Leadership in health and care
Learning resources and training opportunities for advanced nurse practitioners under the leadership pillar
Leadership in health and care
As an advanced level practitioner, you have a key role in providing effective leadership across professional and organisational boundaries and role modelling best practice.
Advanced Practice and leadership examples
Coming soon
The Oxford Dictionary definition of a leader is:
‘A role conferred on the basis of personal characteristics, experience, or through tradition by virtue of the position a person occupies in a group’.
This description fits well for advanced practice as it acknowledges that advanced level practitioners are looked to for leadership for a variety of reasons not simply by virtue of their job title or managerial responsibilities they may have. The role of leader is seen at every level of an organisation/team and at any stage in a person’s career.
Understanding of the term leadership can vary within contexts and individuals. Within the sphere of advanced level practice, knowledge and skills in line management and supervision of others is often expected.
Leadership is a daily practice that requires career long development. There isn’t one single approach for successful leadership, it is often multifaceted. Not all successful leaders will lead in the same way and will use different leadership approaches depending on the context they are working in.
Leadership is a collection of skills, qualities and attributes which can be developed. The Chartered Institute of Personal Development (CIPD) identify three integral elements:
- Self: self-awareness and skilful expression of personal qualities.
- Other people: influencing, motivating, and inspiring stakeholders.
- The job to be done defining, clarifying, and revising the task to be achieved.
CIPD has produced several factsheets on leadership, management and related concepts.
Within NHS Scotland we are guided to understand leadership abilities through six capability areas
- Collaborating and Influencing
- Creativity and Innovation
- Empowering
- Motivating and Inspiring
- Self-Leadership
- Vision
Further information and resources to develop in these leadership capabilities can be found in Turas Learn within the Leadership and Management Zone.
Self-Leadership and Self-Assessment
Self-leadership is about recognising your own leadership skills and abilities and taking responsibility for using and developing these.
Some examples of how this may be achieved are:
- Self-assessment
- Coaching/Mentoring
- Supervision
- Peer or group supervision
- Critical friend
- Action Learning sets
To develop more of an understanding of self-leadership and the qualities that underpin it you can complete this Turas Learn self-leadership module.
Within the rapidly developing world of advancing practice seeking support in the assessment and development of your leadership is important. We have selected a few self-assessment resources that you can use to help you get started.
Self-assessment resources
This is a short learning bite from the Turas Management Matters series supporting self-awareness.
For an overview of the benefits and options available to you go to:
Leadership capabilities - 360 feedback tool | Turas | Learn (nhs.scot)
Leading to Change Self-assessment Questionnaire will generate your individual Leadership Profile which helpfully breaks down elements of leadership into 4 overarching areas:
- Ability (Professional and Leadership)
- Ambition (Personal and Organisational)
- Insight (Self Awareness and Strategic Insight)
- Values (Personal and Shared)
Leading to Change also offer a 360° tool specifically developed to give you a ‘rounded’ view of your personal strengths and areas for development.