Running head: TIME MANAGEMENT 1
Running head: TIME MANAGEMENT 1
TIME MANAGEMENT 2
Time Management Self-Assessment Information
Viviana Torres
NSG 4029 Leadership in a Diverse Society
South University
November 2, 2020
Time Management Self-Assessment Information
I took a self-test on https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_88.htm (mind tools) on time management and I scored 49. The results of my assessment indicate that I manage my time effectively but there are areas where I need to improve. From what we learned this week on time management, I understand that time management is essential to effectively and successfully perform as a nurse. There are important aspects of time management to consider such as goal setting, procrastination, prioritization, and managing interruptions. For instance, from my personal assessment on time management, I scored 6 out of 10 when it comes to goal setting. That is a medium score and it implies that there are actions I need to take to achieve full perfection in setting goals. To manage time effectively, one has to set goals. Goals will give a direction, define what you are supposed to do, and the order in which to do them. According to Aggar et al., (2017) having goals will ensure you set plans as a nurse and this will ensure you perform and progress. This will even help you deal with other additional roles of a nurse such as solving conflicts and leading effectively.
When it comes to the aspect of prioritization, I scored 23 out of 30. This is affair score, indicating that I prioritize what needs to be done and especially the most important. I always have a to-do list that guides me on the tasks to start with and the ones to end the day with. From the concept of professional nursing organizations this week, I learned that prioritizing is one of the characteristics of a professional nurse. As a nurse you must understand what your priorities are. This brings the theory of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs he insists that prioritizing is at the core of nursing. According to Maryniak (2019), a nurse must view activities from the point of how important and urgent it is, and act on them by thinking critically and applying clinical decision-making skills.
A serious barrier to time management and where I also scored fairly is managing interruptions. As a nurse, you will come across interrupters in the workplace and the important thing is to understand how to handle them. There can be complexities when attending to patients and failing to manage them impedes achievement of goals. Another barrier to time management echoed in a lot of literature is failure to delegate. From the delegative theory of leadership, I learnt that a leader must delegate. There has been arise in medication and treatment errors because nurses fail to delegate. They are forced to multitask and this affects efficiency and increases stress at work. Yen et al., (2016) asserts that “Multitasking actually slows a person down, increases stress, impacts memory, and increases chances for errors”. There is need for a nurse to ensure they manage interrupters and delegate effectively to avoid problems such as medical errors and patient falls.
Leadership Theory That Describes My Leadership Style
Participative Leadership Theory
Vesterinen et al., (2013) asserts that a nurse’ leadership style plays a huge role in determining their job satisfaction. I would describe myself as a democratic leader because the theory that best describes my leadership style is participative leadership. I have always believed that success comes from a combination of ideas whereby everyone has to give their opinion and actively participate in achieving the end result. This is most especially important in nursing where a lot of collaboration and coordination is required for the delivery of high-quality and patient satisfying care. What I have learnt about nursing is that nurse professionals have to work as a team and collaborate to coordinate care. Without these, there could be arise in issues such as medication errors and poor patient satisfaction. All nurses have to take part in the provision of care to patients and make informed decisions for efficiency and high-quality healthcare. Vesterinen et al (2013) makes it clear that participative leadership allows nurses to cooperate with one another and form teams that ensure effective delivery of healthcare. It ensures any action taken is grounded on sufficient knowledge, support from colleagues, and informative work experiences.
A Comparison Between Leadership and Management
While a leader can be a manager at the same time, there are differences in the characteristics and roles performed in leadership and those performed in management. In nursing, understanding the difference between the two is very important. A nurse manager in an organization will control things to ensure goals are achieved. However, the same nurse as a leader while controlling will influence, motivate, and empower others to ensure they work effectively towards achieving the goals and success of the organization. Raso and Lutheran (2015) posit that a nurse leader needs both leadership and management qualities, “being inspirational (leadership) while simultaneously organizing care delivery—sometimes down to the plan for the next hour (management)”. Considering the expanding roles of nurses in management and leadership, continuous learning is essential while doing self- assessments to constantly shape your skills as a nurse.
References
Aggar, C., Bloomfield, J. G., Frotjold, A., Thomas, T. H., & Koo, F. (2018). A time management intervention using simulation to improve nursing students’ preparedness for medication administration in the clinical setting: A quasi-experimental study. Collegian, 25(1), 105-111.
Maryniak, K. (2019). Professional nursing practice in the United States: An overview for international nurses, and those along the continuum from new graduates to experienced nurses. San Bernardino, CA: Author.
Nayak, S. G. (2018). Time Management in Nursing–Hour of need. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 11(3), 1997-2000.
Raso, R., & Lutheran, N. Y. U. (2015). The leadership balancing act. Nursing Management, 46(8), 4-4.
Vesterinen, S., Suhonen, M., Isola, A., Paasivaara, L., & Laukkala, H. (2013). Nurse managers’ perceptions related to their leadership styles, knowledge, and skills in these areas—a viewpoint: Case of health centre wards in Finland. ISRN nursing, 2013.
