problem solving leadership nursing

What is Problem-Solving in Nursing? (With Examples, Importance, & Tips to Improve)

Whether you have been a nurse for many years or you are just beginning your nursing career, chances are, you know that problem-solving skills are essential to your success. With all the skills you are expected to develop and hone as a nurse, you may wonder, “Exactly what is problem solving in nursing?” or “Why is it so important?” In this article, I will share some insight into problem-solving in nursing from my experience as a nurse. I will also tell you why I believe problem-solving skills are important and share some tips on how to improve your problem-solving skills.

What Exactly is Problem-Solving in Nursing?

5 reasons why problem-solving is important in nursing, reason #1: good problem-solving skills reflect effective clinical judgement and critical thinking skills, reason #2: improved patient outcomes, reason #3: problem-solving skills are essential for interdisciplinary collaboration, reason #4: problem-solving skills help promote preventative care measures, reason #5: fosters opportunities for improvement, 5 steps to effective problem-solving in nursing, step #1: gather information (assessment), step #2: identify the problem (diagnosis), step #3: collaborate with your team (planning), step #4: putting your plan into action (implementation), step #5: decide if your plan was effective (evaluation), what are the most common examples of problem-solving in nursing, example #1: what to do when a medication error occurs, how to solve:, example #2: delegating tasks when shifts are short-staffed, example #3: resolving conflicts between team members, example #4: dealing with communication barriers/lack of communication, example #5: lack of essential supplies, example #6: prioritizing care to facilitate time management, example #7: preventing ethical dilemmas from hindering patient care, example #8: finding ways to reduce risks to patient safety, bonus 7 tips to improve your problem-solving skills in nursing, tip #1: enhance your clinical knowledge by becoming a lifelong learner, tip #2: practice effective communication, tip #3: encourage creative thinking and team participation, tip #4: be open-minded, tip #5: utilize your critical thinking skills, tip #6: use evidence-based practices to guide decision-making, tip #7: set a good example for other nurses to follow, my final thoughts, list of sources used for this article.

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Nurse leaders as problem-solvers

Addressing lateral and horizontal violence.

GENERAL PURPOSE: To present the details of a qualitative, grounded theory study conducted to gain a deeper understanding of nurse leaders' perceptions of their role in addressing LHV and to develop a substantive theory from the results. LEARNING OBJECTIVES/OUTCOMES: After completing this continuing-education activity, you should be able to: 1 . Describe the prevalence of LHV within the nursing profession and evidence found on LHV in a literature review. 2 . Summarize the results of the authors' study of nurse leaders' perceptions of their role in addressing LHV and the substantive theory developed from the study results.

• The authors explain that the issue of LHV
• hasn't yet been experienced by nursing students.
• creates doubts about the demands of leadership.
• has plagued the nursing profession for more than 30 years.
• The World Health Organization, the International Council of Nurses, and Public Services International have recognized LHV as
• a major global public health priority.
• a minor national priority for the public.
• an abnormal situation that rarely occurs.
• This article includes information about how LHV
• negatively impacts patient care.
• reduces nurse-on-nurse aggression.
• always causes irreparable harm to organizations.
• Bullying behaviors occur with the sole intention of
• inflicting harm.
• increasing attention.
• observing the effects of the bullying.
• Multiple researchers have reported that acts of LHV
• occur to exhibit frailty.
• are used to enhance self-image.
• demonstrate a lack of empathy.
• Past studies on LHV in healthcare organizations found that coworker acts of incivility occurred to 90% of surveyed
• new nurses.
• retired nurses.
• experienced nurses.
• Studies have shown that LHV is attributed to factors such as heavy workloads, a stressful work environment, and
• misuse of authority.
• workgroup cohesiveness.
• having organizational policies that address LHV behaviors.
• A study on LHV showed 27.3% of ED nurses reported that within the last 6 months, they experienced LHV
• perpetrated on a daily basis.
• perpetrated by nursing leadership, physicians, or peers.
• and emotional abuse perpetrated by newly licensed nurses.
• Data have shown that those most vulnerable to violent, disruptive, and intimating behaviors include
• newly licensed nurses.
• nurses with greater clinical expertise.
• experienced nurses considering retirement.
• A literature review revealed that the prevalence of LHV increases when nurse leaders
• are newly appointed to their leadership or administrative positions.
• must perform clinical duties, as well as have leadership accountability.
• are aligned with the perpetrators who are creating the toxic work environment.
• When the authors asked nurse leaders to describe their experience of understanding/addressing LHV, the highest percent identified
• undesirable behavior.
• inappropriate interactions.
• When the authors asked nurse leaders to describe their understanding of LHV, one of the least common themes was
• bullying incivility.
• When the authors asked nurse leaders about their experience addressing incidents of LHV, one of the most common themes was to
• communicate.
• address educationally.
• create a healthy work environment/culture.
• When the authors asked nurse leaders what they perceived their role to be in addressing LHV, the most common theme was
• setting the expectation/tone.
• expectations/guiding expectations.
• problem-solver/investigator.
• When the authors asked nurse leaders about their perceived role in addressing LHV, among the least common themes was
• investigator.
• setting the tone.
• When the authors asked nurse leaders to describe organizational factors that impeded their role in addressing LHV, the most prevalent theme was
• lack of accountability.
• union/union procedures.
• fear of retaliation.
• When the authors asked nurse leaders to describe organizational factors that impeded their role in addressing LHV, one of the least common themes was
• staff protection.
• human resources/timeliness.
• professionalism/unprofessionalism.
• As a result of the themes that emerged from the data collected in the authors' study, a substantive theory was
• developed to help guide research.
• not able to be developed due to lack of specific findings.
• postponed until further studies examine LHV in other healthcare organizations.
• “Nurse leaders address LHV affecting their staff members by solving problems, creating a safe work environment, and reducing institutional barriers that impede addressing LHV in a timely fashion” is a theory formulated by
• Public Services International.
• data themes of the authors' study.
• the International Council of Nurses.
• Nurse leaders can model expected ethical behaviors, which include all of the following except
• being collegial toward each other.
• being respectful of other's differences.
• doing the right things for the wrong reasons.
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Nurse leaders as problem-solvers: addressing lateral and horizontal violence, taking nurse staffing research to the unit level, unprofessional workplace conduct...defining and defusing it, conflict resolution: unlocking the key to success, the cure for workplace bullying.

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How to Prepare for an Advanced Leadership Role in Nursing

As the complexity of healthcare systems continues to grow, competent and visionary leaders are essential for providing effective and efficient care. Whether you aspire to become a nurse executive, a nursing director, or a healthcare administrator, preparing for these leadership positions requires a deliberate and focused approach. 

In this blog, we will explore what makes a good nurse leader, the role of a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) education in preparation, nurse leader competencies, and how to build a strong foundation of knowledge, gain practical experience, develop a professional network, seek mentorship and guidance, and embrace continuous growth and learning.

Understanding the Importance of Advanced Leadership Roles in Nursing

In today's dynamic healthcare landscape, nurses in leadership positions play a vital role in shaping the delivery of patient care, driving quality improvement initiatives and advocating for the profession. Advanced leadership roles, such as nurse executives, nurse managers, and chief nursing officers, require unique skills and nurse leader competencies beyond clinical expertise. 

According to the American Nurses Association (ANA) , nurse leaders are responsible for strategic planning, resource allocation, team management, and fostering a culture of excellence within healthcare organizations. They collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, engage in policy development, and influence healthcare policies at local, national, and global levels. 

Advanced nurse leaders serve as catalysts for change, promoting innovation, advancing evidence-based practice, and improving patient outcomes. By championing effective communication, mentorship and professional development, they empower nurses at all levels to prosper and contribute to the advancement of nursing practice. 

How a DNP Education Helps Build Nurse Leader Skills

Pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, such as Baylor University's Doctor of Nursing Practice - Executive Nurse Leadership (DNP-ENL) program, plays a pivotal role in equipping nurses with the advanced knowledge and nurse leader competencies necessary to excel in leadership roles within the healthcare industry. By delving into the areas of evidence-based practice, organizational leadership, healthcare policy, and population health management, DNP graduates gain a holistic understanding of the healthcare landscape. 

With a strong foundation in advanced clinical practice and leadership principles, DNP-educated nurses are well-positioned to drive transformative changes. The DNP program offered by Baylor University is a prime example of a forward-thinking educational pathway that prepares nursing professionals for leadership positions by nurturing their expertise and equipping them to reach their leadership potential.

6 Ways to Prepare for An Advanced Nurse Leadership Role

Nurses have numerous avenues to enhance their leadership skills and prepare for greater responsibilities in their roles. Each of these pathways contributes to the development of nurse leadership skills. 

