Introduction
Many professionals “define nursing as a science” (Laschinger & Fida, 2014, p. 22). Nurse Practitioners (NPs) acquire knowledge and skills through continued experimentation. This argument explains why nursing is an evidence-based science. The occurrence of obstacles is something common in this profession. Nursing should therefore “be a problem-solving practice that seeks to offer the best care to different patients” (Laschinger & Fida, 2014, p. 23). Nursing theories offer powerful insights that can result in better health outcomes. Such theories encourage nurses to focus on the issues affecting their institutions. Nursing issues cannot be separated from every healthcare practice. Medical practitioners should use different theories to address various clinical problems. Such “theories present powerful concepts, ideas, and strategies that can produce better health settings” (D’Antonio, Beeber, Sills, & Naegle, 2014, p. 314). Nurse Practitioners (NPs) can use middle-range or grand theories to solve different nursing issues. This essay discusses how medical practitioners can resolve many leadership issues using Hildegard Peplau’s Interpersonal Relations theory.
Description of the Targeted Issue
The identified nursing unit has encountered numerous challenges within the past few months. Majority of the nurses have failed to support the health needs of their patients. Many Nurse Practitioners (NPs) have left the institution because of the above problems. The concept of teamwork is no longer observed in this nursing unit. This situation emerged after a Nurse Manager (NM) from a different unit was appointed to promote the best practices. This scenario has made it impossible for the healthcare facility to support its patients (D’Antonio et al., 2014).
Dawson, Stasa, Roche, Homer, and Duffield (2014) believe that the “increasing levels of nurse turnover result from poor leadership practices” (p. 7). The NM has affected the relationships existing in the facility. The manager has been unable to support the best organizational practices. Most of the nurses in the unit have been fighting amongst themselves. It is agreeable that “many nurses do not work in non-conducive environments” (Laschinger & Fida, 2014, p. 21). The workers in the above nursing unit strongly believe that the newly-appointed NM is incompetent. They also believe that the NM lacks the required knowledge to address the issues affecting the unit.
This issue has also created more problems. For instance, most of the nurses have been unable to support their patients. This situation has “resulted in burnout and exhaustion” (Laschinger & Fida, 2014, p. 21). This situation has affected the performance and effectiveness of many nurses. Laschinger and Fida (2014) believe that “compassion fatigue increases whenever nurses take care of many patients within a short duration” (p. 22). Majority of the caregivers in the targeted nursing unit have therefore decided to quit their jobs. New competencies are required in order to support the goals of this unit.
The above unit has not been supporting the goals of its nurses. For instance, most of the practitioners have not been able to acquire new clinical skills. The absence of cohesive teams and incentives has affected the quality of services availed to different patients. The NM has failed to offer the best support to his nurses. This development has created a gap that affects the success of the unit. Many nurses are not ready to join this institution (Laschinger & Fida, 2014). The existing problem will continue to affect the hospital’s performance.
It is agreeable that there is a major leadership gap in this unit. The nurses in the unit believe strongly that the newly-appointed Nurse Manager (NM) does not support their career goals. The existing gap has made it impossible for the institution to offer quality health services to its patients. New problems have also emerged in this nursing institution. Many nurses and caregivers have also left the organization (Yragui, Silverstein, & Johnson, 2013). This scenario shows clearly that several leadership issues are affecting the facility.
Leadership is a powerful practice that can improve the nature of services availed to different populations. Medical facilities should embrace the best leadership practices in order to achieve their health outcomes. The first step towards achieving this goal is having a competent Nurse Manager (NM). This leader should always use effective concepts in order to empower his or her caregivers. Effective Health Leaders (HLs) should always mentor, support, and empower their nurses (Dawson et al., 2014). They should also interact with their practitioners. The firm should embrace a culture of teamwork in order to deal with the problems affecting different nurses. This discussion explains why the above nursing unit lacks the best leadership practices. This gap has made it impossible for many nurses to provide quality health services.
Applying the Best Concepts and Principles from the Selected Theory
Nursing theories present powerful concepts that encourage individuals to make unique decisions. Such theories have the potential to support various practices in nursing. The theories can also encourage the targeted individuals to embrace new behaviors. Such behaviors can deal with the above leadership issue. Hildegard Peplau presents a powerful middle-range nursing theory that can make a difference in every institution. To begin with, the theory seeks to fulfill the needs of every health practitioner. Peplau’s theory of Interpersonal Relations presents “powerful concepts that can help other people” (D’Antonio et al., 2014, p. 314).
