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Practice Nursing By Kristene Diggins

Practicing Transformational Leadership

T he American Nurses Creden-
tialing Center (ANCC) has
provided guidance on standards
of excellence in nursing for many years
through the tenets of Magnet. Many
nurses are familiar with the Magnet
Organization Seal of Excellence, as this
is a highly esteemed distinction. Magnet
healthcare systems focus on five pillars
of excellence in practice: Transforma-
tional Leadership; Structural Empower-
ment; Exemplary Professional Practice;
New Knowledge, Innovations &
Improvements; and Empirical Out-
comes (ANCC, 2015). Some of the
basic premises of excellence in Magnet
focus on these areas of leadership:
Creating a shared governance
framework that enables all nurses to
participate;
Facilitate an organizational climate
that empowers patient-centric
comprehensive healthcare through
communicating best practice nursing.
to work through team members to
inspire change within a system. Trans-
formational leadership is exemplified
through empowering others to make an
impact in their area of practice. APRNs
can model this type of leadership in
many different areas of daily practice.
For example, the concept of nurse
practitioner (NP) transition-to-practice through transparent, honest sharing of
is important in APRN role develop-
ment, specifically in building compe-
tence as an autonomous healthcare
provider. Transition-to-practice from
RN to NP takes time in learning from
other NPs who model professional NP
practice (Flinter, 2011).
therapists to manage the care of a
Transformational
leadership is exemplified
through empowering others
to make an impact in their
As an APRN, I value sharing patient
stories that highlight excellent nursing
care, in order to motivate the team to
improved patient outcomes. I think about
how Christ led through teams, inspiring
others to see the value of their role as part
of the body of Christ.The APRN
Christian leader empowers others
information and helping nurses see their
role within the larger system.
Furthermore, the APRNs opportu-
nity to work with various professionals
in the care of the patient enables him
or her to facilitate teamwork. The
APRN often works directly with the
nurse, pharmacist, physician, and
patient. The ability to shine as a leader
through team building is central in this
component and is foundational to the
APRNs practice. Professional practice
provides the bridge to value other team
members, placing respect for other

Magnet organizations initially

focused on the role of the undergradu-
ate nurse (RN) in key tiers of leader-
ship. Today, the Advanced Practice
Registered Nurse (APRN) can have a
significant role in modeling Magnet
excellence. I see the five pillars as
central to the role I have as a Christian
APRN, specifically as I strive to model
Christ-like leadership. However, to me,
the most evident area of APRN
leadership in day-to-day practice is seen
in transformational leadership. Transfor-
mational leadership refers to the ability
Kristene Diggins, DNP, MBA, FAANP,
is a Family Nurse Practitioner and works
with her husband as full-time missionar-
ies. She also teaches as adjunct faculty
for University of Phoenix and manages
practice for NPs in a retail organization.
She loves to write about the role of faith in understand-
ing leadership as a nurse.
The author declares no conflict of interest.
DOI:10.1097/CNJ.0000000000000269
area of practice. professions foremost.
As I think about this Magnet
principle of transformational leadership,
I remember well my first role as an I think about how Jesus led through
NP. While I had learned the theory inspiring others. He worked with the
needed to practice, I was not confident disciples to lead them through relation-
in my role. I was anxious to adopt the ship by example. He transformed their
provider role and the autonomy hearts and their lives. Transformative
required to practice. An NP leader took leadership was part of the essence of
me under her wing and mentored me. Christs life. This is exactly the type of
She modeled the knowledge and leadership needed for nursing.
confidence necessary to practice The more I follow Jesus example,
assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. the more I will be able to empower
She cared for her patients with a other nurses to adopt the full level of
selflessness and humility that was unsur- leadership they are called to, as they
passed. When she didnt know the care for their patients and colleagues.
answer, she was quick to let her patients Christ will show me the way!
know and seek out answers for their
American Nurses Credentialing Center. (2015). Magnet
care. Her role modeling provided the model. Retrieved from http://www.nursecredentialing.
confidence and learning I needed to org/Magnet/ProgramOverview/New-Magnet-Model
care for my patients. She exemplified Flinter, M. (2011, November 28). From new nurse
transformative leadership through being practitioner to primary care provider: Bridging the
transition through FQHC-based residency training.
a servant leader in the care of her OJIN:The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 17(1).
patients, colleagues, and team members. doi:10.3912/OJIN.Vol17No01PPT04

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