By Joan Humphries, BSN, MN, PhD student and Rosanne Beuthin, BSN, MN, PhD (c)
Our Chocolate and Research Seminars cover a wide range of topics and recently, two of the sessions focused on Leadership. Each session included a presentation from a Canadian nursing leader, wherein lessons were shared from their personal and professional experiences. In each case, these nurse leaders talked about their own contributions and fielded questions from the participants. We found both sessions informative, inspiring, and offering much to reflect upon as we consider our experiences as doctoral students and the possibilities and responsibilities concerning nursing leadership that lie ahead.
On these two occasions, the groups that were assembled consisted a mixture of both on-site and online enthusiasts, using Elluminate technology to unite us. On February 8, 2012, PhD students and faculty gathered to hear and interact with our guest participant, Dr. Ginette Rodger who joined us live from Ottawa. On March 15, 2012, Dr. Judith Shamian joined us from Toronto.
Dr. Rodger is Vice-President of Professional Practice and Chief Nursing Executive at the Ottawa Hospital, the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and the Rehabilitation Centre, and past president of the Canadian Nurses Association. Her experience includes management, education, research and a background and passion for clinical nursing. Dr. Shamian is the current President of the CNA and President and CEO of the Victorian Order of Nurses. Throughout her career she has held many formal and informal leadership positions with a focus on nursing and health care. She is passionate about life, nursing, and the health care system. As wives and mothers, both speakers emphasized the need for balance between career and family.
We were inspired by Dr. Rodger’s personal history. From the beginning of her nursing career, Dr. Rodger took the “road less travelled” by studying nursing in English when coming from an exclusive Francophone background in Quebec. From there, it seemed that there was no challenge that was too overwhelming to undertake! Dr. Rodger’s success at Ottawa Hospital with leading nurses in organizational reform is based on a system of networking that enables nurses to nurture each other’s leadership qualities. Bedside nurses take the lead with clinical problem solving, which is encouraged and expected to exist on a collegial basis over the entire spectrum of the caregiving experience. Significantly higher rates of nurse retention at the Ottawa Hospital suggest that nurses who are working within this model are happy to participate. Dr. Rodger’s organizational framework is a departure from the model of “positional leadership” wherein nurses too often are expected to “follow” rather than “lead” in patient care. The success of the nursing care model at Ottawa Hospital is based on identifying the extensive resources that exist among nurses, but which are often invisible and undervalued in organizational structures wherein others dictate nurses’ work and decision making. According to Dr. Rodger, the values of compassion, caring, knowledge and evidence underpin much of nurses’ work and they can be the source of tremendous influence. Courage is needed for nursing leadership. Vision is also important among nurse leaders, in order to draw upon what connects nurses – and as nurse leaders, we need to embrace those values to effect change. Visibility is crucial, so that nurses are seen as integral players across the disciplines. Most innovative, though, is the notion that nurses in clinical practice settings have the ability to participate meaningfully as leaders – chairing committee work and participating in other activities that are most often associated with traditional leadership positions. Dr. Rodger stressed that we need to “grow” our clinical leaders and give all nurses a training ground for leadership. Finally, nurses need to celebrate the depth and breadth of knowledge that our study and experience generates. This knowledge, in turn, will have the potential to increase our realm of influence as nurses.
During discussion with Dr. Shamian, key statements resonated with Rosanne and elicited this reflection: “I heard her words clearly, and my heart quickened. ‘You’re here to be known as a leader.’ Dr. Shamian’s statement was unequivocal as she shared lessons learned about nursing leadership. The conversation continued in a rich, earthy, and evocative yet inspirational way. “The backbone of a PhD is analytical thinking.” But how often we have experienced tension in trying to apply ourselves in the practice world in practical ways! Questions and judgments were generated like popping corn as I reflected as to whether I am
a leader, and whether I am meeting the expectation and privilege of a doctoral student. Am I promoting myself and saying ‘yes’ often enough? I contemplated the idea of leadership as a continuum from small ‘l’ leadership to capital ‘L’ Leadership (as in CNA president), and then it was as if Dr. Shamian read my mind: ‘Know your purpose, don’t be too hard on yourself, find balance, and don’t forget self care.’ The key lessons she shared resonated solidly, including the importance of team building, as well as supporting growth of one another through coaching and feedback. She also emphasized the importance of taking risks, feeling discomfort at times, and yet always aiming to influence and inform decisions from a perspective of what is in the best interest of the health of the patient. The call to action I heard was to be one’s best self, to promote oneself (allowing oneself to shine) and to step with conviction and confidence into nursing leadership. Awareness in how I perceive myself shifted, such that I am more open to shining the unique light that I am.”
It sounds easy. Challenge, courage, visibility, and vision in leadership are not new ideas, and even though we know these qualities are not easy to achieve, they have the potential to sound deceptively simplistic. Both Dr. Shamian and Dr. Rodger have held a variety of positions in clinical practice, administration in a variety of health care settings and situations that provided them with a depth and breadth of ongoing knowledge development and experience.
Both valued the perspectives they gained from their doctoral studies. For each, the centrality of their valuing knowledge, fortitude, and passion for nursing (that is, their concern for patient care) was the source of their inspiration. By becoming influential leaders, therefore, they found themselves in positions where they could operationalize their passion. Those of us who attended these sessions were inspired by these nursing leaders, who encouraged us to find our own unique light and let it shine brightly so that we too may provide leadership as doctoral students, and in our future roles as nurse leaders.
Joan Humphries and Rosanne Beuthin are PhD students in the UVic School of Nursing.
From the 2012 Spring Communiqué — Informatics
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