According to Peplau’s Interpersonal Relations theory, the main goal of nursing is to help many individuals. The practice makes it easier for more individuals to address their problems. Nurses and leaders should therefore “use the idea of human relations in order to address the issues affecting their goals” (D’Antonio et al., 2014, p. 314). The theory “treats human beings as social creatures interacting with one another” (Yragui et al., 2013, p. 4). This fact explains why different nursing methods focus on the best interpersonal processes. Nursing should support different patients and caregivers. Healthcare providers “should also promote the best interactions amongst themselves” (Yragui et al., 2013, p. 12).
Nursing is “a unique interpersonal process that brings together many individuals with a common goal” (Yragui et al., 2013, p. 12). This concept explains why Nurses Leaders (NLs) should come together in order to offer the best care. At the same time, the needs of these caregivers should be met in order to produce the best results. A satisfied staff will support the health needs of their patients. The theorist explains how different steps can be used to produce the best health results.
This theory can therefore be used to deal with the above leadership issue. To begin with, the institution should appoint effective leaders who possess the best traits. Such traits will make it easier for the leaders to support the needs of their caregivers. The practice will also produce strong interpersonal relationships. Such relationships will ensure more stakeholders are involved in different decision-making processes. The institution can also appoint an effective Nurse Manager from the nursing unit. This practice will promote the best values and expectations. Most of the nurses will be ready to support the targeted goals. According to the above theory, nursing is “a therapeutic process that functions cooperatively with every human process” (Dawson et al., 2014, p. 5). This argument explains why positive relationships are needed in this nursing unit.
The theory defines leadership as a process aimed at maximizing responsibility. The targeted leader should always satisfy the needs of every nurse. The individual must also create new teams in order to get the best outcomes. The process will “involve other stakeholders and patients” (D’Antonio et al., 2014, p. 314). The concept of teamwork will support the targeted organizational goals. This practice should become a culture in the nursing unit. The institution should work hard in order to motivate its employees. This goal “can be achieved using the best working conditions, remunerations, and partnerships” (Dawson et al., 2014, p. 7). Such practices will eventually make the institution successful.
Some ethical aspects will arise from this strategy. The institution should safeguard the rights and expectations of different nurses. The strategy should always empower the targeted nurses. Such nurses should be encouraged to promote the best health practices. The organizational leaders should uphold the best ethical ideas and practices (Yragui et al., 2013). This approach will ensure the institution addresses the health needs of every patient.
The proposed strategy will produce the best outcomes. For instance, the nursing unit will have new cohesive teams. The leaders will always interact positively with their nurses. Most of the nurses will be ready to partner with other caregivers. The level of decision-making will improve significantly. The quality of services availed to different patients will improve significantly (Dawson et al., 2014). The above theory will make it easier for the organization to promote the best health practices. Every nurse will become a leader. This development will eventually make the nursing unit successful.
Concluding Statement
Nursing theories offer powerful ideas that can transform the nature of patient care. Such theories have the potential to support different nursing functions such as leadership, informatics, and healthcare delivery. Nursing theories can improve the quality of care availed to different patients. Such theories can be applied indiscriminately in order to produce the best health results. According to this study, medical practitioners can use such theories to produce the best leadership practices (Yragui et al., 2013). Every nursing theory has a place in health leadership. This discussion describes how Hildegard Peplau’s Interpersonal Relations theory can produce the best leadership practices. This essay has made it easier for me to understand the role of different nursing theories in medical leadership. Such theories offer powerful insights that can encourage more Nurse Managers (NMs) to lead others. Such theories “will promote various strategies such as social interaction, decision-making, and participative management” (Yragui et al., 2013, p. 9). Medical practitioners should therefore use different theories whenever promoting the best leadership practices. I will use more nursing theories in order to improve my leadership skills. This approach will eventually make me a competent nurse leader (NL).
Reference List
D’Antonio, P., Beeber, L., Sills, G., & Naegle, M. (2014). The Future in the Past: Hildegard Peplau and Interpersonal Relations in Nursing. Nursing Inquiry, 21(4), 311-317.
Dawson, A., Stasa, H., Roche, M., Homer, C., & Duffield, C. (2014). Nursing Churn and Turnover in Australian Hospitals: Nurses Perceptions and Suggestions for Supportive Strategies. BMC Nursing, 13(11), 1-21.
Laschinger, H., & Fida, R. (2014). New Nurses’ Burnout and Workplace Wellbeing: The Influence of Authentic Leadership and Psychological Capital. Burnout Research, 1(1), 19-28.
Yragui, N., Silverstein, B., & Johnson, W. (2013). Stopping the Pain: The Role of Nurse Leaders in Providing Organizational Resources to Reduce Disruptive Behavior. American Nurse Today, 8(10), 1-23.