient-centered care by using clinical knowledge and expertise combined with advanced nursing knowledge to provide high quality and appropriate patient-centered care to the patients as well as families.

References

Donald, F. , Bryant‐Lukosius, D. , Martin‐Misener, R. , Kaasalainen, S. , Kilpatrick, K. , Carter, N. , … DiCenso, A. (2010). Clinical nurse specialists and nurse practitioners: Title confusion and lack of role clarity. Canadian Journal of Nursing Leadership, 23, 189–210

Heinen, M., van Oostveen, C., Peters, J., Vermeulen, H., & Huis, A. (2019). An integrative review of leadership competencies and attributes in advanced nursing practice. Journal of advanced nursing, 75(11), 2378-2392.

Joseph, M. L., & Huber, D. L. (2015). Clinical leadership development and education for nurses: prospects and opportunities. Journal of healthcare leadership, 7, 55.