1. Recognize Essential Nurse Leader Competencies

Professionals must exhibit the following nurse leader skills to effectively embrace greater leadership opportunities in their current roles or excel in senior healthcare positions:

• Effective communication is vital for nurse leaders to convey ideas, build relationships, and collaborate with members of diverse healthcare teams. 
• Decision-making and critical thinking skills enable nurse leaders to analyze complex situations, evaluate options, and make informed decisions. 
• Analytical thinking and problem-solving skills help nurse leaders identify challenges, develop innovative solutions, and implement effective strategies. 
• Evidence-based decision making guides nurse leaders to ensure the provision of high-quality care. 
• Cultivating emotional intelligence and self-awareness enables leaders to navigate conflicts, inspire others, and maintain a supportive work environment.

2. Build a Strong Foundation of Knowledge in a DNP Degree

Continued education and professional development are essential for nursing leaders. Staying actively informed by current research, evidence-based practices and emerging trends in healthcare allows leaders to make informed decisions and lead confidently. 

Pursuing a DNP in Executive Nurse Leadership provides an in-depth understanding of healthcare systems, research methodologies, and leadership theories. Specialization in leadership-focused courses like “Resource Attainment and Allocation” or “Creating Excellence in Professional Practice Environments” equips nurses with the knowledge and skills tailored to modern leadership positions.

3. Gain Practical Experience

In addition to knowledge, practical experience is required for aspiring nursing leaders. It’s important to seek leadership opportunities within clinical settings, such as charge nurse roles or unit manager positions, to gain hands-on experience in managing teams and making operational decisions. 

Mentoring and precepting roles allow leaders to guide and develop future nurses, fostering a culture of growth and excellence. Involvement in quality improvement initiatives provides opportunities to implement evidence-based practices and drive positive change. 

Participating in professional nursing organizations such as the American Organization for Nursing Leadership , American Hospital Association or the American Nurses Association , joining leadership committees, and engaging in networking opportunities also enhance leadership skills and expand professional connections. Practical experience complements theoretical knowledge, preparing nurses with the advanced skills needed to enter leadership roles.

4. Develop a Professional Network

Networking plays a crucial role in advancing a nursing leadership career . Building relationships with colleagues, mentors and industry professionals opens doors to new opportunities, collaborations, and support. Attending conferences, workshops and professional events allows leaders to connect with like-minded individuals, share experiences and stay abreast of industry trends. 

Joining nursing associations and organizations also provides access to resources, leadership development programs and networking opportunities. By cultivating a professional network, your visibility is enhanced in the nursing community, which can increase the likelihood of finding mentorship and guidance opportunities.

5. Seek Mentorship and Guidance

Mentorship is invaluable in preparing for advanced nursing leadership roles. Nurses can seek out experienced leaders who provide guidance, advice, and support throughout their professional journey. 

A mentor can offer insights, share their experiences, and help navigate the challenges and opportunities that arise in leadership positions. Establishing a mentor-mentee relationship fosters personal and professional growth, helps to build confidence, and provides a sounding board for ideas and decisions. 

Be proactive in seeking mentorship and be open to learning from those who have already walked the path you aspire to walk.

6. Embrace Continuous Growth and Learning

Stay curious and remain open to new ideas, perspectives, and approaches to nurse leadership. Nurses must engage in self-reflection, seeking opportunities for self-improvement and personal development. 

Nurses can also attend workshops, seminars and webinars that enhance nurse leadership skills, expand knowledge, and provide opportunities for self-assessment. Embrace feedback and constructive criticism as opportunities for growth. 

By continuously honing your nurse leader competencies and expanding your knowledge base, you can ensure that you are well-prepared for the challenges and responsibilities of advanced nursing leadership roles.

Reshape Leadership in Healthcare as a Baylor Nurse

Remember, the path to advanced nursing leadership is one of continuous improvement and lifelong learning. Take proactive steps today and embrace the opportunities that lie ahead. You have the power to significantly impact healthcare and shape the future of nursing leadership, and Baylor University can help support you every step of the way.

Baylor University offers one of the most reputable online DNP programs available so that you can reap the benefits, including:

• Join one of the fastest-growing industries: Employment of medical and health services managers is projected to grow 28 percent from 2021 to 2031 .
• Increase your earning potential: The average salary for a nurse executive is $92,054 .
• Use new skills to tap into the limitless potential of data analytics and improve outcomes.
• Gain a thorough understanding of business and healthcare models to prioritize patient care.
• Harness out-of-control costs to providers and patients, contributing to cost containment efforts.

Baylor DNP graduates are prepared as exemplary nursing leaders and visionary nurses who can actively shape and improve patient outcomes, policy, processes, and the future of nursing. Some highlights of the online DNP program include the following:

• Dedicated student advisor from registration through graduation day
• Choose from one of six online DNP-APRN tracks or DNP Executive Nurse Leadership
• Designed for working nurses
• The Louise Herrington School of Nursing at Baylor University is also ranked among the best in the nation for its DNP program ( U.S. News & World Report )

With world-renowned faculty and built-in support, Baylor’s online DNP program prepares students to thrive in the real world. 

For more information, get your free DNP program guide today.

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Good leadership means better care

“Show me the environment and I will tell you the kind of leadership in that place. If staff are smiling and welcoming it’s because the leader is smiling and welcoming. Staff follow the leader as role model, and the leader’s relationship with their team translates into making such a big difference to the care provided.”

Wendy Olayiwola, National Maternity Lead at NHS England and NHS Improvement

For safe, kind, effective care to be delivered, good leaders are crucial.

Leadership covers a wide range of behaviours and ways of working such as speaking up to advocate for patients or to raise concerns, supporting teams working in pressured environments and creating inclusive working environments for people from a diverse range of backgrounds.

Leaders can be found at all levels in nursing and midwifery. All leaders promote effective management and act as positive role models for best practice in the delivery of care by teams and organisations. 

What leadership means to me

Leaders in nursing and midwifery share their reflections on what leadership means for them, and how good leadership supports teams to deliver the best possible care.

What do nursing and midwifery leaders think is important to look after their teams, and help them deliver the best possible care? Read the below reflections to learn from a range of views and experiences.

How leadership supports better care

Fortune says leaders must create an inclusive environment for a flourishing diverse workforce. This also comes down to how leaders listen and respond to concerns.

“A sense of belonging and being included is really important to me, as somebody from the global majority. A leader always needs to consider, how can I make people feel part of my team, of the institution I’m leading, of the decisions being made? Your behaviours can make people feel they matter and are valued.

“It’s about how you talk to people and importantly, how you listen and respond when people come to you with concerns.”

It is also vital that leaders demonstrate cultural intelligence to understand their teams, as well as the people their teams care for.

Fortune said: “In nursing and midwifery where you have so many internationally educated or internationally recruited people, leaders need to have cultural intelligence in terms of equality, diversity and inclusion so they can best support the diverse workforce.”

Fortune urges leaders to be more proactive in supporting internationally educated nurses and midwives to reach senior positions.  

“We’ve heard enough about people being excluded or discriminated against. At this point, good leaders are asking, ‘what are we doing about this?’ If we are saying someone is not ready to go into a senior leadership position, let’s understand what their needs are, and create leadership programmes to support them so the picture can change in a positive way.

Linked to this is the importance the NMC’s standards place on cultural awareness and how this can impact on outcomes for people receiving care :

“Anti-racism should be a priority for leaders today. They need to be more proactive, stand up and make it count. Let’s have more allyship training – a lot of our colleagues are not intentionally discriminating – they need help to understand some of the prejudices they may not have been aware of.

“If somebody feels they are being treated differently, because of the way they look or how they sound, we need to listen and believe them. Let’s validate how people are feeling, otherwise people stop reporting it and nothing gets done.”

For Fortune, good leaders never lose sight of people as individuals, and always take into account the feelings of others.

“It’s really important that leaders think about people’s health and wellbeing, have the right wellbeing support services in place, and listen and support people.”

“Seeing people as humans goes a long way. Maya Angelou said ‘ people will forget  what you said,  people will forget  what you did, but  people will  never  forget  how you made them feel.'”

Fortune Mhlanga is Deputy Head of Nursing in Buckinghamshire. She is passionate about ensuring everyone feels valued and included as this impacts staff well-being in a huge way and there is a direct link between staff well-being and quality and safety of care. Also, teams where everyone has s sense of belonging perform better, have a better safety culture where people feel psychologically safe to raise concerns and improve care. Fortune has a background in mental health nursing

“A good leader is a good listener who allows their team members to be themselves, to express their ideas and opinions. A leader is someone who creates opportunities for others. I believe in nurturing potential for everybody, whether it is teaching new skills, encouraging the expression of ideas or advocating for colleagues.”

