Discussion: Assess Power Dynamics

Discussion: Assess Power Dynamics

NOW FOR AN ORIGINAL PAPER ASSIGNMENT:Discussion: Assess Power Dynamics

Week 6 discussion

Power Dynamics

There is no graded Discussion Board assignment this week; however, a Week 6 optional discussion board is available for your voluntary participation. Bring to mind a nurse whose words, behaviors, or reputation convey power. What is it about this individual that suggests power? How does your perception of this person relate to your view of yourself as a nurse leader and the image you associate with nursing?

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Week 7 discussion

Addressing Barriers to Effective Communication

From moment to moment, a nurse leader’s day involves communication—with patients, families, colleagues, supervisors, and so on.

Think of a particular day you spent working in a health care environment, and consider three or four distinct points in time. For each point of time, consider the following: With whom did you interact? Which forms of communication did you use? What issues were communicated about—did they seem to be light-hearted or sensitive? Straightforward or complicated? How would you describe the pace of the interactions and your work?

As you consider these questions, it becomes clear that communication can be quite complex, with many layers of meaning that shape the experience for everyone involved. How could this awareness help you to understand instances of ineffective communication when they arise?

To prepare:

Review the information in Chapter 19 of the course text, as well as the assigned articles.

Reflect on an incident involving ineffective communication within your organization or another health care setting. Consider this incident through the lens of the communication process outlined in Figure 19.1 of the course text.

What barriers contributed to this incident? What other challenges may have influenced this situation?

Using the information presented in the other Learning Resources, consider what could have been done to prevent or address the ineffective communication. Why do you think the use of these strategies would have resulted in better outcome(s)?

By Day 3

Post a summary of an incident involving ineffective communication. Describe communication barriers and other challenges that contributed to the incident. Propose one or more strategies that could have been employed to promote a better outcome. Be sure to refer to elements of the communication process.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.

By Day 6

Respond by critiquing at least two of your colleagues’ postings on two different days using elements of the communication process and recommend additional strategies to overcome the barriers. If you think other factors may have contributed to the situation, provide an analysis with the support of literature.

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Week 8 discussion

The Distinction Between Leadership and Management

Think of the managers you have reported to thus far in your career. Now consider the people you have worked with or know of that you would consider leaders. Based on these experiences, what would you surmise about the responsibilities of managers and leaders and about the distinctions between these two categories in health care settings?

This week’s Learning Resources classify management and leadership (which are often confused in everyday discussion) and explain their significance for health care organizations. As you advance professionally, it is critical to understand the distinctions between management and leadership and how you can apply this knowledge for increasing effectiveness in your workplace.

To prepare:

Review the information in the Learning Resources.

Conduct additional research on your own and select at least two current, credible sources that contribute to your understanding of management and leadership.

Reflect on how the roles of management and leadership differ in supporting the organization to set and achieve goals.

Drawing upon specific examples from a current or previous practice setting, bring to mind someone who seemed to be a leader but not a manager and someone who seemed to be a manager but not a leader (generally speaking, or within a specific circumstance). Be prepared to support your assessment with specific behavioral descriptions found in the literature.