Post Interview Reflection

From this interview I learned that being a leader in nursing has nothing to do with what position you hold. You could be a new grad, all the way to a nurse manager and you have the ability to lead others in your field. The nurse I interviewed explained that from the first day she began working at Boston Children’s her opinion on bettering the floor was asked. The whole floor would share ideas on what they have experienced at other hospitals or floors and discuss how those things could apply to their floor. I would say the nurse was very self-aware and socially aware. She knew what her strengths were when it came to contributing to new patient care ideas and what topics she may not be an expert on. Socially, she mentioned that there is always someone on the floor to ask questions to if you are not confident in a topic. She would also make new nurses aware of these people so they could reach out if needed.

I was surprised at how many informal leadership roles there are for nurses in the hospital. You can be a leader by simply being a resource for new nurses, assisting in research about new patient care techniques, or even just making suggestions for things that would be beneficial to the floor. Overall, this interview made me look at a nurse as a leader more than I ever have before. Nurses are the face of patient care and spend the most time with patients, so it makes sense that nurses would be the leaders in better care for patients. I will take what I know now and be more aware of hospital protocols and procedures and think about what could be done better or more efficiently to improve patient care. As a student I understand more about how I can be a leader when taking care of patients in clinical. I know that I have a bigger voice than I think as a student, new grad, and as a nurse on the floor as I continue my career. I am excited to move into my career as a nurse and be a leader, even if I do not hold a leadership title.