Lincoln’s ethos includes listening to and supporting everyone, whatever their role or background, and helping the team to meet the diverse needs of communities.

“Demonstrating leadership means engaging with colleagues in a positive and constructive way so we can build relationships regardless of who they are or if they have a different background. “I want to support every single person who comes in the Trust. Being inclusive means including everybody to meet diverse needs. There are different communities but for me, being there for everybody means seeing people as individuals.”

Lincoln knows the wellbeing of his team is important in order for them to deliver the best possible care for people – particularly in difficult periods such as winter. He makes sure his door is always open and has set up a support booking system for staff members, but he also offers alternatives.

“Being accessible and offering support when it’s needed is so important,” he said. “I am going into clinical areas as well, to offer that 1:1 support to our preceptors. I also signpost people to our wellbeing teams. “This initiative has been getting so much feedback – whether it’s a struggling student thinking about withdrawing from a course or a staff member, they just want someone to listen. I believe our workforce needs this support.” 

Placements can be demanding for students and they need plenty of support from their supervisors and assessors in order to learn effectively and deliver good care on their placements.

 “The real work is meeting the student who is struggling and asking them how they are they feeling today. And letting them know it’s OK, we are going to help. “We need to harness those students who are motivated and encourage them to go far – and help them stay in a positive frame of mind that’s focused on our patient experience.”

Lincoln says he was fortunate to have good support as a student, and wants to pass that support on to his team now. Good preceptorship when they join the register can also support with staff retention and good care.

“We all need that support to help us to see our way through things and that’s what I’m trying to do. My vision is to create a strong network so all our students feel better known and understood, are helped to find their purpose and supported to be the best they can be.”

Lincoln Gombedza is an award-winning Learning Disability Nurse with a passion for integrating digital technologies in nursing and through his work developing education and training programmes for North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust. Lincoln is a member of the NHS Digital Decision-Making Council, and involved in the Florence Nightingale Global Innovation and Entrepreneur Group, among others.

You can learn more about the importance of student supervision and assessment by watching our animation at Standards for student supervision and assessment - The Nursing and Midwifery Council (nmc.org.uk)

For Martyn, good leadership means focusing on the outcomes, and treating everyone fairly. 

“I think great leaders don't set out to be leaders, they set out to make a difference and help others. “They’re the ones that treat everyone the same, regardless of their job title or perceived status.” 

Listening to patients and speaking up for them is a core skill for leaders at all levels, he says – and crucial for delivering the best possible care.

“Leadership is especially important when it comes to the people in your care - being their voice when they most need it. It can take courage to speak up for what you know is right for the patient or for your team, particularly if you’re not in a senior role – but speaking up is real leadership.”

Martyn believes leaders need to provide close support to teams working under pressure. Small actions and fostering a strong team spirit goes a long way.

“Teams caring for very vulnerable people often find themselves in highly stressful situations,” he said. “They need their leader to ensure they’re supported emotionally and physically and managed in the best interest for everyone, including the patient and staff. Experience supporting patients with mental health issues, cancer diagnoses or people dealing with bereavement has taught Martyn to ‘find the happiness amongst the sad bits.’ “At very difficult times, a leader will help their team to find that diamond and buff it so it sparkles. Sometimes the small things can make such a big difference. I remember coming out of a stressful situation to find the leader waiting with a cup of tea, ready to talk. That human approach is key. “At the end of a tough shift, you wait for that last person to come through the door, and then we all go out together.”

Leaders need to be accessible to their teams and encourage their desire to learn – this helps teams to deliver the best possible care for people

“Leaders understand there is no such thing as a silly question, and it’s okay to ask. If you've got a question, just ask and I'll help guide you in any way I can. For me, that’s what a leader is. “Good leaders recognise it’s important to support everyone and help when needed. Enabling others is the most important part, it’s what nursing is all about. I always refer to that Marvel quote: ‘with great power comes great responsibility’.”

Martyn Davey was one of the first wave of trainee Nursing Associates. He now works in General Practice and is a Visiting Lecturer at Birmingham City University. Martyn set up a national network supporting more than 5,000 TNA and RNAs on Facebook.

For Paul, prioritising people is fundamental and that means ensuring staff have the support they need to care for people as well as they can – especially through difficult periods such as Winter Pressures.

“Nurse leaders need to prioritise how they treat their most vital resource – their staff. If you don’t look after nurses, especially newly-qualified nurses, and give them support and guidance, then you’ll never see their full potential.”

Paul feels leaders need to advocate for staff to be able to access the support they need – and that this has a direct link to them being able to provide safe care for patients.

“Giving nurses the chance to share and reflect, and get support for the challenges they face, has been absolutely vital in my experience. If nurses can’t access clinical supervision and support, they can get burnt out. And this carries a risk to patients. “As a leader you realise you have to make that happen, it doesn’t just happen naturally. So you have to take away the barriers, be brave at the boardroom table, and build it into your operational plans.” “Being conscious of moral injury is part of my leadership values. If we don’t make the space for nurses to have the right support and supervision, the teams we support can become very susceptible to moral injury and this has an impact for patients. As leaders, we let nurses down when we don’t provide that space. “Leaders need to understand clinical supervision and support as a priority – you can’t deliver safe, effective care without it.”

Paul sees creating a supportive culture with an ‘open door’ to leaders as key to enabling learning. That means demonstrating your humanity and treating people with respect so they realise there’s a leadership culture that cares for them.

“The dementia specialist Admiral Nurses  on our helpline and in our clinics have access to an immediate debriefing after a challenging call or appointment,” he said. “They can check how they did, and get support.  That’s not usual – and leaders need to make it more usual. Being able to chat and reflect really helps with the complex situations nurses are dealing with. “We also encourage nurses to support each other. If I’ve got a really challenging situation, I’ll find the person who knows more than I do, and ask them. As a leader you think you should know it all and can’t ask anybody else, especially someone junior to you – that’s nonsense. “Nurse leaders have to prioritise creating those cultures of support and learning or you’re not only missing a trick, you’re putting patients at more risk than they need to be.”

Paul is a nurse who specialises in dementia care, with 25 years’ experience working across the NHS, academia and the independent sector. At Dementia UK he is responsible for the development, governance and growth of clinical services, helping to ensure services are run to provide safe and effective care and support to people with dementia and their families.

“Leadership is about showing we advocate for women and they have choice. And enhancing our midwives’ knowledge, skills and confidence to provide that care. “Advocating for women is a key part of the midwife’s role. Being that woman’s voice in her journey is vital to what we do, and having that partnership with women is the joy of being a midwife.”

For Shona, providing positive feedback is beneficial to midwives and the care they provide.

“It’s important to pause, and give positive feedback, saying ‘that woman really appreciated what you did for her’. We can’t expect midwives to provide high quality, safe care unless they feel psychologically safe themselves.”

Shona aims to be accessible and build good relationships so that individuals and teams feel able to speak up with any concerns. 

“Good communication and team work is critical. It’s key for leaders to foster positive relationships with their team because you want people to be able to speak out. And you need to listen effectively and be responsive.”  “We talk a lot about women in maternity services being heard, and that’s really important. The same goes for our staff. “As a leader, your team needs to feel safe and secure that you are an accountable leader, and you are going to do the right thing.”

In Shona’s view, the NMC’s standards and Code could help teams working in pressured environments to feel supported

“We need to bring the Code and standards to life, to show how we can use them to enhance what we do or for guidance, to look at our services to see how we are meeting the standards.”

Shona thinks self-reflection can help leaders learn to accept challenge.

“It can take time to learn to accept challenge and not to see it as a personal attack. Leaders need to recognise they don’t know everything all the time, sometimes change comes from the ground up. “Self-reflection is important: ‘Am I really listening?’ ‘Am I allowing this challenge or cutting it off?’. I don’t think we can champion reflective supervision if we are not prepared to be that practitioner ourselves.” 

She wishes for all midwives to be able to receive the support that was critical to her own career progression.

“Early in my career there was a very senior midwife in Northern Ireland who provided me with a listening ear, encouragement and challenging feedback. That support is so beneficial when you’re trying to progress and become a leader, we should look to provide that to midwives over the course of their careers. “Midwifery is such a lovely career and it’s hugely rewarding – I can’t say that strongly enough. There is something about being there at that moment of birth and new life, of helping create a new family that is really very lovely. “There really is nothing like it.”

Shona Hamilton is consultant midwife at the Northern Health and Social Care Trust and Queens University Belfast. She qualified as a nurse and then a midwife and has worked in a variety of posts within nursing and midwifery during her 30 year career. Her professional and academic interests lie in public health, intrapartum care and perinatal mental health.

