On 2015 Nov 13, University of Kansas School of Nursing Journal Club commented:

Reviewer (Team 11): April Urie, Caitlin Colston, Elizabeth Diaz, Bethany Macchi, Lauren Meyers, Madison Steele, & Huntre Graham (Senior Nursing Students - Class of 2016)

Background Introduction:

The purpose of this study is to investigate the perceptions of new graduate nurses on the influence of authentic leadership and empowerment on the quality of interprofessional collaboration in healthcare work environments (Laschinger & Smith, 2013). Many work environments have little to no interprofessional collaboration, especially new graduate nurses in feeling comfortable with being contributing members. Our team chose this article because we feel that through this study researchers will be able to define what best exemplifies authentic leadership and empowerment and how these two aspects influence interprofessional collaboration through healthcare practice as seen appearing in the lens of new graduate nurses. The article states that, in a previous study lack of communication and collaboration between healthcare team members showed to have dramatic effects and is responsible for approximately 70% of adverse events (Laschinger & Smith, 2013, p. 24). The study presents substantial text and statistics displaying the validity of authentic leadership, empowerment, and interprofessional collaboration within healthcare settings.

Methods:

Our group used CINAHL database engine to find opportune related articles. We searched “(Authentic AND Transformational) Leadership” and “Meaningful Recognition”. After sifting through the vast amount of articles we found that this article portrayed many key aspects relating to authentic and transformational leadership, creating a motivational climate, meaningful recognition, and staffing considerations. A correlational survey design and a secondary analysis from a larger longitudinal study of newly graduated nurses were used (Laschinger & Smith, 2013, p. 26). “The original sample was obtained from College of Nurses of Ontario registry list (n = 342). The 2nd wave of the study (2010) contained several items to capture new graduate nurses’ experiences of interprofessional collaboration on their units. 194 of new graduates form the 2nd wave constituted the sample” (Laschinger & Smith, 2013, p. 26). The method to collect data initially was mailed surveys and then reminder letters were sent out at 3 and 6 weeks after. The instrument that was used in this study consists of The Authentic Leadership Questionnaire to measure new graduates’ perspectives of their current leader’s leadership behaviors. The data was then plotted in Supplemental Digital Context 1 (Table) to measure psychometrics. A researcher- constructed Interprofessional Collaboration Scale was also used based on previous research identifying important characteristics of interprofessional collaboration (IPC) in health care setting (Laschinger & Smith, 2013). To analyze the data “The Statistical Package for Social Sciences” was used (Laschinger & Smith, 2013). The target population of this study is new graduate nurses and the impacts on interprofessional collaboration in the workplace if authentic leadership and empowerment is being used. This is important in healthcare settings in order to maximize patient care, outcomes, safety, success, decrease burnout, and the provide the opportunity for advancement and acknowledgement in healthcare environments. Laschinger & Smith (2013) suggests because authentic leaders are inclined toward values such as empathy, respect, trust and human connection they are more likely to create environments that empower employees to work with colleagues to accomplish their work in meaningful ways.

Findings:

Key findings and outcome of this study overall include, new graduates perceiving their leaders to display a moderate amount of authentic leadership where relational transparency was highest and self-awareness was lowest (Laschinger & Smith, 2013, p. 28). Overall perceptions of IPC on work units were high and personal beliefs that interprofessional teamwork improves patient care rated highest (Laschinger & Smith, 2013, p.28). However, what rated lowest by new graduates was the fact that healthcare professionals on their unit understood each other’s role in providing holistic patient care (Laschinger & Smith, 2013). When testing the hypothesis it was found that higher levels of supervisor authentic leadership and structural empowerment were significantly associated with a higher perceived quality of interprofessional collaboration (Laschinger & Smith, 2013, p. 28). This study has shown that new graduates views of the quality of interprofessional collaboration on their units were related to authentic leadership and structural empowerment. “In addition, new graduates perceptions’ of their manager’s authentic leadership behaviors and their own structural empowerment were significantly related to their feelings that their knowledge was respected by other health professionals, that health professionals on the team understood their roles in providing care, and that other healthcare professionals believed that IPC improves patient care” (Laschinger & Smith, 2013, p. 27). The article also spoke of the possibility of new graduates being exposed to interprofessional collaboration before graduating which would also reflect in today’s interactions and within the survey, for example, Team STEPPS. To compare and contrast how this study would be different if done in different parts of the U.S. We would make the assumption that the results would be approximately the same but could vary depending on what college is surveyed. For instance, University of Kansas has had the opportunity to have interprofessional collaboration before graduating nursing school while others have not. If this study was completed outside the US we could see how the results would be different because healthcare settings vary around the world. The cross-sectional, exploratory nature of the design limited their ability to draw strong casual inferences (Laschinger & Smith, 2013). The only other limitations include the possibility of bias from the responders and a low response rate due to mailing out the surveys (Laschinger & Smith, 2013, p. 28).

