Nursing Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5750 words

Nursing Leadership - Essay Example The health care system, just like other institutions, has to respond to the various and increasing demands to the industry. Nursing, being an integral part of the health sector, has to establish an approach that will bring the institution forward in the 21st century, since there are many challenges that nursing face. Some of which are â€Å"new roles, new technology, financial constraints, and greater emphasis on participation, cultural diversity and education† (Curtis, de Vries and Sheerin, 2011, p. 2006). In this regard, effective leadership, in nursing in particular and health care service in general, has been given ample consideration as one of the primary strategies that can appropriately respond to the changes and challenges of the 21st century (Greenfield, 2007; Sutherland and Dodd, 2008). It is recognised that an effective leadership in nursing is crucial in providing high quality health care services to the patient and efficient and professional discharge of nursing functions (Curtis et al., 2011; Shirrey, 2009; Tregunno et al., 2008). However, it has been observed that there are limited literatures pertinent to nursing leadership, especially, if it is compared with nursing management which has been the focus of discourses (Curtis et al, 2011; Stanley, 2008). In this situation, this research will look into some of the theories in leadership and on some of the issues that it may raise in practise settings. The aim of the study is to provide a comparative analysis of contemporary theories of leadership in order to ascertain which among the theories may appropriately fit into the unique structure and demands of nursing (Jackson et al., 2009). This is significant because by identifying the suitable type of leadership for nursing, high quality nursing care service is secu red, job satisfaction is increased, and in whole there is a positive effect in the patient, among the nurses and the organisation as a whole (Curtis et al., 2011; Shirrey, 2009;Tregunno et al., 2008). For the study, the researcher will be discussing transactional leadership, transformational leadership and the servant leader. These have been chosen because these three theories are primarily humanists and holistic in approach (Heisler and Carter, 2010), which in turn, has a close affinity to the nature of nursing (Jackson et al., 2009). This decision does not discount the fact that other leadership theories, such as democratic leadership, strategic leadership, and others, may also be used. Nonetheless, the decision to focus only transactional, transformational and servant-leader acts not only as limitation for this research, but also supports the notion that these three theories of leadership are more congruent with the nature of nursing (Jackson et al., 2009). The research will be h aving the following structure. The first part is consists of the comparative analysis of the transactional leadership, transformational leadership and servant-leadership, while, the second part will be dealing with the reflective account. In the end, it is hope of the researcher that this analysis may further nursing leadership. Leadership and Nursing: An Intricate Relation The idea of leadership often evokes the notion of power, authority, dynamism, vigour, charisma, personalities, organisation and other similar concepts. These various connotations have contributed to the wealth of definition that is attached to leadership. Some define leadership as â€Å"a stream of evolving interrelationships in which leaders are continuously evoking motivational responses from followers and modifying their behaviour as they meet responsiveness or resistance, in a ceaseless process of flow and counter flow†

Attention Deficit Disorder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Attention Deficit Disorder - Essay Example The first step that most patients take that you may want to consider is that of pharmacological medication. By choosing this option you will be using a cost effective way of managing the disorder because this treatment has been proven to be the most successful. Your doctor my prescribe Ritalin, Adderall, Cylert with Ritalin being the most popular. Ritalin contains methylphenidate which is "Currently the focus of widespread and intensive study and is broadly considered by experts in the treatment of ADD to be the single most effective intervention for inattention and impulsivity" (Noral). Methylphenidate has demonstrated effectiveness in controlling undesirable symptoms such as "Inattentiveness and impulsivity for approximately seventy percent of the diagnosed with ADD for whom it was prescribed (Noral). While methylphenidate is the most effective in most patients, your doctor may go through the process of elimination and have you try several different drugs in order to find the one t hat works best for you. Typically you will be prescribed a once daily dose of this medication and the "Effects of this dose on predetermined behavioral and educational objectives such as focus, time on task, and impulse control are carefully monitored" (Noral). When you take these medications they will raise the level of your neurotransmitters, dopamine and norepinephrine which are all chemicals in your brain that control your motivation, concentration and alertness. In the beginning of your treatment you may suffer several side effects depending on the medication you are taking. This is why it may take some time and patience before you and your doctor find the medication and dosage that is best suited for you. "Nervousness and insomnia are the most common adverse reactions to methylphenidate and other medication side effects can include "Upset stomach, decreased appetite, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, allergic reactions, increased blood pressure and psychosis" (ADHDNews.com). Whil e you will find this pharmacological treatment to be the most effective it is also the most controversial due to the undesirable side affects that have been seen in certain patients. If these side effects are too detrimental you may want to then take a step back and explore other treatment options. Often behavior therapy and interventions are the second step patients take when they are not getting results from their medication or the side effects are too overwhelming. You may want to consider this second step in treating your ADD if you have exhausted all possible pharmacological medications. One type of behavioral therapy you may want to consider is psychoeducational input. "Psychoeducational input is a form of therapy in which patients and their relatives should be empowered to understand and accept the illness and cope with it in a successful manner" (Sherman). This method can often mean many sacrifices for yourself and your family, because you will need to make changes in your routine and daily life in order to work around your ADD. Another method you may consider is Interpersonal Psychotherapy. If you choose to pursue this method your therapist will work with you and help diagnosis the direct instances when your ADD symptoms appear and identify your problem areas. Once the se have been