ISSN: 2167-1168

Journal of Nursing & Care

The International Open Access

Journal of Nursing & Care

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Stephanie M. Chalupka
Worcester State College, USA

Martha Craft-Rosenberg
University of Iowa, USA

Linda Honan Pellico

Yale University School of Nursing, USA

Judith Lloyd Storfjell

University of Illinois, USA

Dott Federico Bilotta

Albert Einstein College of Medicine, USA

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 Zydziunaite, J Nurs Care 2012, 1:4
Nursing & Care http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2167-1168.1000e105

Editorial Open Access

Challenges and Issues in Nursing Leadership

Vilma Zydziunaite*
Professor, Center for Quality and Innovations, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania

Welcome to the special edition of the Journal of Nursing & Care, leaders is imperative for a healthful society, to the best evidence-based
which attempts to raise challenges and issues in nursing leadership nursing practice as well as to the need to train the nurses for leadership.
through nursing and care practices within variety of contexts, situations In this context Valentine [7] notes that we need nursing leadership to
that meet nurses through practicing leadership activities autonomously, exert that influence and by nurturing both leadership as well as clinical
in groups or teams in different types of health care organizations, with skills, we can. Also she raises the issue that the nursing profession
different consumers/patients and collaborators and by performing trains new nurses on operating the latest technology and complex
different roles such as clinical nurse, nurse practitioner, chief/head medical equipment. In contrast, once at the bedside they rarely get
nurse, nurse manager or other. Also this issue of the Journal of Nursing the opportunity to apply even basic leadership principles. Nursing as
& Care is concerned about research issues in nursing leadership such a profession does a disservice to new nurses by not developing their
as research methodologies, methods, concepts, strategies, philosophies leadership capabilities. Nursing has a responsibility to encourage and
and etc. support new members of the profession, as they become competent
In todays ever-changing health care environment, nurses require clinicians. Nursing must also make them competent leaders.
leadership, which provides direction for a new generation of nurses [1]. Nursing practice needs evidences that are proved by research
The past, present and future leadership setting, role of authority, power outcomes. Integration of research evidence into clinical nursing practice
and influence in leadership, components of the arch of leadership and is essential for the delivery of high-quality nursing care. Leadership
solutions to effective leadership in a future dimension is all domains
behaviors of nurses, especially, managers and administrators have
that motivate future nurse leaders [2]. Then gaining knowledge to
been identified as important to support research use and evidence-
become an effective nurse leader is one way to ensure quality health
based practice. Yet minimal evidence exists indicating what constitutes
care for the future [1].
effective nursing leadership for this purpose or what kinds of
Leadership can be defined as a multifaceted process of identifying interventions help leaders to successfully influence research-based care
a goal or target, motivating other people to act, and providing [11].
support and motivation to achieve mutually negotiated goals [3,4].
Often the definitions of the words leader and manager are not rare Research on nursing leadership has started in sixth decade of 20
confused. Traditional managers have assigned roles and titles within century [12] and till nowadays is still topical phenomenon, which is
an organization, as they carry out specific functions, duties and still under practical and research developments. Besides the practical
responsibilities. Leaders do not necessarily have any delegated authority. issues from the research standpoint here exist a lot of research
They function within a variety of formal and informal roles [5]. An phenomenons within the nursing leadership, e.g., culturally competent
individual can be a great leader but not a manager. Conversely, an care as characteristic of nursing [13]; mentorship, as a competence of
individual can be a manager but not possess many leadership skills [6]. nurse leaders [14]; reflective practice, as a premise for effective nursing
Thus the nursing leadership does not rest merely with administrators leadership [15]; relationships between health policy and nursing
and high-level managers, but also can be developed and implemented practice through nursing leadership [16]; the attributes of effective
at the bedside [7]. clinical nurse leaders [17]; quality of care provision for elderly through
nursing leadership [18]; building of the capacity for evidence-based
Nurses are likely to engage in a range of leadership activities in their nursing leadership through executive co-coaching and group clinical
daily routine. Some will naturally adopt an effective leadership style,
supervision [19]; leading the multigenerational nursing workforce
while others may find the concept of leadership or seeing themselves
[20]; interrelationships between organizational characteristics, job
as leaders difficult to understand. Effective leadership is critical in
satisfaction and stress, emotional exhaustion and nursing leadership
delivering high-quality care, ensuring patient safety and facilitating
[21, 22]; relationship between nursing leadership and patient outcomes
positive staff development [8]. Within the nursing and care practices,
[23]; situational factors and role models in nursing leadership [9];
anyone who is looked to as an authority (e.g., a nurse taking care of
leadership skills [1]; leadership styles [24-26]; leadership ethics [27];
a patient) or who is responsible for giving assistance to others is
ethical dilemmas by decision-making within nursing leadership [28]
considered a leader [1] and the nurses leaders, according to Bondas
[9] and Roskoski [10], are driving forces and vital to good patient and etc. Also researchers discuss about challenging methodological
care. This argument is related to Frankel [8] affirmation that dynamic issues in nursing leadership research issues, for example, application of
clinical leaders and supportive clinical environments are essential in the grounded theory [29]; historical methodology [30] and Q-Methodology
development and achievement of best practice models. What means
that nurses leaders act within various organizational environments
that could motivate or not, the nurse leaders to seek for the best health *Corresponding author: Vilma Zydziunaite, Professor, Center for Quality
care as well as nursing quality for their patients, society and nursing and Innovations, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania, E-mail:
profession. [email protected]

Received May 21, 2012; Accepted May 23, 2012; Published May 25, 2012
Wisniewski [5] characterizes the nurse leaders as creative and
innovative; utilizing their personal influence to empower others and Citation: Zydziunaite V (2012) Challenges and Issues in Nursing Leadership. J
Nurs Care 1:e105. doi:10.4172/2167-1168.1000e105
challenging the status quo; they are life-long learners, empathetic,
advocates who speak on behalf of their patients, decisive, extraordinary, Copyright: 2012 Zydziunaite V . This is an open-access article distributed under
the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted
resilient, supportive, heroic, and intuitive and purpose driven. Then
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and
these arguments show the importance of cultivating new nursing source are credited.

J Nurs Care Volume 1 Issue 4 1000e105

ISSN: 2167-1168 JNC, an open access journal
Citation: Zydziunaite V (2012) Challenges and Issues in Nursing Leadership. J Nurs Care 1:e105. doi:10.4172/2167-1168.1000e105

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Group, Westport.
If you would like to contribute to the debates, present articles I
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20. Sherman RO (2006) Leading a Multigenerational Nursing Workforce: Issues, Submit your next manuscript and get advantages of OMICS
Challenges and Strategies. Online J Issues Nurs 11: 3. Group submissions
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Magnet Hospitals, Nursing Leadership, and Nursing Job Satisfaction. Health Special features:
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