NRS 465 Topic 9 Professional Capstone and Practicum Reflective Journal

Leadership is crucial in professional nursing practice and plays a vital role in ensuring quality patient care, effective communication, and positive health outcomes (da Costa et al., 2022). My practicum experience allowed me to observe leadership behaviors, strengthen my understanding of nursing leadership, and develop leadership skills. This discussion reflects on the leadership behaviors I observed from my preceptor and other leaders at the practicum site, the leadership behaviors I have demonstrated during my practicum experience to communicate a consistent image of the nurse as a leader, and the leadership skills I have gained during the experience, as well as areas of further improvement and how I will work on them.

Throughout the practicum experience, I observed my preceptor demonstrate various leadership behaviors, including effective communication and advocacy. My preceptor maintained open communication with patients, nurses, providers, and support staff to ensure continuity of care. By actively listening to concerns and providing clear instructions, my preceptor created an environment where team members felt respected and valued. Additionally, my preceptor frequently advocated for patients by connecting them with community resources, coordinating follow-up care, and ensuring that barriers to healthcare access were addressed.

I also observed leadership behaviors among other leaders, who displayed professionalism, accountability, and problem-solving skills when addressing operational challenges. For example, they effectively coordinated staffing needs, facilitated team meetings, and encouraged interdisciplinary collaboration. Their ability to remain calm under pressure while maintaining focus on organizational goals demonstrated the importance of adaptability and resilience in leadership roles.NRS 465 Topic 9 Professional Capstone and Practicum Reflective Journal

Furthermore, I demonstrated leadership behaviors that helped communicate a consistent image of the nurse as a leader. I constantly exhibited initiative. Rather than waiting for instructions, I actively sought opportunities to contribute to patient care activities, quality improvement discussions, and health education efforts. I also practiced active listening, provided patient education using language appropriate to each patient’s health literacy level, and communicated patient concerns to the appropriate providers. My practicum experience contributed significantly to my leadership development. One of the most valuable leadership skills I gained was confidence in professional communication. Initially, I hesitated to share observations during team discussions. However, repeated opportunities to participate in patient care planning and interdisciplinary meetings helped me become more comfortable expressing my ideas and advocating for patients.  I also developed the ability to adapt to changing situations and prioritize tasks effectively.

Although I have strengthened several leadership behaviors, I need to improve my conflict resolution and delegation. I would like to become more skilled at constructively and confidently addressing disagreements and difficult conversations. Effective conflict management is essential for maintaining positive workplace relationships and promoting team effectiveness (Razavi et al., 2022). Delegation skills will enhance my ability to manage workloads efficiently and support team performance. The strategies I will use to improve both conflict resolution and delegation skills are seeking mentorship and leadership development opportunities. By working closely with experienced nurse leaders, participating in professional development programs, and requesting feedback on my performance, I can gain practical guidance and refine these competencies.

References

Da Costa, R. L., Pereira, L., Gonçalves, R., Dias, Á., Jerónimo, C. H., & Teixeira, N. (2022). Healthcare management and leadership roles. International Journal of Electronic Healthcare, 12(2), 151-169. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJEH.2022.122135

Razavi, N. S., Gandomkar, R., Jafarian, A., & Jalili, M. (2022). Team leadership behaviors from the viewpoints of healthcare team members: A qualitative study. International Journal of Organizational Leadership, 11(2), 189. https://doi.org/10.33844/ijol.2022.6026

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NRS 465 Topic 9 Professional Capstone and Practicum Reflective Journal – Topic 9

Students are required to submit reflective journal entries at specific points throughout the course. These reflective narratives help students identify important learning events that happen throughout the course and the practicum.

Write a reflective journal (250-500 words) to outline how your experience at your practicum site related to the following reflective questions:

• Based on your practicum experience, describe leadership behaviors you have observed from your preceptor and from other leaders at the practicum site.
• Discuss leadership behaviors you have demonstrated during your practicum experience to communicate a consistent image of the nurse as a leader.
• Reflect on the leadership skills you have gained during your practicum experience. Describe two leadership areas in which you would like to further improve. Discuss one way in which you will work to improve in these areas.

While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.

American Association of Colleges of Nursing Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education

This assignment aligns to AACN Core Competencies 10.3