VNRS 183: Leadership in Nursing

• Demonstrate effective verbal and written communication with concentration in the nursing profession.
• Demonstrate an understanding of general principles of leadership and theoretical principles of leadership in the different health care settings.
• Illustrate a basic understanding of the concepts of ethics and ethical theories.
• Identify knowledge of individual, interpersonal and social/cultural influences of leadership/management styles, and demonstrate knowledge of the influences of the roles and theories of leadership.
• Demonstrate proficiency in word processing and computing skills.
• Outline nursing legal responsibilities for vocational nursing practice in accordance with the California Nurse Practice Act.
• Analyze and discuss contemporary nursing practice, current trends, and issues impacting nursing care delivery.

1. Historical Perspectives and Current Trends
   1. The beginning of nursing
   2. Healthcare in the United States
   3. The beginning of modern nursing
   4. History of the licensed vocational nurse
   5. Current trends and issues
2. Understanding the Changing Roles in Nursing
   1. Paradigm thinking defined
   2. Theoretical frameworks for management
   3. The basic principle of patient advocacy
3. Healthcare Environment
   1. Healthcare systems
   2. Roles and tasks of the licensed vocational nurse in the healthcare system
   3. Roles of the licensed vocational nurse
   4. Healthcare agencies
4. The Importance of Critical Thinking
   1. Critical thinking defined
   2. Thorough thinking
   3. Thorough or critical thinking as applied to science and nursing
5. Leadership and Management as a Professional Concept
   1. Leadership versus management
   2. Historical overview of nursing leadership and management roles
   3. Where the licensed vocational nurse is in the historical picture
   4. Leadership styles
6. Communication Skills in Leadership and Management
   1. Types of communication
   2. Communication in the clinical setting
   3. Forms of communication
7. Understanding Benefits of Change
   1. Changed defined
   2. Effective decision making during change process
   3. Role of the licensed vocational nurse as change agent
   4. Transitions
8. Understanding Conflict
   1. How conflict occurs
   2. Causes of conflict
   3. Transactional approach to conflict management
9. Dealing with Chaos
   1. Understanding the changes
   2. Chaos theory
10. Ethics and Law in Nursing Management
    1. Understanding ethics
    2. Legal issues
    3. Nurse Practice Act
    4. Understanding the law
    5. Legal issues specific to nursing
11. Understanding Use of Power
    1. Power defined
    2. Types of power
    3. Power and the role of licensed vocational nurses
12. Motivating Employees
    1. Theories of motivation
    2. Creating a motivating environment
13. Team Building
    1. Understanding characteristics of a team
    2. Stages of team development
    3. Understanding the value of team concepts
14. Delegating, Coaching, and Evaluating Performance
    1. Making assignments
    2. Performance analysis
15. Entry into Practice
    1. Nurse practice act
    2. Finding the perfect job
    3. Mentoring
16. Employment Process
    1. Employer expectations
    2. Application process
    3. Preparing for the Interview

Under supervision by clinical/lab instructors, the student nurse will perform the following skills used by nursing team leaders in a clinical setting. The student nurse will perform these skills on clients across the life span. 

1. Utilize a nursing process as a student team leader by gathering data and recording on chart, identifying problems, selecting and implementing approaches to care, evaluating results in relation to patient care, and relaying information to professional team leader.
2. Apply the various principles of time management in the clinical/lab setting by, establishing priorities, and determining duties to be delegated.
3. As a student team leader, demonstrate leadership skills by listening to report, writing down new information and relaying it to assigned students members, making hourly rounds, prioritizing care, scheduling and posting break and lunch times.
4. As a student team leader, check student team member’s charting for reflection of nursing care plan, and finalize information into brief, concise and accurate report for staff team leader and post-conference.