For Wendy, good leadership is about embracing and valuing diversity. That means talking to your team, and taking an interest in different cultures and backgrounds.

“The job for leaders is very simple: know your team - who they are and their background, appreciate them and their culture, “You don’t have to know everything. All you need to do is respect them and talk to them. Facilitate the conversation for all staff – whether they’re from Scotland or a country in Africa – to be able to talk about their culture and values, what their beliefs are.”

Wendy feels good leaders go further, to help empower their teams to be aware of the cultural needs of the people they care for. This helps nursing and midwifery professionals to really tailor care to the needs of the person they’re caring for

“This empowers staff to talk about what is not talked about. When we have that culture it in turn empowers the team to have those conversations with people in their care, which is so beneficial to their experience and to safety. “Being compassionate should cut across everything we do. Leaders have to learn how to provide fair and equitable support to all colleagues, from all backgrounds.”

Wendy believes the care patients receive is directly linked to the behaviour that the leader role models.

“Show me the environment and I will tell you the kind of leadership in that place. If staff are smiling and welcoming it’s because the leader is smiling and welcoming. Staff follow the leader as role model, and the leader’s relationship with their team translates into making such a big difference to the care provided.” 

For Wendy, a diverse population and workforce needs diverse leaders who respect the contributions of the whole team.

“We have a diverse workforce and population, if there is also diversity at the leadership level it will flourish in the workforce and we can reflect the culture and values of the communities we serve, in the care we provide. It reduces the disparity in equality that we currently have. “A diverse and multi-disciplinary leadership that listens to different perspectives brings together knowledge and expertise to provide culturally sensitive care. “A diverse team is an excellent team and different values and opinions make it colourful and beautiful. Diverse teams have so much positive impact for the people in our care and their families.

Wendy Olayiwola is a registered nurse and midwife with more than two decades serving community and public health. She has received multiple awards including the British Empire Medal for services to the NHS and Equality during the Covid-19 response. Wendy is passionate about promoting equalities among Black and minority ethnic groups and supporting and empowering nurses and midwives to provide culturally sensitive and holistic care for women and their families.

“Good leadership relies on communication, and creating an open culture that spans the whole adult social care community.   “It’s about involving people in their care planning so they are at the centre of everything that happens. It’s making sure team members know what’s going on and bringing them on the journey with you.    “As a leader, it’s also imperative to get the right relationships and communication channels between members of your multi-disciplinary team. Building relationships across all members of the health and social care team benefits care for residents.”

In Zoe’s view, leaders need to set an example and enable supportive teams working in pressured environments.  

“You don’t know everything people have going on in their lives, in addition to any work pressures. Good leaders make time to ask team members how they are doing, if they need help with anything, and allow team members to ask each other those questions as well. I believe ‘it’s OK not to be OK’.”

Zoe believes there is more potential to involve and support the wider community in adult social care.

“Debriefing is incredibly important. It may involve revisiting an incident weeks or even months later. Consider including the community – following an incident, we offered group counselling and invited relatives to attend, too – they’re very much part of the team. “Everyone benefits when you bring in the community. Families can play a critical role and they also gain a greater understanding and ability to support a loved one. Volunteers are also important, and they aren’t used enough.”

She believes acknowledging where you need help is core to good multidisciplinary working that makes sure people receive the care they need.

“To achieve good multidisciplinary working you need to build confidence on all sides.  There’s a need to let down barriers and show vulnerabilities.  Nurses in adult social care deal with a wide range of situations – you can’t know everything. We should be proud of what we do, and call on professional expertise when we need it. “Ultimately, people need to involve the right person at the right time to ensure safety. Good leaders build relationships that enable teams to contact specialist nurses or consultants if they need to.”

In Zoe’s view, good delegation is vital to empower teams and to ensure patient safety.

“Good delegation improves safety. If leaders don’t delegate effectively, they risk burn out for themselves, and losing the respect of their team who are not empowered to take things forward.   “Recognise what people can do, and give them the support and tools to do it. It doesn’t have to be another nurse or carer. If you have a chef who is amazing why not have them lead on nutrition and hydration within the home? “It’s about delegating to the right people, and enabling them to do what they do really well.”

She thinks it’s important for people in leadership roles to have support from peer networks.

“I’d like to see more informal coaching and support across adult social care organisations. I recommend leaders find that person or group they can talk to because they need support too.”

Zoe Fry OBE is a Director of the Outstanding Society Community Interest Company who shares and celebrates best practices across Social Care while helping others improve. A registered nurse, she started her career in the NHS before purchasing a nursing home and achieving Outstanding ratings from the CQC. In 2023 Zoe was awarded an OBE in the Kings Birthday Honours List in recognition for Services in Social Care and Services to Nursing.

For Karen, leadership occurs at all levels in organisations, and takes many forms.

“I believe we’re all leaders and leadership comes at every level.” “For me, being compassionate, open, authentic, approachable and inclusive are the most important leadership traits along with being willing to evolve and adapt.” “As a leader it’s important to surround yourself with people who are really good at what they do – better than you in some ways. They are here to advise and support the leader with their expertise, and the leader supports them to do their jobs well, and learns from them at the same time.”

In Karen’s view, the NMC’s Code and standards provide a guide for nurses and midwives in all situations.

“The health service is all about people so it’s right that they are also central to our standards which underpin what every nurse and midwife does, at all levels in an organisation. The standards are inter-connected, they provide a national framework people in our profession can lead from, and work from.”

Karen sees a direct link between good leadership and patient care.

“Leadership is integral to good care. If you lead well and look after your colleagues, your patients will get good care. People who feel valued will work to the best of their ability.” “As you become a more senior leader there’s a feeling you can get further away from the patient – you have to understand how much you continue to influence their care. I hold to the idea if I can no longer be hands-on with patients, I am still able to do that by appointing the best people and leading in a way that enables those giving direct care to do their best. I call it my tentacles! “And I make myself visible – leaders have to engineer their time to be visible and accessible.”

Karen thinks leaders need to be present, and honest in order to best support teams working under pressure.

“When teams are working under pressure, a leader needs to be present, acknowledge the reality of a difficult time and share honest reflections. Show compassion and humanity – it enables teams to speak up.”   “It’s for leaders to inspire and motivate people, asking ‘how do we work together to enable us to give our best, and look after ourselves at the same time?’” “Make sure to thank people for working through difficult times.”

Additionally Karen believes leaders have to support professionals who arrive from come from other countries to join the UK workforce:

“The NHS is built on internationally educated nurses and midwives and we have to challenge ourselves to think about how wider society supports these people, holding ourselves responsible for the way they are integrated and how they are treated.” “It’s important for us to remember we need them, we ask them to come, and we should show understanding and gratitude for the sacrifices they’re making. They’ve left their loved ones, their people to be here, and care for our communities.” “There aren’t many Chief Nurses from diverse backgrounds and I don’t know what it’s like to come to the UK from a different culture. I know what it was like for my parents losing loved ones overseas, and not being able to be there with them. I remember not being accepted for the colour of my skin as a little girl. The White British experience will be different - that’s why listening, really hearing people’s experiences, and learning is important.”

Karen Bonner is Chief Nurse and Director of Infection Prevention and Control at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust. She is a Member of the General Advisory Council at the Kings Fund, a member of the Nurse Executive Council at the Beryl Institute and a Trustee of Helpforce – gaining recognition as a Burdett Hero by the Burdett Trust for Nursing, in 2022. Highly commended for her work in diversity and inclusion, she is regarded as one of the 50 most influential Black, Asian and minority ethnic people in health.

For Hilary, leading in challenging times calls for compassion, and courage.

“You have to have courage to show compassionate leadership when there may be lots of pressure to ‘fix things now’.   “A more courageous approach is to improve the culture – that means working alongside people rather than in a ‘top down’ management style, having honest conversations and delivering difficult messages in a supportive way. “If you allow teams to come up with their own solutions , you get a responsive, self-directed culture where teams are much more innovative.” “Being authentic – true to your professional and personal values – is key for leaders. Your values as a nurse, together with your professional accountability and responsibility, come to the fore when you are tested through challenging times.”    “As a Chief Nurse, it’s balancing being clear and directive, setting high standards but also being kind and compassionate, and brave enough to take everyone with you.” “My job is simply to support people to be the best they can be and provide the best care. It’s making sure staff know they and their wellbeing are valued. Encouraging them to take a lunchbreak – it’s a small thing - but it’s really important.”

She considers psychological safety is crucial  to encourage teams to raise concerns.

“Leading teams is about creating psychological safety, and a compassionate culture. We’ve introduced a restorative learning culture approach where people are not afraid to report concerns and speak up. This makes patient care a lot safer – and if leaders know where there are concerns they can take steps to improve.” 

In Hilary’s view, collective leadership creates better solutions

“For me, leadership is all about improving care for patients, and collective and distributed leadership are really important.  It’s not one person, it’s all of us all working together, and in partnership with patients.” “Shared governance and decision-making – it’s not telling people what to do – but working with them to support them – because they often know best how to fix it.” “Because we’ve taken this approach, we’ve changed the culture, we’ve changed mindsets and invigorated people’s passion.  As a result, our work on nutrition and hydration has gone beyond anything we might have done had we taken a process approach. “By enabling  teams to share decision making and ownership and accountability around care, they came up with so many ideas – from daily allocation of additional staff for  patients in need of assisted feeding, to encouraging people to focus on nutrition and hydration – our ‘Food for Thought’ and a ‘Sip Sip Hooray’ campaigns have become mantras. Most importantly, our patient survey results (including for nutrition) have gone up – something we’re really proud of.” “When you get everyone involved in this way, people don’t feel there’s another new initiative they have to do, the initiative comes from them. For me, that’s the right approach  – we are all leaders, and the senior team is there to support the leaders to do the right thing.”

Hilary thinks supporting internationally-educated nurses is integral to a compassionate culture.

“It feels easier to support our internationally-educated nurses because we have a compassionate culture. When they arrive, we get their shopping for them – making sure they’ve got everything they need, and feel at home. We put on social events so they feel part of the community and are well-supported by their mentor and ward managers. We know recognising everyone’s culture is important. An international educated colleague recently said, ‘We’ve got our family at home but we’re part of the South Tees family.’”

Leaders need to role model good relationships to create good multi-disciplinary teams

“As a senior team we’ve got a responsibility to make sure we work well together, providing a role model for the rest of the organisation on multi-professional working. Together we promote the restorative and learning culture. It’s about respecting we’ve all got different strengths.”

Hilary believes collective leadership, with all staff working in partnership with patients, leads to better care.

“With shared leadership and decision-making you are going to the heart of the organisation  to make decisions. It’s brave, because it can feel as though you have less control – but it creates a richness – staff know they are supported to make decisions in partnership with patients. It makes patient care better, safer, and a happier experience.”

Hilary Lloyd is Chief Nurse at South Tees NHS Foundation Trust. She is also Chief Nurse Clinical Research Network NENC and a Visiting Professor at the University of Sunderland. Hilary qualified in 1989 and has held a number of nursing posts including in acute healthcare, education and research. Most recently she served as director of nursing, midwifery and quality at Gateshead NHS Foundation Trust.

Leadership webinar

Three of the leaders who shared their experiences as part of the campaign joined us for this webinar:

• Fortune Mhlanga – Deputy Head of Nursing in a Mental Health Directorate
• Shona Hamilton – Consultant Midwife
• Paul Edwards – Director of Clinical Services, Dementia UK

Resources to support you

Our Code and standards can support all nurses, midwives and nursing associates to be good leaders. To learn more about some of the key themes covered in these case studies, you can also use the following NMC resources:

Being accountable means being open to challenge. It means accounting for and being held to account for your actions, and being able to confidently explain how you used your professional judgement to make decisions – even in complex and challenging situations.

To find out more, watch our  Caring with Confidence  animation

Nursing and midwifery professionals deliver fantastic care for people but no-one can do everything on their own. So, leaders need to know how to delegate safely and with confidence.

To find out more, watch our  Caring with Confidence  animation

Our leadership case studies show that being inclusive and challenging discrimination is crucial to providing the right environment for the best possible care.

Everyone has the right to dignity and respect, and to feel included. Professionals on our register should feel confident about challenging discrimination wherever they see it. To do this, they need leaders to create an environment where they feel safe to do this.

To find out more, watch our  Caring with Confidence animation  and read the  anti-racism resource  produced by NHS England, in partnership with NHS Confederation and the NMC.

Good leadership is always important for delivering the best possible care – but these case studies show how that’s particularly important at busy and difficult times, such as during winter.

Last year we published a  joint letter  with the UK’s four chief nursing officers and the CQC to help leaders and professionals during winter pressures.

Martyn and Shona both explained the importance of listening to the people you care for and advocating for their needs.

Our midwifery resources  The best care happens in partnership  explain why listening to and working in partnership with the women in your care is key to the person-centred midwifery care that every person has the right to expect. You can read the stories of women who have recently given birth and use our CARE aid to reflect on your practice.

Listening to people you care for and acting on what you hear is just as important for nurses and nursing associates as well.

Nurses, midwives and nursing associates are often best placed to recognise things that might create risk or cause harm to people.

We want you to feel confident about raising concerns, and speak up if you see something you feel isn’t right.

To find out more, read Shona’s case study above or watch our  Caring with Confidence  animation .

All nurses and midwifery professionals need the support of good leaders to be able to provide the best care they can. This is particularly true for students and people who are new to the register, as Lincoln and Fortune explain above.

Our  Principles for Preceptorship  help leaders welcome and integrate newly registered professionals into their new team and place of work. It helps these professionals translate their knowledge into everyday practice, grow in confidence and understand how to apply the Code in their day to day work.

And our Standards for Student Supervision and Assessment (SSSA) set out the roles and responsibilities of practice supervisors and assessors, and how they must make sure students receive high-quality learning, support and supervision during their practice placements. The resources on  our SSSA page  include an animation, a webinar and a link to our SSSA Supporting Information hub.

• Last updated: 09/05/2024

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Critical Thinking in Nursing: Tips to Develop the Skill

4 min read • February, 09 2024

Critical thinking in nursing helps caregivers make decisions that lead to optimal patient care. In school, educators and clinical instructors introduced you to critical-thinking examples in nursing. These educators encouraged using learning tools for assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation.

Nurturing these invaluable skills continues once you begin practicing. Critical thinking is essential to providing quality patient care and should continue to grow throughout your nursing career until it becomes second nature. 

What Is Critical Thinking in Nursing?

Critical thinking in nursing involves identifying a problem, determining the best solution, and implementing an effective method to resolve the issue using clinical decision-making skills.

Reflection comes next. Carefully consider whether your actions led to the right solution or if there may have been a better course of action.

Remember, there's no one-size-fits-all treatment method — you must determine what's best for each patient.

How Is Critical Thinking Important for Nurses? 

As a patient's primary contact, a nurse is typically the first to notice changes in their status. One example of critical thinking in nursing is interpreting these changes with an open mind. Make impartial decisions based on evidence rather than opinions. By applying critical-thinking skills to anticipate and understand your patients' needs, you can positively impact their quality of care and outcomes.

Elements of Critical Thinking in Nursing

To assess situations and make informed decisions, nurses must integrate these specific elements into their practice:

• Clinical judgment. Prioritize a patient's care needs and make adjustments as changes occur. Gather the necessary information and determine what nursing intervention is needed. Keep in mind that there may be multiple options. Use your critical-thinking skills to interpret and understand the importance of test results and the patient’s clinical presentation, including their vital signs. Then prioritize interventions and anticipate potential complications. 
• Patient safety. Recognize deviations from the norm and take action to prevent harm to the patient. Suppose you don't think a change in a patient's medication is appropriate for their treatment. Before giving the medication, question the physician's rationale for the modification to avoid a potential error. 
• Communication and collaboration. Ask relevant questions and actively listen to others while avoiding judgment. Promoting a collaborative environment may lead to improved patient outcomes and interdisciplinary communication. 
• Problem-solving skills. Practicing your problem-solving skills can improve your critical-thinking skills. Analyze the problem, consider alternate solutions, and implement the most appropriate one. Besides assessing patient conditions, you can apply these skills to other challenges, such as staffing issues . 

How to Develop and Apply Critical-Thinking Skills in Nursing

Critical-thinking skills develop as you gain experience and advance in your career. The ability to predict and respond to nursing challenges increases as you expand your knowledge and encounter real-life patient care scenarios outside of what you learned from a textbook. 

Here are five ways to nurture your critical-thinking skills:

• Be a lifelong learner. Continuous learning through educational courses and professional development lets you stay current with evidence-based practice . That knowledge helps you make informed decisions in stressful moments.  
• Practice reflection. Allow time each day to reflect on successes and areas for improvement. This self-awareness can help identify your strengths, weaknesses, and personal biases to guide your decision-making.
• Open your mind. Don't assume you're right. Ask for opinions and consider the viewpoints of other nurses, mentors , and interdisciplinary team members.
• Use critical-thinking tools. Structure your thinking by incorporating nursing process steps or a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) to organize information, evaluate options, and identify underlying issues.
• Be curious. Challenge assumptions by asking questions to ensure current care methods are valid, relevant, and supported by evidence-based practice .

Critical thinking in nursing is invaluable for safe, effective, patient-centered care. You can successfully navigate challenges in the ever-changing health care environment by continually developing and applying these skills.

Images sourced from Getty Images

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Communication Skills, Problem-Solving Ability, Understanding of Patients’ Conditions, and Nurse’s Perception of Professionalism among Clinical Nurses: A Structural Equation Model Analysis

This study was intended to confirm the structural relationship between clinical nurse communication skills, problem-solving ability, understanding of patients’ conditions, and nurse’s perception of professionalism. Due to changes in the healthcare environment, it is becoming difficult to meet the needs of patients, and it is becoming very important to improve the ability to perform professional nursing jobs to meet expectations. In this study method, structural model analysis was applied to identify factors influencing the perception of professionalism in nurses. The subjects of this study were 171 nurses working at general hospitals in city of Se, Ga, and Geu. Data analysis included frequency analysis, identification factor analysis, reliability analysis, measurement model analysis, model fit, and intervention effects. In the results of the study, nurse’s perception of professionalism was influenced by factors of communication skills and understanding of the patient’s condition, but not by their ability to solve problems. Understanding of patient’s condition had a mediating effect on communication skills and nursing awareness. Communication skills and understanding of the patient’s condition greatly influenced the nurse’s perception of professionalism. To improve the professionalism of clinical nurses, nursing managers need to emphasize communication skills and understanding of the patient’s condition. The purpose of this study was to provide a rationale for developing a program to improve job skills by strengthening the awareness of professional positions of clinical nurses to develop nursing quality of community.

1. Introduction

Changes in the environment related to climate and pollution are causing health problems and various diseases such as respiratory and circulatory problems, metabolic disorders, and chronic diseases. Moreover, access to modern healthcare facilities has created greater expectations among patients receiving personalized healthcare and high-quality healthcare. As the difficulty of satisfying the demands of patients increases, enhancing nursing capabilities has become increasingly important [ 1 ]. To improve this, hospitals are making efforts to change the internal and external environments so as to increase the number of nurses, reduce the length of hospital stays, and enable efficient nursing practice. Despite these efforts, the workloads of nurses and the demand for clinical nurses are continuously increasing [ 2 , 3 ]. As a result, nurses are developing negative attitudes and prejudices toward patients, as well as negative perceptions of professionalism. To address this, the cultivation and strengthening of nursing professionals’ capabilities is essential.

Nurses’ perception of professionalism is an important element influencing their ability to perform independent nursing, and a good perception of their profession results in a positive approach to solving patients’ problems [ 4 , 5 ]. In addition, the characteristics and abilities of individual nurses can influence the level of care and enable them to understand patients, solve problems, and provide holistic care, which is the ultimate goal of the nursing process [ 6 , 7 ]. Thus, patients expect nurses to not only have medical knowledge of the disease but to also be able to comprehensively assess the patient’s problems and be independent and creative in nursing [ 8 ]. This attitude can have a major impact on the quality of nursing services and can inspire pride in the nursing occupation and professional achievement. These findings can also be used by nurses to prevent burnout and maintain professionalism [ 9 , 10 ].

To respond to the increasing demands for diverse qualitative and quantitative nursing services and to strengthen the capabilities of nursing professionals, efforts have been made to move nursing education toward scientific and creative education. However, in point-of-care environments, not only are nurses prevented from making independent decisions regarding nursing, but also the diverse personal capabilities necessary for such independent behavior are not sufficiently developed [ 11 ]. Therefore, it is important to enhance clinical nurses’ perceptions of the nursing profession; maintain a balance of nursing capabilities; provide novel, high-quality nursing services; and identify assistive nursing education methods and obstructive environmental factors [ 10 ].

Communication skills involve a person’s ability to accurately understand (through both verbal and non-verbal indications) another person, and sufficiently deliver what the person desires [ 12 , 13 ]. Good communication skills are a primary requirement for providing professional nursing services because they enable an in-depth understanding of patients, solving of complicated problems, and reasonable and logical analysis of situations [ 14 , 15 , 16 ]. When effective communication takes place, nurses’ problem-solving abilities and perceived professionalism strengthen [ 17 , 18 ].

According to Park [ 19 ], nurses have difficulties in interpersonal relationships when social tension and interaction skills are low and communication is poor. In addition, these factors are negatively affected not only in the work of the nurse but also in the perception of the profession. Communication skills are associated with both the formation of relationships with patients and the ability to perform holistic nursing [ 20 ]. In order to improve and develop the overall nursing function of a clinical nurse like this, it is important to complement the relevant integrated nursing abilities [ 21 , 22 ].

Previous studies have investigated the importance of communication skills for nurses, and the relationships between nurses’ problem-solving ability and their understanding of the patients’ conditions. Nonetheless, data that can comprehensively explain the structural relationships between these qualities and how they affect the job perception of nurses remains insufficient.

Therefore, the present study aims to identify the structural model for the relationships between nurses’ communication skills, problem-solving ability, understanding of patients’ conditions, and nurse’s perception of professionalism. Additionally, the study provides basic data necessary for developing programs for improving nursing abilities.

The purpose of this study is to construct a theoretical model that explains the structural relationships among nurses’ communication skills, problem-solving ability, understanding of patients’ conditions, and nurse’s perception of professionalism. In addition, the study aimed to verify this model using empirical data.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. study design.

To create and analyze the structural model for clinical nurses’ communication skills, problem-solving ability, understanding of patients’ conditions, and nurse’s perception of professionalism, the theoretical relationships among the variables were developed based on related theories.

In this study, communication skills were set as the exogenous variables, whereas problem-solving ability, understanding of patients’ conditions, and perception of the nursing occupation were set as the endogenous variables. In addition, communication skills were set as the independent variables and nursing job perceptions as the dependent variable. This is because the ability of communication helps to maintain an intimate relationship with the patient and to assess the patient’s condition through each other’s relationship and to solve problems and develop correct understanding. Communication skills, problem-solving ability, and understanding of patients’ conditions were set as the parameters for determining causality. The research model is shown in Figure 1 .

Study model.

2.2. Study Participants

The structural equation model has less than 12 measurement variables. The sample size usually requires 200 to 400 participants [ 23 ]. A total of 250 participants were selected for the study. In line with ethical standards and practices, participants received a full explanation on the purpose of the study. They were briefed that the information collected would be used for research purposes only. Furthermore, they were informed that they could withdraw from the study at any time.

2.3. Data Collection Method

Data collection for this study was performed by two researchers unrelated to the hospital from April 20 to May 1, 2019. A questionnaire was used to collect data from clinical nurses working in five hospitals in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Gangwon provinces. Of the 250 questionnaires disseminated, we received 225 completed returns. However, 54 were considered inaccurate, inconsistent, or unsatisfactory for coding purposes. Thus, 171 fully completed valid questionnaires comprised the final dataset for analysis.

2.4. Research Instruments

2.4.1. communication skills.

In this study, the communication skill instrument developed by Lee and Jang [ 24 ] was used. Its contents were modified and supplemented to clearly understand the communication skills of nurses. Our questionnaire comprised 20 questions with five questions each concerning “interpretation ability,” “self-reveal,” “leading communication,” and “understanding others’ perspectives.” The answers were rated on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 0 = “strongly disagree” to 4 = “strongly agree.” For this study, the Cronbach’s alpha value was 0.81.

2.4.2. Problem-Solving Ability

The tool developed by Lee [ 25 ] was used to measure the problem-solving ability of clinical nurses. The survey comprised 25 questions, with five questions each concerning “problem recognition,” “information-gathering,” “divergent thinking,” “planning power,” and “evaluation.” Items were scored on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 0 = “strongly disagree” to 4 = “strongly agree.” The internal consistency confidence value Cronbach’s alpha was 0.79.

2.4.3. Understanding Patients’ Condition

To measure nurses’ understanding of patients’ conditions, we developed 10 questions by revising and supplementing items from an existing understanding-measurement tool [ 26 ]. With a total of ten questions, we measured “diagnostic name,” “patient-treatment planning,” and “nursing intervention processes.” Items were scored using a five-point Likert scale ranging from 0 = “strongly disagree” to 4 = “strongly agree.” The internal consistency confidence value Cronbach’s alpha was 0.81.

2.4.4. Nurse’s Perception of Professionalism

Nurse’s perception of professionalism was measured using a tool developed by revising the 25 questions created by Kang et al. [ 1 ]. With a total of ten questions, we measured “vocation” and “autonomy.” Items were scored using a five-point Likert scale. The internal consistency confidence value Cronbach’s alpha was 0.81.

