Assessment Description
Journaling provides a valuable tool for recording, reflecting on, and reviewing your learning. This approach provides an opportunity for you to \”connect the dots\” and observe the relationships between and among activities, interactions, and outcomes.
Unlike a personal journal of thoughts and feelings, this leadership journal is a record of your activities, assessments, and learning related to this academic experience.
Journal entries should include a record of the number of hours spent with your nurse leader each week.
Write a journal entry of 750-1,500 words on the subject of purpose, including the following:
Practicum Activities Reflection: Provide observations and thoughts on the activities in your practicum during Weeks 5, 6, & 7.
Application of Leadership: Describe your preceptor\’s leadership style. How does this affect the people they lead. Do staff members express feelings of support and helpfulness? Are there examples of dictating rather than leading? Does the leader say or do things designed to \”build up\” staff or have you seen missed opportunities?
Practicum Project Preparation: Describe your communication plan for your stakeholders. Who will be notified of what and at what time? What education is needed and for whom?
Leadership Video Reflection: Reflect on at least two things you learned from the \”Servant Leadership – Issue of Rule\” video.
Please use the \”Leadership Journal Template\” to complete this assignment.
APA style is not required, but 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.
Practicum Activities Reflection:
Learners are usually exposed to numerous concepts during learning. Through journaling, they are able to record and reflect on the course contents and assess their weaknesses and strengths in terms of what they have learned at the end of a course (Murillo-Llorente et al., 2021). The practicum activities completed during weeks 5, 6, and 7 enabled me to acquire new knowledge regarding leadership and followership in health practice. I have spent about 25 hours with my preceptor during this period. During week 5, the practicum setting recorded poor patient satisfaction scores and my preceptor attended meetings regularly to discuss the performance with managers and directors. There were massive improvements in patient satisfaction scores, especially in the surgical unit, in weeks 6 and 7. I attribute the improvement to the regular meetings held by my preceptor and other stakeholders in the facility. I have been privileged during week 7 to attend a conference organized by my department. This has been an exciting event that also enabled me to learn the major challenge facing nurse leaders today, including the strategies that they are implementing to mitigate them. My preceptor demonstrated inclusivity during the three weeks period by working closely with staff and all students who were completing their practicum activities. She always encouraged everyone to utilize the resources within their reach to attain both personal and professional growth while also taking appropriate actions to solve issues that are affecting patient care within the practice settings.
Application of Leadership:
My preceptor’s leadership style positively affects the lives of the people she leads. The leadership style displayed by my preceptor is that of servant leadership as demonstrated in her commitment to addressing the needs and challenges faced by her followers. Eva et al. (2019) assert that a servant leader usually focuses on helping his or her followers to grow instead of concentrating on the entire organization. Both staff and students value my preceptor as a source of emotional support. They regularly obtain useful insights from her on how to improve their patient care and leadership skills. My preceptor respects the views and opinions of staff and those of the students she is precepting. She incorporates their perceptions into decision-making and this greatly motivates her followers.
The staff and students usually express enthusiasm and commitment as a result of my preceptor’s servant leadership style. They also display feelings of support and helpfulness as they are supported to achieve both personal and professional growth. For example, the servant leadership style utilized by my preceptor fosters positive energy among members of staff. This aspires them to perform their duties effectively thereby supporting the organization to realize its mission, vision, and goals. Wang et al. (2022) recognize the effectiveness of the servant leadership style in eliminating psychological distress, promoting psychological safety, and promoting work engagement among employees. The support offered by my preceptor creates a positive work environment for staff and for students completing their practicum.
The activities that my preceptor engages in help to build staff as there is no evidence of dictatorship. She helps members of staff to reach their best potential to utilize their knowledge and skills to improve organizational performance. Besides, she always exposes staff to emerging issues that are likely to affect nursing practice in the near future. My preceptor also used case studies and frequent training to foster professionalism and resilience among staff and students (Wei et al., 2019). I must admit that my preceptor’s leadership style has integrated ethics, a sense of belonging, and professional practice among followers.
Practicum Project Preparation:
Effective communication is one of the key factors that determine the success of practicum projects. As I prepare for my practicum project, I have developed a clear plan that will guide me to communicate with stakeholders throughout the project. My communication plan entails holding regular meetings with stakeholders to inform them about the progress of the project. The plan aligns with the organization’s mission, vision, and goals (Rooijen et al., 2021). All stakeholders will be notified about the project’s progress at the beginning and at the end of every stage. According to Rooijen et al. (2021), it is always important to engage stakeholders in a project from the time of project analysis to completion stage. They further assert that meetings should be prepared early enough to avoid confusion and ensure success. I will use clear reports and communication-friendly presentations to enhance understanding. Project team members will receive training and education on how to communicate effectively with stakeholders during the project. Education and training will focus on effective communication skills and relationship building.
Leadership Video Reflection:
Students can gain positive insights about leadership by watching videos that are developed around the topic of interest. In the Servant Leadership – Issue of Rule” video, the speaker extensively explores the issue of rule and how it applies to a spiritual servant leader. One of the insights gained from the video is that a spiritual servant leader should refrain from ruling his or her followers but should strive to influence them to do the right things. I have also learned from the video that even as leaders struggle to hold high leadership positions, they should understand that God has the power to choose the type of authority that one is able to have in a kingdom. I will apply these lessons in my future leadership roles to exert influence among my followers instead of ruling them.
References
Eva, N., Robin, M., Sendjaya, S., van Dierendonck, D., & Liden, R. C. (2019). Servant leadership: A systematic review and a call for future research. The Leadership Quarterly, 30(1), 111-132.
Murillo-Llorente, M. T., Navarro-Martínez, O., Valle, V. I., & Pérez-Bermejo, M. (2021). Using the reflective journal to improve practical skills integrating affective and self-critical aspects in impoverished international environments. a pilot test. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(16), 8876. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18168876.
Rooijen, M., Lenzen, S., Dalemans, R., Beurskens, A., & Moser, A. (2021). Stakeholder engagement from problem analysis to implementation strategies for a patient-reported experience measure in disability care: A qualitative study on the process and experiences. Health Expectations: An International Journal of Public Participation in Health Care and Health Policy, 24(1), 53–65. https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.13147
Wang, W., Kang, S. W., & Choi, S. B. (2022). Servant leadership and creativity: a study of the sequential mediating roles of psychological safety and employee well-being. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 807070. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.807070
Wei, H., Roberts, P., Strickler, J., & Corbett, R. W. (2019). Nurse leaders’ strategies to foster nurse resilience. Journal of Nursing Management, 27(4), 681-687.