CU-MSN-1

The theories created by Imogene King and Hildegard Peplau resonated with me the most as my knowledge grew about theoretical foundations and holistic nursing practice. By analyzing and gaining an understanding of their concepts it provided me with the foundation I was seeking to utilize when leadership obstacles appear. Studying King’s theory of goal attainment, which is based on communications and interactions, it enabled me to take a different viewpoint in a leadership role. I found Peplau’s theory to correlate well with King's theory because Peplau understood the need for relationships to create a foundation for effective communications and interactions to occur. Everyone needs relationships to succeed, especially when problems emerge during life. Thus, understanding how employees respond to work and life problems and applying the foundation obtained from this nursing theory course will help me to create a better work environment for the people I lead because trust will have been built prior to the problem.

Nursing theories from various individuals have evolved from the beginning of the nursing profession. Without these individuals, the nursing profession would not be where it is today. Florence Nightingale and her five concepts used to help heal patients provided the initial basis for the nursing profession should never be forgotten, even though there is constant change in this profession. As a leader, this is where we ensure these concepts are not overlooked or lost in the practice moving forward. Martha Rogers added to Florence Nightingale’s concepts by understanding the need to include the family or the caregiver or the patient’s representative during the patient’s care. Peplau was able to expand this concept by the use of open communication and relationship practice. As each theory emerged, growth and new findings occurred which allowed the nursing profession to improve. As a leader, each one of these theorists provided invaluable knowledge when caring for the patient and leading others. A leader needs to include all parties involved, let each of these individuals be heard, and provide them with the foundation to be successful when providing care, just like Florence Nightingale found the five concepts to enhance the healing of a patient.

Emotional Intelligence is a theory that is fairly new to the nursing workplace. Learning, gaining knowledge and practicing the theory created by Daniel Goleman is beneficial not only to a leadership role, but also a lesson for life. Relating this theory to the issue of horizontal violence allows me to take a look at the issue from another perspective. Learning to take the time to realize why a staff member is acting out in a certain manner or why a staff member is being passive allows me to identify the root problem. Therefore, I can address the problem with the employee, which results in them realizing that I care about them as an individual and not just an employee. This enables me to offer them help even though they did not ask for it. Understanding that emotions are a reaction to the way an employee is feeling can help to understand the circumstance instead of just looking through the narrow lens of the situation. By applying this in a leadership role, I can gain trust from staff and allow transparency to evolve.

Florence Nightingale was the first nursing theorist and started the progressive path for the nursing profession. Nightingale's theory stresses the basic needs that an individual requires for the healing process to occur. Meeting the basic needs are the duties of a professional nurse. However, caring for the whole person and not just the disease that required them to be hospitalized is extremely important to remember when practicing nursing. This led us to expand our knowledge on the nursing theory of Florence Nightingale. Our research highlighted the importance of the basic need of sleep that Nightingale expressed in her theory. In addition to this research, we discovered that the staff needed additional education in the Neurology Critical Care (NCC) unit for them to understand the importance of this basic need. As a leader, taking the time to work with staff to gain knowledge regarding the importance of basic needs for the patient and to care for the whole patient will help with the healing process.