Week 7 - Ethical Leadership and Safety (STUDENT)

Leadership, Ethics & Safety in Nursing

The Need for Strong Nursing Leadership

• The nursing profession faces significant challenges that require effective leadership.

• There is a lack of clear guidelines on how to nurture strong nursing leadership.

Nursing Values & Ethical Responsibilities

Code of Ethics - Canadian Nurses Association

• Key Responsibilities include:

  • Providing Safe, Compassionate, Competent & Ethical Care.

  • Promoting Health & Well-Being.

  • Promoting & Respecting Informed Decision-Making.

  • Honouring Dignity.

  • Maintaining Privacy & Confidentiality.

  • Promoting Justice.

  • Being Accountable.

• The Code serves two purposes:

  • Aspirational: It guides ethical values and responsibilities of nurses.

  • Regulatory: It regulates nurses as a self-regulating profession, ensuring public protection.

Code of Conduct

• The Code consists of six principles that nurses must adhere to:

  1. Respect clients’ dignity.

  2. Provide inclusive & culturally safe care through cultural humility.

  3. Provide safe & competent care.

  4. Work respectfully with the healthcare team.

  5. Act with integrity in clients’ best interests.

  6. Maintain public confidence in the nursing profession.

• Each principle is accompanied by statements outlining the core behaviours expected of nurses, emphasizing ethical practices.

Ethical Leadership in Nursing

• Clarity of Personal Values: Nurses must understand their values and grow their moral autonomy.

• Fiduciary Responsibilities: Ethical duty to act in the best interest of others.

• Balance Professional and Personal Commitments: Acknowledge the moral obligations to patients while navigating institutional demands.

Obligation To Institutions & Employers

• Autonomy and accountability

• Moral oblication

• Need to balance professional obligations with basic personal commitments

Ted Talk - Lesson form Nursing to the world

• Issues in nursing include devaluation and shame leading to mistakes and poor communication.

• Dismantling Hierarchy: Encourage collaborative efforts among RNs and other healthcare workers.

  • Incivility: Overt and covert behaviours undermining collegiality that need addressing to promote a safe environment.

• We have 3 things our physicians don’t:

  • Time with patient, Information about MD practices (forgetting ABX order)

    sees all MD perspectives & preferences &  can offer recommendations

• On the plane

  • there is no hierarchy

Creating a Safe Environment for Healthcare Workers

• Incivility: Defined as rude or impolite behaviours that can escalate to harassment or aggression.

• Components of a Safe Culture:

  • Clear standards for behaviour.

  • Support for staff through leadership and resources.

Empowerment & Preventing Incivility

• Evidence-Based Practices: Implement zero tolerance policies, promote ethical culture, and prioritize employee support.

• Addressing Impairment: Monitor and manage stress and mental health to reduce disruptive behaviors.

Relational Leadership Model

• Transformational vs. Relational Leadership:

  • Transformational Leaders: Inspire and motivate for follower needs.

  • Relational Leaders: Focus on empowering, inclusive, ethical, and process-oriented leadership.

Leadership Outcomes

• Positive Effects of Relational Leadership:

  • Improved engagement and reduced burnout.

  • Enhanced patient safety and overall health outcomes.

Key Components of Relational Leadership

• Purposefulness: Build commitment towards shared goals.

• Teamwork: Trust and confidence among team members lead to a collaborative effort.

• Process Orientation: Understanding how to facilitate teamwork and collaboration.

The Impact of Leadership on Patient Safety

• Good leadership is directly tied to better patient safety outcomes, including reduced adverse events and improved satisfaction.

• The relational leadership approach prioritizes ethical decision-making and teamwork to enhance patient care.