Leadership theories and the development of nurses in primary health care

Headnote

PHC332 Taylor R (2009) Leadership theories and the development of nurses in primary health care. Primary Health Care. 19, 9, 40-45. Date of acceptance: September 8 2009.

Abstract

Nurses who work in primary care create, develop, implement, evaluate and critique policy with all the resulting ramifications for national and local practice development and patient care. Working in partnership with patients and users of healthcare, governance of practice, advances in roles, and service developments are examples of the evolving nature of primary care and raise issues about the leadership capacity. It is therefore essential that nurses feel equipped to lead practice and feel able to contribute effectively at all levels. By taking a critical perspective on the use of leadership theories, those working in primary care can develop their capability and capacity to move practice forward.

Keywords

Leadership, primary care, partnerships

These keywords are based on the subject headings from the British Nursing Index. This article has been subject to double-blind review.

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Aims and intended learning outcomes

This article aims to help you explore and evaluate leadership theories and to reflect on their value in the context of your current and future practice. After reading this article you should be able to:

* Critique the practice context in which your leadership skills are required.

* Evaluate leadership theories and their relevance for practice development.

* Reflect on your leadership potential and determine ways in which you can enhance your leadership capability and capacity.

Introduction

Leadership is widely discussed in the literature and is a particular focus for nursing as a means to practice enhancement (Hewison and Griffiths 2004). New roles and the development of services in primary care bring great opportunities for nursing leadership. Many of these opportunities arise from the policy drivers for primary care and their implications for practice.

Nurses engage with policy at several levels including development, implementation (Daiski 2004) - through critique and the use of planned approaches - and evaluation. The overarching aim, though, is to improve patient care and patient outcomes. Effective leadership in practice is important for successful practice development and the enhancement of patient care (Fitzsimons et al 2006, McKenna et al 2004) and is...