Implications:

This article is important to nursing and nursing practice because it depicts the differences in authentic leadership and structural empowerment in healthcare work environments. While also displaying how this type of leadership can affect interprofessional collaboration whilst influencing less fragmented patient care and positive outcomes. This aids persons’ of charge in knowing the perceptions of new graduates in authenticity and empowerment and how to improve these perceptions and the work environment. “Authentic Leaders are well positioned to ensure that new graduates are integrated into interprofessional teams and are seen as valued contributors in the delivery of care” (Laschinger & Smith, 2013, p. 28). In nursing it is crucial to have this collaboration and for all healthcare caregivers to be in congruence with each other when treating patients. This not only improves the work environment setting but this also improves the care being given. When working in a microsystem it is important to remember that a team is meant to work together, provide each member with the specialty knowledge that the other individual has, and to ultimately treat the patient with the best care possible.

References

Laschinger, H. S., & Smith, L. M. (2013). The Influence of Authentic Leadership and Empowerment on New-Graduate Nurses' Perceptions of Interprofessional Collaboration. Journal Of Nursing Administration, 43(1), 24-29 6p. doi:10.1097/NNA.0b013e318278606-

On 2015 Nov 13, University of Kansas School of Nursing Journal Club commented:

Reviewer (Team 11): April Urie, Caitlin Colston, Elizabeth Diaz, Bethany Macchi, Lauren Meyers, Madison Steele, & Huntre Graham (Senior Nursing Students - Class of 2016)

Background Introduction:

The purpose of this study is to investigate the perceptions of new graduate nurses on the influence of authentic leadership and empowerment on the quality of interprofessional collaboration in healthcare work environments (Laschinger & Smith, 2013). Many work environments have little to no interprofessional collaboration, especially new graduate nurses in feeling comfortable with being contributing members. Our team chose this article because we feel that through this study researchers will be able to define what best exemplifies authentic leadership and empowerment and how these two aspects influence interprofessional collaboration through healthcare practice as seen appearing in the lens of new graduate nurses. The article states that, in a previous study lack of communication and collaboration between healthcare team members showed to have dramatic effects and is responsible for approximately 70% of adverse events (Laschinger & Smith, 2013, p. 24). The study presents substantial text and statistics displaying the validity of authentic leadership, empowerment, and interprofessional collaboration within healthcare settings.

Methods:

Our group used CINAHL database engine to find opportune related articles. We searched “(Authentic AND Transformational) Leadership” and “Meaningful Recognition”. After sifting through the vast amount of articles we found that this article portrayed many key aspects relating to authentic and transformational leadership, creating a motivational climate, meaningful recognition, and staffing considerations. A correlational survey design and a secondary analysis from a larger longitudinal study of newly graduated nurses were used (Laschinger & Smith, 2013, p. 26). “The original sample was obtained from College of Nurses of Ontario registry list (n = 342). The 2nd wave of the study (2010) contained several items to capture new graduate nurses’ experiences of interprofessional collaboration on their units. 194 of new graduates form the 2nd wave constituted the sample” (Laschinger & Smith, 2013, p. 26). The method to collect data initially was mailed surveys and then reminder letters were sent out at 3 and 6 weeks after. The instrument that was used in this study consists of The Authentic Leadership Questionnaire to measure new graduates’ perspectives of their current leader’s leadership behaviors. The data was then plotted in Supplemental Digital Context 1 (Table) to measure psychometrics. A researcher- constructed Interprofessional Collaboration Scale was also used based on previous research identifying important characteristics of interprofessional collaboration (IPC) in health care setting (Laschinger & Smith, 2013). To analyze the data “The Statistical Package for Social Sciences” was used (Laschinger & Smith, 2013). The target population of this study is new graduate nurses and the impacts on interprofessional collaboration in the workplace if authentic leadership and empowerment is being used. This is important in healthcare settings in order to maximize patient care, outcomes, safety, success, decrease burnout, and the provide the opportunity for advancement and acknowledgement in healthcare environments. Laschinger & Smith (2013) suggests because authentic leaders are inclined toward values such as empathy, respect, trust and human connection they are more likely to create environments that empower employees to work with colleagues to accomplish their work in meaningful ways.

Findings:

Key findings and outcome of this study overall include, new graduates perceiving their leaders to display a moderate amount of authentic leadership where relational transparency was highest and self-awareness was lowest (Laschinger & Smith, 2013, p. 28). Overall perceptions of IPC on work units were high and personal beliefs that interprofessional teamwork improves patient care rated highest (Laschinger & Smith, 2013, p.28). However, what rated lowest by new graduates was the fact that healthcare professionals on their unit understood each other’s role in providing holistic patient care (Laschinger & Smith, 2013). When testing the hypothesis it was found that higher levels of supervisor authentic leadership and structural empowerment were significantly associated with a higher perceived quality of interprofessional collaboration (Laschinger & Smith, 2013, p. 28). This study has shown that new graduates views of the quality of interprofessional collaboration on their units were related to authentic leadership and structural empowerment. “In addition, new graduates perceptions’ of their manager’s authentic leadership behaviors and their own structural empowerment were significantly related to their feelings that their knowledge was respected by other health professionals, that health professionals on the team understood their roles in providing care, and that other healthcare professionals believed that IPC improves patient care” (Laschinger & Smith, 2013, p. 27). The article also spoke of the possibility of new graduates being exposed to interprofessional collaboration before graduating which would also reflect in today’s interactions and within the survey, for example, Team STEPPS. To compare and contrast how this study would be different if done in different parts of the U.S. We would make the assumption that the results would be approximately the same but could vary depending on what college is surveyed. For instance, University of Kansas has had the opportunity to have interprofessional collaboration before graduating nursing school while others have not. If this study was completed outside the US we could see how the results would be different because healthcare settings vary around the world. The cross-sectional, exploratory nature of the design limited their ability to draw strong casual inferences (Laschinger & Smith, 2013). The only other limitations include the possibility of bias from the responders and a low response rate due to mailing out the surveys (Laschinger & Smith, 2013, p. 28).

Implications:

This article is important to nursing and nursing practice because it depicts the differences in authentic leadership and structural empowerment in healthcare work environments. While also displaying how this type of leadership can affect interprofessional collaboration whilst influencing less fragmented patient care and positive outcomes. This aids persons’ of charge in knowing the perceptions of new graduates in authenticity and empowerment and how to improve these perceptions and the work environment. “Authentic Leaders are well positioned to ensure that new graduates are integrated into interprofessional teams and are seen as valued contributors in the delivery of care” (Laschinger & Smith, 2013, p. 28). In nursing it is crucial to have this collaboration and for all healthcare caregivers to be in congruence with each other when treating patients. This not only improves the work environment setting but this also improves the care being given. When working in a microsystem it is important to remember that a team is meant to work together, provide each member with the specialty knowledge that the other individual has, and to ultimately treat the patient with the best care possible.

References

Laschinger, H. S., & Smith, L. M. (2013). The Influence of Authentic Leadership and Empowerment on New-Graduate Nurses' Perceptions of Interprofessional Collaboration. Journal Of Nursing Administration, 43(1), 24-29 6p. doi:10.1097/NNA.0b013e318278606-