Developing self-awareness for effective nurse leadership
Intended for healthcare professionals
Evidence and practice    

Developing self-awareness for effective nurse leadership

Jacqueline Harley Assistant professor in health systems, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

Why you should read this article:
  • To recognise the importance of self-awareness in effective nurse leadership

  • To enhance your understanding of the benefits of self-awareness for nurse leaders and managers

  • To identify practical tools and educational methods that you can use to enhance your self-awareness

Self-awareness is a crucial component of effective leadership. Leaders who are self-aware exhibit an understanding of their strengths and limitations, as well as an ability to manage their emotions and those of their team members. Heightened self-awareness and understanding of oneself and others can have benefits in terms of increasing confidence and enhancing communication. Moreover, nurse leaders and managers need self-awareness to identify their strengths and weaknesses, navigate complexities, foster positive relationships and cultivate a culture of continuous improvement. This article defines self-awareness, discusses its importance for nurse leadership and identifies various tools and methods that nurses can use to develop their self-awareness.

Nursing Management. doi: 10.7748/nm.2024.e2124

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software

@harleyjacq

Correspondence

jacqueline.harley@ucd.ie

Conflict of interest

None declared

Harley J (2024) Developing self-awareness for effective nurse leadership. Nursing Management. doi: 10.7748/nm.2024.e2124

Published online: 22 May 2024

Want to read more?

RCNi-Plus
Already have access? Log in

or

3-month trial offer for £5.25/month

Subscribe today and save 50% on your first three months
RCNi Plus users have full access to the following benefits:
  • Unlimited access to all 10 RCNi Journals
  • RCNi Learning featuring over 175 modules to easily earn CPD time
  • NMC-compliant RCNi Revalidation Portfolio to stay on track with your progress
  • Personalised newsletters tailored to your interests
  • A customisable dashboard with over 200 topics
Subscribe

Alternatively, you can purchase access to this article for the next seven days. Buy now


Are you a student? Our student subscription has content especially for you.
Find out more