NUR 635 (01) - The Nurse as Leader

The nurse of today and tomorrow must inevitably be a leader, whether at the bedside in assisting an individual patient toward enhanced health or leading health care organizations, public policy initiatives, and professional associations to maximize their contributions to the health of the nation. The nurse, as the most plentiful, versatile, and wide-spread of health care providers, must be prepared to develop and implement new visions and models of care delivery, applications of technology, stewardship of costly resources, evaluation and improvement of health care quality, and delivery of safe, effective health care in a variety of settings. The student will explore leadership theories and styles, evaluate appropriate application of several leadership approaches, practice the leadership role in a project to create a health-care related change, and offer collegial peer evaluation of classmates' work. Active R.N. License required prior to taking this course.