2.5. Data Analysis

To identify the relationships among the set variables, the data were computed statistically using the program included in IBM SPSS 24.0 and AMOS 23.0. (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). The analysis methods were as follows:

• Frequency analysis was conducted to identify the subjects’ demographic and general characteristics.
• The reliability of the questionnaire was verified using Cronbach’s α coefficients.
• Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to verify the convergent validity of the selected measurement tool.
• The normality of the data was determined through analyzing the skewness and kurtosis of the measurement variables.
• The fitness of the model was verified using structural equation modeling (SEM).
• Bootstrapping was utilized to verify the mediating effect in the set study model, as well as the mediating effects of the nurses’ problem-solving ability and understanding of patients’ conditions.

3.1. Demographic Characteristics

The demographic and general characteristics of the study subjects are shown in Table 1 . Overall, 71 respondents were aged 25–29 years (41.5%), representing the most numerous age group. University graduates comprised 113 (66.1%) of the sample, while 50 (29.2%) held graduate degrees, with eight (4.7%) holding master’s degrees. Fifty-three respondents (31.0%) had over seven years of clinical experience, 43 (25.1%) had two to three years of experience, 42 (24.6%) had four to six years of experience, and 33 (19.3%) had less than two years of experience. Additionally, 121 respondents (70.8%) worked at secondary hospitals, while 50 (29.2%) worked at tertiary hospitals; 159 respondents (93.0%) reported that they were general nurses.

Participants’ general characteristics ( N = 171, %).

3.2. Technical Metrics of the Measurement Variables

The multivariate normality of the findings related to the factors of the latent variables was verified through standard deviations, skewness, and kurtosis. The present study meets the criteria for the skewness and kurtosis values mentioned by Hu and Bentler [ 27 ].

All sub-factors of the latent variables secured normality.

In this study, a normal distribution was obtained for each of the four sub-factors of communication skills, five sub-factors of problem-solving ability, three sub-factors for understanding the patient’s condition, and two sub-factors of the nurse’s perception of professionalism as shown in Table 2 .

Technical metrics of the measurement variables ( N = 171).

3.3. Correlations between the Measured Variables

The correlations between the measurement variables were analyzed using Pearson’s product–moment correlation coefficient analysis ( Table 3 ). The correlations among all individual measurement variables were found to show a positive correlation.

Correlations between the observed variables.

3.4. Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Measurement Model

This study examined how well the measurement variables represented the latent variables in the measurement model. Each set path coefficient was evaluated using non-standardization factors, standardization factors, and standard errors. The path coefficients refer to the factor loadings in CFA. The standardization factors of the individual paths were shown to be at least 0.50 (except for vocation: 0.36), and the critical ratio (CR) was at least 1.96. This indicated that the measurement tool had good convergent validity ( Table 4 ).

Confirmatory factor analysis of the measurement model.

*** p < 0.001; CR: critical ratio.

3.5. Verification of the Structural Model

The structural model for relationships among clinical nurses’ communication skills, problem-solving ability, understanding of patients’ condition, and nurse’s perception of professionalism that would be suitable for predicting the influencing relationships was verified. Since the fitness index of the modified model was shown to be higher than that of the initial model, the final model for this study was set as shown in Figure 2 .

Final model. * χ 2 = 124.074 (df = 61, p <0.001), GFI(Goodness of Fit Index)= 0.90, RMSEA(Root Mean Square Error Approximation)=0.07, NFI(Normed Fit Index)=0.87, IFI(Incremental Fit Index)= 0.93, TLI(Tucker-Lewis Index)= 0.91, CFI(Comparative Fit Index)= 0.92.

3.6. Influencing Relationships between Variables of the Study Model

The standardization factors and CR values of the final model were examined to determine whether there were direct relationships between communication skills, problem-solving ability, understanding of patients’ conditions, and nurse’s perception of professionalism. The results are shown

For the relationship between communication ski in Table 5 .lls and problem-solving ability, the standardization factor was 0.85 and the CR value was 7.37; communication skills showed a statistically significant effect. Consequently. The relationship between communication skills and understanding of patients’ conditions also showed a statistically significant effect. Consequently, Hypothesis 1 was supported.

The relationships between the human effects of the measurement model.

* p < 0.05, *** p < 0.001; CR: critical ratio.

For the relationship between communication skills and nurse’s perception of professionalism, the standardization factor was 0.54, and the CR value was 2.02. Communication skills showed a statistically significant effect. Consequently. For the relationship between problem-solving ability and nurse’s perception of professionalism, the standardization factor was −0.056, and the CR value was −0.39. Problem-solving ability had no statistically significant effect. Consequently.

The relationship between nurses’ understanding of patients’ conditions and nurse’s perception of professionalism had a statistically significant effect. Consequently Figure 2 shows the influencing relationships between the study variables of the final study model, considering non-standardization and standardization factors of the relationships between the study variables.

3.7. Direct and Indirect Effects of the Variables

To grasp the significance of the mediating effect in the final study model, the direct and indirect effects of each variable were examined. To examine the mediating effect of the problem-solving ability and understanding of patients’ conditions variables, the bootstrapping method provided by the AMOS 23.0 program included in IBM was utilized. The results are shown in Table 6 .

Mediating effect analysis.

* p < 0.05, *** p < 0.001

The indirect effect of communication skills on nurse’s perception of professionalism through nurses’ understanding of patients’ conditions was statistically significant. That is, clinical nurses’ communication skills have an indirect positive effect on their nurse’s perception of professionalism, with nurses’ understanding of patients’ conditions acting as a parameter. We also found that the effect of communication skills on nurse’s perception of professionalism was statistically significant. Therefore, communication skills have a partially mediated effect on nurse’s perception of professionalism, with understanding of patients’ conditions acting as a parameter. However, communication skills were found to have no indirect positive effect on nurse’s perception of professionalism when problem-solving ability was set as a parameter.

4. Discussion

In this study, we developed and analyzed a hypothetical model regarding clinical nurses’ communication skills, problem-solving ability, and understanding of patients’ conditions, and how these factors influence their nurse’s perception of professionalism.

4.1. Effect of Communication Skills on Nurses’ Perception of Professionalism

Communication skills were found to have statistically significant effects on their relationship with nurses’ problem-solving ability, understanding of patients’ conditions, and nurse’s perception of professionalism. Nurses’ communication skills not only affected their problem-solving ability but also their understanding of patients’ conditions and nurse’s perception of professionalism. Good communication among nurses can reduce uncomfortable situations and improve interactions with patients, which can consequently enhance problem-solving [ 28 ]. Supporting our findings, Ancel [ 17 ] reported that communication skills afford the maintenance of amicable cooperative relationships with patients across diverse medical classes, thereby enhancing the efficiency of nursing-related problem-solving.

Nurses’ communication is also closely related to their understanding of patients’ conditions, particularly regarding the treatment processes. Nurses frequently experience difficulties as a result of poor communication with not only patients and their family members but also other medical personnel. Further, poor delivery of explanations and questions affects nurses’ understanding of patients’ situations and problems, and patients can also feel concern regarding whether nurses accurately understand their problems [ 29 ]. Nurses frequently experience psychological abuse when communicating with patients and develop stress or discomfort [ 30 ]; this can lead to distrustful relationships with and inhibited understanding of patients [ 31 , 32 ]. Vermeir et al. [ 18 ] reported that scientific approaches are required to understand patients in-depth. To accurately understand both oneself and others, the most important method is successful communication. Such findings support the present study’s indication that nurses’ communication is a basic means of solving nursing problems, with both actions being interrelated.

Our finding that nurses’ communication skills are structurally related to their nurse’s perception of professionalism supports the findings of many previous studies. Regarding nurse’s perception of professionalism, Adams et al. [ 33 ] as well as Lee and Kim [ 34 ] explained that a good perception leads to higher-level capabilities, fostering high-level nursing of patients and the development of autonomous vocation. The above studies reported that, since nurses’ communication skills are related to their nurse’s perception of professionalism, communication skills should be considered a predictor of success. Further, McGlynn et al. [ 35 ] recommended positively reinforcing communication skills to improve nurse’s perception of professionalism. This supports the findings of the present study, indicating that communication and nursing professional perception are interrelated.

