NURS FPX 4005 Assessment 1

Name

Capella university

NURS-FPX4005 Nursing Leadership: Focusing on People, Processes, and Organizations

Prof. Name

Date

Collaboration and Leadership Reflection

Transformational leadership is essential in fostering a collaborative healthcare environment, enhancing teamwork, and improving patient outcomes. In my nursing practice, effective leadership has been instrumental in guiding interdisciplinary teams and ensuring coordinated care delivery. This reflection explores an interdisciplinary collaboration experience, compares effective and ineffective leadership styles, and highlights best practices for leadership and collaboration within healthcare teams.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration Experience

During my clinical practice, I was part of an interdisciplinary team dedicated to minimizing medication errors and improving patient safety. The primary objective was to implement a structured communication process among nurses, physicians, and pharmacists. However, the team faced challenges in ensuring accurate medication reconciliation due to inconsistencies in Electronic Health Record (EHR) documentation.
To overcome these challenges, nurses organized team huddles at the beginning of each shift to review medication orders. Additionally, a shared documentation system was introduced to allow real-time updates in the EHR. These initiatives encouraged interprofessional respect, improved communication, and fostered a shared sense of responsibility. However, resistance to change arose from some team members, particularly those accustomed to traditional workflows. Delays in updating medication orders resulted in frustration among nursing staff. Implementing structured change management strategies, clearly defining roles, and providing additional training on the new documentation process could have mitigated these challenges.

Effective vs. Ineffective Leadership in Collaboration

Leadership plays a crucial role in guiding interdisciplinary teams and promoting collaboration. Two contrasting leadership styles—transformational and transactional—emerged during this experience. Transformational leadership greatly enhanced collaboration by encouraging open communication and focusing on long-term improvements (Mekonnen & Bayissa, 2023). Leaders who adopted this style facilitated shared decision-making, ensuring active participation from all team members in patient care.
In contrast, transactional leadership was less effective, as it emphasized immediate problem-solving and adhered to rigid hierarchies (Mekonnen & Bayissa, 2023). This leadership approach often relied on punitive measures rather than empowerment, which led to resistance from team members. While transformational leadership encouraged team engagement and innovation, transactional leadership contributed to frustration and hindered collaboration.

Best-Practice Leadership Strategies

To optimize interdisciplinary teamwork, it is essential to implement transformational leadership strategies. The table below outlines best-practice leadership strategies that enhance collaboration and team effectiveness.

Best-Practice Leadership Strategies	Description	Supporting Evidence
Encouraging a Shared Vision	Leaders who communicate a unified vision promote engagement and collaboration within healthcare teams.	Liu et al. (2022)
Continuous Professional Development	Mentorship programs and leadership training enhance nurses’ ability to take initiative in team-based care.	Shen & Tucker (2024)
Change Management Skills	Leadership training on conflict resolution and team motivation strengthens leadership effectiveness.	Shen & Tucker (2024)

Best-Practice Interdisciplinary Collaboration Strategies

Adopting evidence-based strategies is key to improving interdisciplinary collaboration. The table below presents effective strategies that facilitate teamwork and communication.

Best-Practice Interdisciplinary Collaboration Strategies	Description	Supporting Evidence
Structured Communication Tools	Implementing SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) standardizes communication and reduces errors.	Samardzic et al. (2020)
Interdisciplinary Rounds	Regular team meetings align care plans and promote mutual understanding.	Samardzic et al. (2020)
Technology-Driven Collaboration	Integrated EHR systems enhance real-time data sharing and minimize discrepancies.	Calduch et al. (2021)

Developing Leadership Style

To enhance transformational leadership skills, it is crucial to refine change management capabilities. Participation in leadership training programs focused on conflict resolution and team motivation can significantly improve leadership effectiveness (Shen & Tucker, 2024). Additionally, engaging in mentorship—both as a mentor and mentee—fosters continuous professional growth. Advocating for team-based decision-making ensures that all voices are heard in patient care discussions, promoting inclusivity and interprofessional collaboration.

Conclusion

Reflecting on my interdisciplinary collaboration experience highlights the importance of transformational leadership in healthcare. By inspiring and empowering team members, nurses can drive meaningful change and improve patient outcomes. Developing leadership skills will enable more effective contributions to patient-centered care and strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration.

References

Calduch, E., Muscat, N., Krishnamurthy, R. S., & Ortiz, D. (2021). Technological progress in electronic health record system optimization: Systematic review of systematic literature reviews. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 152(1), 104507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2021.104507

Liu, M., Zhang, P., Zhu, Y., & Li, Y. (2022). How and when does visionary leadership promote followers’ taking charge? The roles of inclusion of leader in self and future orientation. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 15(2), 1917–1929. https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S366939

NURS FPX 4005 Assessment 1

Mekonnen, M., & Bayissa, Z. (2023). The effect of transformational and transactional leadership styles on organizational readiness for change among health professionals. SAGE Open Nursing, 9(9). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10336755/

Samardzic, M., Doekhie, K. D., & Wijngaarden, J. D. H. (2020). Interventions to improve team effectiveness within health care: A systematic review of the past decade. Human Resources for Health, 18(2), 1–42. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-019-0411-3

Shen, Q., & Tucker, S. (2024). Fostering leadership development and growth of nurse leaders: Experiences from Midwest Nursing Research Society Leadership Academy. Nursing Outlook, 72(6), 102293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2024.102293