Unit 9: Intro to Leadership

Collaborative practice

Working together across roles (and with the client/family) to deliver safe, effective care through shared goals, communication, and respect.

Team communication

Clear, respectful, two-way communication within the team to share info, prevent errors, and coordinate care.

Leadership

Influencing and guiding others to achieve high-quality patient care, support the team, and improve the work environment.

Professional Practice

Using professional behaviours and standards to give safe, competent care (e.g., accountability, staying within scope/competence, maintaining therapeutic boundaries, and ongoing learning).

Ethical Practice

Making care decisions based on ethical principles (respect, dignity, fairness/equity, advocacy), and managing ethical issues professionally.

Legal Practice

Practising according to laws/regulations and employer policies (scope, privacy/confidentiality, consent, accurate documentation, and required reporting).

Foundation of Practice

The core nursing knowledge/skills used to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate care safely (clinical judgment, evidence-informed care, safety/risk prevention).

Collaborative Practice

Working effectively with clients/families and the healthcare team using clear communication, role clarity, teamwork, and conflict-resolution to reach shared goals.

Transformational leadership

Inspires and motivates others through vision, encouragement, and helping people grow/change.

Relational leadership

Leadership based on relationships: trust, respect, collaboration, and strong communication.

Emotionally intelligent leadership

Leading with self-awareness, self-control, empathy, and good relationship skills to support the team.

Transactional leadership

Focuses on tasks, structure, and “rewards/consequences” to get work done.

Servant leadership

Puts the needs of patients/staff first; supports and empowers others.

Authentic leadership

Leads with honesty, self-awareness, values, and consistency.

Visionary leadership

Focuses on the “big picture,” future goals, and direction for change.

Creating ethical practice environments

Leaders help make a workplace where people act ethically, feel supported, and speak up about concerns.

High-quality practice environments

Leaders support staffing, teamwork, and systems that allow safe, competent care.

Advocacy & clinical governance

Speaking up for clients and ensuring care is safe/quality-focused through standards and accountability.

Intraprofessional

Collaboration within nursing (ex: LPN + RN + NP teamwork).

Interprofessional

Collaboration between different professions (ex: nursing + PT + OT + physician + social work).

Functional nursing

(model of care) Care is organized by tasks (each staff member does specific tasks for many patients).

Team nursing

(model of care) A team works together for a group of patients, usually with a leader coordinating.

Primary nursing

(model of care) One nurse takes major responsibility for planning/coordinating a patient’s care.

Delegation

Transferring responsibility for a client intervention to a delegate (outside the authorized individual scope), while the nurse keeps accountability for monitoring/evaluating safety and outcomes.

Forming

Polite/uncertain; learning roles; focus on orientation and goals.

Storming

Conflict/frustration shows up; disagreements about goals/expectations; need conflict resolution and role clarity.

Norming

Team finds rhythm; better communication; teamwork norms form; productivity increases.

Performing

High efficiency; clear roles; strong trust; minimal conflict; focused on goals.

Termination/Ending

Task complete; disband/transition; mixed emotions; finish work + evaluate lessons learned.