Nurses as leaders

FigureIt's time to celebrate nursing! Nurses' week is celebrated every May, and for good reason. For the 23rd year in a row, nursing has been voted by 76% of Americans who participated in the Gallup polls as the most honest and ethical profession.1 This speaks volumes about the public's perception of nurses as professionals and as leaders in healthcare. Let the settle in for a moment. As nurses, do you readily think of yourself as a leader? When you think of leadership, do you recognize that ALL nurses are leaders? Nurses are the drivers of healthcare and their work in every aspect of healthcare has shown that. Nurses hold roles in administration, political office, healthcare boards, public health, academia, business, and more. We collaboratively bring a point of view regarding healthcare and human caring to the forefront of decision-making and policy development that is crucial to quality, research, compliance, and compassion. The American Nurses Association emphasizes that leadership in nursing is demonstrated through actions rather than just holding a formal title.2 Nurses use their skills in all facets of professional engagement in whatever role they occupy not only the acute care setting. Nurses are excellent communicators and collaborators. The role of the professional nurse depends on the ability to do both well. Nurses exhibit professional excellence through their on-going educational endeavors and their focus on quality and process improvement. Ethics and professional practice through self-evaluation, peer evaluation, and accountability make the professionals of nursing practice leaders in healthcare and in the eyes of the public they care for. In nursing, professionalism and leadership involve fostering essential relationships and working with diverse healthcare teams on complex issues. Strong critical thinking skills enable nurse leaders to evaluate decisions that affect their organization.2 The Center for Creative Leadership identifies 12 key skills that define effective leadership, including integrity, self-awareness, courage, respect, compassion, and resilience. Strong leaders should also be adaptable learners, communicate their vision, express gratitude, collaborate effectively, and use their influence strategically.3 Whether you're working in acute care and advocating for your patient, navigating the complexities of research or organizational dynamics, running for office, or serving on a board to influence and advocate—your actions demonstrate leadership. Nurses have a voice in safety, quality, policy, procedure, staffing, and healthy work environments. Nurses are everyday stepping up and meeting the challenges that face our communities across the country. We've probably all heard the script that begins with, “I'm just a nurse.” No, you're a nurse leader. Thank you for all you do. NMIE celebrates you, your passion, your dedication, and your resilience that keeps us all moving forward.Figure