Discussion: Leadership and the Change Process

What examples of leadership have you seen in working with others at your practicum setting as well as in other situations? What have you observed that inspires you to be an effective leader? What challenges have you noticed? How does this relate to your personal leadership style? How can you, as a leader, facilitate the translation of evidence into practice? What leadership skills aid this process?

For this Discussion reflect on what makes a leader effective and how insights from theory as well as previous endeavors can be applied to planning for and implementing a change related to the translation of evidence into practice.

To prepare:

• Consider evidence-based changes currently underway or recently achieved in your practicum setting. Analyze the practicum environment, examine data, and refer to theory to identify a need for a change you would propose.
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• Reflect on examples of how leadership influences the translation of evidence into practice from within your practicum setting.
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• Identify an evidence-based change appropriate for your practicum setting.
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• Think of two or three instances that demonstrate how you have been able to—or, if not applicable, how you could—apply leadership skills in your practicum setting. Then, reflect on the results of your DiSC Assessment, completed in NURS 8300. What strengths and/or challenges have you encountered or might you encounter based on your personal leadership style? In what ways do you need to grow as a leader?
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• Post a cohesive response that addresses the following:
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• Based on your practicum experiences, discuss the influence of leadership on the translation of evidence into practice. Provide specific insights gained from theory as well as from changes currently underway or recently achieved in your practicum setting.
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• Propose an evidence-based change for your practicum setting. Be sure to justify the need for this change using data.
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• Explain how you might apply theory as well as observations gathered from your practicum site to planning for and implementing the proposed change.
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• How are you developing your leadership skills in your practicum setting? Which aptitudes or experiences do you think are most important to your role as a leader in facilitating the translation of evidence into practice? If possible, relate this to specific learning objectives you developed during Week 1.