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Blacksburg, VA. Address correspondence to: Thomas R. Cunningham, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Dept. of Psychology, Williams Hall (0436), Blacksburg, VA 24061. Telephone: (540) 231-8145; e-mail: tcunning@vt.edu. References 1. National Patient Safety Foundation. Available at: www.npsf.org/au/. Accessed January 29, 2008. 2. Institute of Medicine. To err is human: Building a safer health system. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 1999. 3. Wachter RM. Internal bleeding. New York, NY: Rugged Land, LLC; 2004. 4. Miller MR, Elixhauser A, Zhan C, et al. Patient safety indicators: Using administrative data to identify potential patient-safety concerns. Health Serv Res 2001; 36: 110-32. 5. Leape LL, Lawthers AG, Brennan TA, et al. Preventing medical injury. Qual Rev Bull 1993; 19: 144-149. 6. Health Grades quality study: Patient safety in American hospitals. July 2004. Available at: www.healthgrades.com/media/english/pdf/HG_Patient _Safety_Study_Final.pdf. Accessed January 29, 2008. 7. Romano PS, Geppert JJ, Davies S, et al. A national profile of patient safety in U.S. hospitals. Health Aff (Millwood) 2003; 22: 154-166. 8. Zaragoza M, Salles M, Gomez J, et al. Handwashing with soap or alcoholic solution? A randomized clinical trial of its effectiveness. Am J Infect Control 1999; 27: 258-261. 9. Bates DW, Cohen M, Leape LL, et al. Reducing the frequency of errors in medicine using information technology. J Am Med Inform Assoc 2001; 8:299- 308. 14 10. Bates DW, Leape L, Cullen DJ, et al. Effect of computerized physician order entry Nurses study leadership to learn how to work well with other people. We work with an extraordinary variety of people: technicians, aides, unit managers, housekeepers, patients, patients’ families, physicians, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, social workers, psychologists, and more. In this chapter, the most prominent leadership theories are introduced. Then, the characteristics and behaviors that can make you, a new nurse, an effective leader and follower are discussed. Leadership Are You Ready to Be a Leader? You may be thinking, “I’m just beginning my career in nursing. How can I be expected to be a leader now?” This is an important question. You will need time to refine your clinical skills and learn how to function in a new environment. But you can begin to assume some leadership functions right away within your new nursing roles. In fact, leadership should be seen as a dimension of nursing practice (Scott & Miles, 2013). Consider the following example: Billie Thomas was a new staff nurse at Green Valley Nursing Care Center. After orientation, she was assigned to a rehabilitation unit with high admission and discharge rates. Billie noticed that admissions and discharges were assigned rather haphazardly. Anyone who was “free” at the moment was directed to handle them. Sometimes, unlicensed assistant personnel were directed to admit or discharge residents. Billie believed that this was inappropriate because they are not prepared to do assessments and they had no preparation for discharge planning. Billie had an idea how discharge planning could be improved but was not sure that she should bring it up because she was so new. “Maybe they’ve already thought of this,” she said to a former classmate. They began to talk about what they had learned in their leadership course before graduation. “I just keep hearing our instructor saying, ‘There’s only one manager, but anyone can be a leader.’ ” “If you want to be a leader, you have to act on your idea. Why don’t you talk with your nurse manager?” her friend asked. “Maybe I will,” Billie replied. Billie decided to speak with her nurse manager, an experienced rehabilitation nurse who seemed not 3663_Chapter 1_0003-0016.indd 3 663_Chapter 1_0003-0016.indd 3 9/15/2014 4:36:35 PM /15/2014 4:36:35 PM Process Cyan rocess CyanProcess Magenta rocess MagentaProcess Yellow rocess YellowProcess Black rocess Black 4 unit 1 ■ Professional Considerations only approachable but also open to new ideas. “I have been so busy getting our new electronic health record system on line before the surveyors come that I wasn’t paying attention to that,” the nurse manager told her. “I’m glad you
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