WESTERN MINDANAO STATE UNIVERISTY College of Nursing Graduate Program

Course: Introduction to Administrative and Educational Processes (CN202) Student: Maynard K. Baird, R.N. Professor: Milabel E. Ho, R.N., M.Ed-MA.Ed.,M.A.N.,Ed.D. Date Reported: January 10, 2011 Topic: How to Develop Emotional Competencies & Ethical Principles for Nurse Administrators

How to develop Emotional Competencies

All emotional competencies can be learned and developed. The core competencies emotional self-awareness, accurate self-assessment, self-confidence, emotional self-control, and empathyare the most important because they are fundamental. A leader deficient in the core competencies will encounter difficulty mastering any of the remaining 13 competencies. 5 core competencies: 1. Emotional Self-awareness 2. Accurate self-assessment 3. Emotional Self-control 4. Empathy 5. Self-confidence 13 other competencies: 1. Transparency 2. Adaptability 3. Achievement Orientation 4. Initiative 5. Optimism 6. Organizational Awareness 7. Service Orientation

8. Developing others 9. Inspirational Leadership 10. Change Catalyst 11. Influence 12. Conflict Management 13. Teamwork & Collaboration Developing emotional competencies first requires an awareness of areas of strength and weakness, and then an identification of what ideal behavior would be in targeted area of weakness. The individual needs to assess honestly his or her motivation to change and willingness to practice new behaviors. From a feasibility standpoint, it is important to focus changes on just one or two competencies. Behavior change is most effective when it connects to activities in the individuals work life that are most in need of and likely to show improvements. Nurse Managers who are uncomfortable standing up and addressing groups might choose to work on empathy (anticipate what the members of group might be thinking and feeling) and self-confidence (plan the presentation thoroughly, rehearse with peer, and actively seek responses from group members during the presentation). Even minor success in self-directed behavior change can be highly motivating for continuing development efforts. Change in behaviors driven by emotional habits requires that, as we practice new behaviors, we actively seek to unlearn the old behaviors. The old behaviors become a source of resistance and backsliding unless they are identified, acknowledge, and actively transformed. This kind of change depends on the ability to engage ones own emotions in order to change them. For example, use selfawareness to monitor how you are reacting emotionally to giving up an old habit (avoiding conflict, for examples) while trying a new one (asking conflicting parties to express their differences). Behavior change requires practice, typically sustained over weeks and monthsoften up to six monthsto develop a new competency. With extended practice, reflection, reinforcement, and success, mastery is possible. Supplementary activities can facilitate behavior change: reading and studying about leadership or emotional intelligence, self-reflection (journals, discussion, and reflective learning groups), experimental learning exercises, and measurement feedback. Like athletic performance, proficiency development requires ongoing cycles of practice-trial-feedback and correction. Finally, even without intentional behavior change, there is evidence that human beings intuitively develop emotional competencies with age and experience.

Steps to Developing Emotional Competencies: 1. Determine your behavioral goals. Ground them in your assessment of your emotional strengths and weakness, and use feedback from others who you know well. Make sure you understand the gaps between your actual and preferred behavior. Build on and engage your strengths. Develop clear ,manageable goals; have them reflect your personal vision for self-development Pick no more one or two areas (competencies) at a time. Determine whether your plans for self-directed change will fit smoothly into your life: are there day-to-day events that can be used as learning laboratory? Honestly assess your commitment to working on self-development

2. Create a plan to reach your behavioral goals. Select a coach and establish a verbal contract. Identify and agree on the developmental priorities and behavioral indicators. Identify how behavioral development will facilitate your career goals. Identify opportunities for trials and action, using ways that fit your learning style. Identify times and places for the coach (and any others you choose to involve) to observe you and provide feedback. Identify role models you would like to emulate. Understand that self- development will take time and sustained focus. It doesnt happen overnight!

3. Monitor your progress Practice, practice, practice; use work and outside settings Tune in to behaviors you need to unlearn in order to learn new ones Meet and talk with your coach. Ask questions to help clarify issues Seek feedback from others as possible. Identify in which situations it is easier or harder for you to improve.

Dont slip in other strength areas of emotional competency while you are focused n development in new areas; avoid relapses. Keep written record of thought, feedback, insights, difficulties, and successes. Assess your continued commitment.

4. Celebrate success. Give yourself credit for evidence of developmental improvements; reinforce your growth. Seek ways to further sharpen your developmental progress Assess your continued commitment to behavior change.

Ethical Principles for Nurse Administrators:

Professional Ethics and Integrity

True professional status implies a code of ethics. Ethics has always been significant in professional nursing practice. This commitment has been further intensified with the establishment in 1990 of the Center for Ethics and Human Rights under the umbrella of the American Nurses Association (ANA). The Centers guiding mission is to address the complex ethical and human rights confronting nurses and to designate activities and programs that serve to increase ethical competence and human rights sensitively of nurses. Professional integrity reinforces the Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statement and can be defined as strict adherence to a code of conduct. Standard 11 in the Scope and Standards for Nurses Administrators describes the decisions and actions made by nurse administrators that are based on ethical principles. Measurement criteria are identified as follows: 1. Advocate on behalf of receipts of services and personnel. 2. Maintains privacy, confidentiality, and security of patient/client/ resident.staff, and organization data. 3. Adheres to Code of Ethics for Burses with Interpretive Statements. 4. Assures confidentiality with regulatory and professional standards, as well as integrity in business practices. 5. Fosters a nondisciplinary climate in which care is delivered in a manner sensitive to sociocultural diversity. 6. Assures a process to identify and address ethical issues within nurses and organization.

Ethical Principles Biomedical ethicists have described three primary principlesrespect for persons, beneficence, and justicethat are sometimes stated as rules or obligations. Ethics addresses three types of moral problems: moral uncertainty (unsureness about moral problems or rules that may apply ,or the nature of

the ethical problem itself); moral dilemma (conflict of moral principles that support different courses of action); and moral distress (inability to take the action known to be right because of external constraints). The principle of respect for persons describes individuals ability to take rational action and make moral choices. Autonomy, veracity (truth telling), confidentiality, and informed consent evolve from the principle of respect for persons.

The principle of beneficence has twofold purpose: first, do no harm; and second, promote good. This principle is basic to those providing health care services and is often contradictory. For example, aggressive treatment causes pain and complications as it possibly promotes a positive outcome. The principle of justice involves fairness, rights, and obligation. The possible rationing of scarce resources may create ethical dilemmas and be perceived as promoting or neglecting the principle of justice. For example, Mickey Mantles live transplant (given his history of alcoholism and later diagnosis of cancer) may have been perceived as preferential treatment and an unfair allocation of this limited resource.

Reference: Roussel, Linda, et.al. (2006). Management and Leadership for Nurse Administrators. Boston: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc.