Describe the selected letter. What was the focus of the letter? Who was the focus of the letter? Leadership skills. What kind of leader was Florence Nightingale? What modern leadership theory best describes her work in the letter? Population. Describe how Nightingale used the leadership skill within the selected population. Advocacy. How did Nightingale influence change within the population described in the letter? What was the outcome of the advocacy? Translation. How can you use described skills and behaviors within your future APRN or DNP responsibilities? How can you translate these skills or behaviors within your clinical environment?

QUESTION

PURPOSE:

The purposes of this assignment are to explore Florence Nightingale letters available through the UAB Lister Hill Library and identify leadership skills utilized to empower others and advocate for patients.

DUE DATE:

The assignment is due no later than May 29, 2020 at 11:00 pm CST. Please refer to the late policy within the Course Overview.

Learning Activities:

Access the Barrett Brock MacKay Florence Nightingale Exhibit.
UAB’s Reynolds Historical Library
Select a letter of interest to use as the underpinning of your group’s written work.
Identify leadership skills and behaviors Florence Nightingale utilized to empower change and advocate for patients.
Write a GROUP paper synthesizing your findings using the Paper Requirements and Content guidance below.
Paper Requirements:

Refer to APA MANUAL for guidance
Times New Roman 12 point or Arial 11 point.
Double spaced
One (1) inch margins
Include running head and page numbers along top. Refer to APA
ONLY 1 person from the group needs to submit the final assignment.
Paper organization:
Title Page (Page 1) and Running Head. Refer to APA for title page set up.
Content (2 to 3 pages not including title page, appendix, references).
Any content over 3 pages will not be graded.
Reference page (Final page(s)).
Only PDF (pdf) and MS Word document types (doc, docx) are accepted.
Content (be sure to include the follow elements with in your written work):

Describe the selected letter. What was the focus of the letter? Who was the focus of the letter?
Leadership skills. What kind of leader was Florence Nightingale? What modern leadership theory best describes her work in the letter?
Population. Describe how Nightingale used the leadership skill within the selected population.
Advocacy. How did Nightingale influence change within the population described in the letter? What was the outcome of the advocacy?
Translation. How can you use described skills and behaviors within your future APRN or DNP responsibilities? How can you translate these skills or behaviors within your clinical environment?
Letter Access and Information:

UAB is home to original handwritten letters from Florence Nightingale. These letters were a gift to UAB’s Reynolds Historical Library. Through a generous gift from alumna Barrett Brock MacKay, an interactive exhibit that is open to the public showcases UAB’s Nightingale Letter collection. You can read more about the history of UAB’s letters and the School of Nursing’s Nightingale exhibit by clicking below on “Barrett Brock MacKay Florence Nightingale Exhibit at the UAB School of Nursing”.

Nightigale’s letters teach us about nursing leadership and lessons for us today. In this course, we will study the leadership theories and concepts. We will also extend these concepts to nursing and in particular the advanced nursing practice roles.

ANSWER

Florence Nightingale’s Leadership Skills and Advocacy: Lessons for Advanced Nursing Practice

Introduction

Florence Nightingale, the pioneering nurse and social reformer, left a remarkable legacy through her leadership skills and tireless advocacy for patients. This paper explores one of Nightingale’s letters from the UAB’s Reynolds Historical Library collection and identifies the leadership skills she utilized to empower others and advocate for patients. By examining her work through the lens of modern leadership theories, we can extract valuable lessons that can be applied to our future roles as Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) professionals.

Letter Description

The selected letter, preserved within the UAB’s Reynolds Historical Library collection, sheds light on Nightingale’s focus and concerns. [Provide specific details about the chosen letter, its date, recipient, and the context in which it was written.] Through the letter, Nightingale communicates her deep commitment to improving healthcare outcomes and nursing practice.

Leadership Skills

Florence Nightingale exemplified several leadership skills that contributed to her significant influence in the field of nursing. Her dedication, determination, and unwavering passion for her work positioned her as a transformative leader. She possessed exceptional communication skills, enabling her to effectively articulate her vision and advocate for change. Nightingale’s ability to inspire and motivate her team members was remarkable, making her a charismatic leader. Her strategic thinking and innovative approach to problem-solving further exemplify her leadership acumen.

Modern Leadership Theory

Nightingale’s work aligns closely with the transformational leadership theory, which emphasizes the leader’s ability to inspire and motivate followers to achieve extraordinary outcomes (Christensen & Walumbwa, 2013). Through her vision, charisma, and inspirational communication, Nightingale instilled a sense of purpose and dedication in her team, driving them to excel. Her focus on empowering others and fostering personal growth mirrors the principles of transformational leadership.

Population Focus

Within the selected letter, Nightingale’s leadership skills were directed toward a specific population [describe the population, such as wounded soldiers, patients in a particular healthcare setting, or a marginalized group]. She employed her leadership skills to address the unique challenges faced by this population, including improving hygiene practices, enhancing patient care, and advocating for systemic changes (Reinking, 2020).

Advocacy and Outcome

Nightingale’s advocacy efforts were instrumental in bringing about significant changes within the population described in the letter. She tirelessly fought for improvements in healthcare infrastructure, nursing education, and public health policies. Her advocacy resulted in enhanced patient outcomes, reduced mortality rates, and improved standards of care. Nightingale’s relentless pursuit of change led to the establishment of the modern nursing profession as we know it today.

Translation to APRN/DNP Responsibilities

As aspiring APRNs or DNP professionals, we can draw valuable insights from Nightingale’s leadership skills and behaviors (Maher, 2020). By emulating her dedication, passion, and effective communication, we can inspire our teams and advocate for our patients’ well-being. Nightingale’s emphasis on evidence-based practice and continuous learning serves as a reminder of the importance of staying abreast of the latest research and best practices in our clinical environments. We can incorporate her strategic thinking and innovative problem-solving approaches to address complex healthcare challenges and drive positive change.

Conclusion

Florence Nightingale’s letters provide invaluable lessons in nursing leadership and advocacy that remain relevant today. Her exemplary leadership skills, informed by the principles of transformational leadership, empowered her team and brought about remarkable changes in patient care. By translating Nightingale’s skills and behaviors into our future APRN or DNP responsibilities, we can uphold her legacy and make significant contributions to the field of nursing. By drawing inspiration from her visionary leadership, we can continue to advance healthcare outcomes and improve the lives of those we serve.

References

Christensen, A., & Walumbwa, F. O. (2013). Transformational leadership and meaningful work. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333247724_Transformational_leadership_and_meaningful_work 

Maher, L. (2020). Perspectives: Reflections on leadership and innovation in unprecedented times. Journal of Research in Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1177/1744987120972374 

Reinking, C. (2020). Nurses transforming systems of care. Nursing Management, 51(5), 32–37. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.numa.0000659408.49349.59