Thus, communication skills are important for nursing patients. They enable nurses to accurately understand patients’ problems, serve (by forming patient trust) an important function in the process of administering nursing interventions, and positively affect nurses’ perception of their profession. As such, each concept is important. However, nurses working in the clinic are critically aware of their professionalism. In order to reinforce this, communication skills are required, and the emphasis is placed on strengthening the nurses’ ability to solve problems as well as assess and understand patients. As a result, communication skills play an important role in helping nurses understand patients’ problems accurately, build patient trust in nursing interventions, and create structural relationships that have a positive impact on the perception of nursing occupations. Therefore, efforts to improve nurses’ communication skills not only improve their problem-solving abilities and understanding of patients’ conditions but also improve their nurse’s perception of professionalism. To maintain the professionalism of nurses, “competency development programs” would be helpful, thereby emphasizing the need for their application in nursing colleges and clinical practice.

4.2. Relationship between Nurses’ Problem-Solving Ability and Nurse’s Perception of Professionalism

We found clinical nurses’ problem-solving ability to have no positive effect on their perception of professionalism. This contrasts with previous studies, which reported that problem-solving ability is helpful for such perception of professionalism [ 36 ]. We also found that problem-solving ability does not affect nursing professional perception through a mediating effect.

The present findings indicate that the distinctiveness of the fields of nursing should not be overlooked. In nursing organizations that have a culture of discouraging diversity, when negative results are obtained from attempts to solve nursing problems, confusion regarding the identity of nursing professionals means perception of the profession is not reinforced; in many cases, the opposite perception is formed. Furthermore, for those in lower-level positions, nurse’s perception of professionalism is thought to be low because they cannot voice their opinions and have difficulties such as excessive workloads. Although few previous studies have directly examined this, Vermeir et al. [ 18 ] explained that, as the role expectation for nurses increases, factors for job turnover increase as a result of a sense of confusion regarding the nurses’ role and increases in stress. These findings indicate that factors that degrade nurses’ problem-solving ability induce skepticism regarding nursing and possibly career change, thereby supporting the findings of this study.

However, in the present study, positive results with low levels of relevancy in the structural model but high correlations were found. It is expected that, if nurses’ environmental conditions are improved and their nursing capabilities are developed so that they can solve nursing problems with confidence, their nursing professional perception will improve.

4.3. Relationship between Nurses’ Understanding of Patients’ Conditions and Nurse’s Perception of Professionalism

Our findings indicated that the relationship between nurses’ understanding of patients’ conditions and nurse’s perception of professionalism was statistically significant. This supports Nilsson et al. [ 21 ] and Philip et al. [ 29 ], who reported that, in the fields of nursing, when patients accurately understand nurses’ instructions or explanations and health information, they can participate in, independently adjust, and engage in creative decision-making related to self-nursing.

McGlynn et al. [ 35 ] suggested that understanding patient problems is an important element in resolving negative situations; meanwhile, Heo and Lim [ 37 ] indicated that clinical nurses provide high-quality nursing services and develop self-efficacy when they apply professional knowledge and a desire to understand patients’ problems. These study findings accord with our own findings.

The aforementioned findings suggest that the development and application of programs that can enhance nurses’ understanding of patients’ conditions should be emphasized, and that studies of various patient types, the characteristics of patients by age group and hospital areas, as well as the introduction of simulation education programs to improve nurses’ understanding of patients’ conditions should be continuously implemented.

5. Conclusions

This study aimed to verify the structural relationships between clinical nurses’ communication skills and their problem-solving ability, understanding of patients’ conditions, and nurse’s perception of professionalism. We also aimed to identify, through a structural model, the mediating effects of nurses’ problem-solving ability and understanding of patients’ conditions in the relationship between communication skills and nurse’s perception of professionalism.

The findings of this study are as follows (all significance levels = 0.05). In the relationship between communication skills and problem-solving ability, the value of the standardization factor was 0.85 and the CR value was 7.37, indicating that communication skills had a statistically significant effect. In the relationship between nurses’ communication skills and understanding of patients’ conditions, the value of the standardization factor was 0.61 and the CR value was 6.35, indicating that communication skills had a statistically significant effect. In the relationship between communication skills and nurse’s perception of professionalism, the value of the standardization factor was 0.54 and the CR value was 2.02, indicating that communication skills had a statistically significant effect. However, in the relationship between problem-solving ability and nurse’s perception of professionalism, the value of the standardization factor was −0.05 and the CR value was −0.39, indicating that problem-solving ability has no statistically significant effect. Finally, in the relationship between nurses’ understanding of patients’ conditions and nurse’s perception of professionalism, the value of the standardization factor was 0.56, and the CR value was 2.14, indicating that nurses’ understanding of patients’ conditions has a statistically significant effect.

There are some limitations to this study. First, as we only examined nurses at secondary and tertiary university hospitals, our findings may not be generalizable to all clinical nurses. Replication studies examining a range of levels of medical institutions and associated workers are necessary. Second, the structural relationship between problem-solving ability and the nurse’s perception of professionalism turned out to be insignificant or mediated. Subsequent studies on the various approaches to revisit this structural relationship should be performed. Third, theories should be systematically developed to establish the values of the nursing profession, and additional studies are necessary to explore other variables.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the staff nurses who participated in the survey and took the time to complete the initial assessment.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, A.Y.K. and I.O.S.; methodology, A.Y.K.; software, I.O.S.; validation, A.Y.K. and I.O.S.; formal analysis, A.Y.K. and I.O.S.; investigation, A.Y.K.; resources, A.Y.K.; data curation, A.Y.K.; writing—original draft preparation, A.Y.K.; writing—review and editing, A.Y.K. and I.O.S.; visualization, A.Y.K. and I.O.S.; supervision, I.O.S.; project administration, I.O.S. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

This research received no external funding.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Thinking your way to successful problem-solving

13 September, 2001 By NT Contributor

VOL: 97, ISSUE: 37, PAGE NO: 36

Jacqueline Wheeler, DMS, MSc, RGN, is a lecturer at Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College

Problems - some people like them, some do not think they have any, while others shy away from them as if they were the plague. Opportunities, in the form of problems, are part of your life.

The most difficult decision is deciding to tackle a problem and implement a solution, especially as it is sometimes easier to ignore its existence. Problem-solving takes time and effort, but once a problem has been addressed the nurse can feel satisfied that the issue has been resolved and is therefore less likely to re-emerge.

Nurses make clinical decisions using two different approaches. The first is the rationalist approach, which involves an analysis of a situation so that subsequent actions are rational, logical and based on knowledge and judgement. The second approach is based on a phenomenological perspective, where a fluid, flexible and dynamic approach to decision-making is required, such as when dealing with an acutely ill patient.

Types of problems

Problems come in different guises and the solver can perceive them either as a challenge or a threat. One of the most common types of problem is when the unexpected happens. As a nurse you plan and implement care for a patient based on your knowledge and experience, only to find that the patient’s reaction is totally different from that expected but without any apparent reason.

Another type of problem is an assignment where others set a goal or task. Throughout your working life you will be required to undertake duties on behalf of other people. For some this is difficult as they feel unable to control their workload. Others see it as an opportunity to develop new skills or take on additional responsibilities. Opportunities can be perceived as problems by those who fear failure.

A third type of problem is when a dilemma arises. This is when it is difficult to choose the best solution to a problem because the nurse is confronted with something that challenges his or her personal and/or professional values.

Diagnosing problems

The sooner a problem is identified and solutions devised, the better for all involved. So try to anticipate or identify problems when they occur through continuously monitoring staff performance and patient outcomes.

Listening to and observing junior staff will help you to detect work or organisational concerns, because when there are problems staff are likely to behave in an unusual or inconsistent manner.

Initial analysis

Remember that people view things differently, so what you perceive as a problem may not be one to anyone else. So before you begin thinking about what to do - whether to keep it under surveillance, contain it or find a solution - you should undertake an initial analysis. This will help you to understand the problem more clearly.

An analysis will also enable you to prioritise its importance in relation to other problems as problems do not occur one at a time.

Routine problems often need little clarification, so an initial analysis is recommended for non-routine problems only. Even then, not all problems justify the same degree of analysis. But where it is appropriate, an initial analysis will provide a basis from which to generate solutions.

Perception is also important when dealing with patients’ problems. For example, if a patient gives up reading because he or she cannot hold the book (objective), the nurse may assume it is because the patient has lost interest (subjective, one’s own view).

Generating solutions

It is essential for the problem-solver to remember that, where possible, solutions must come from those connected with the problem. If it is to be resolved, agreement must be owned by those involved as they are probably the best and only people who can resolve their differences. The manager should never feel that he or she must be on hand to deal with all disputes.

To solve a problem you need to generate solutions. However, the obvious solution may not necessarily be the best. To generate solutions, a mixture of creative and analytical thinking is needed (Bransford, 1993).

Creativity is about escaping from preconceived ideas that block the way to finding an innovative solution to a problem. An effective tool for assisting in this process is the technique of lateral thinking, which is based largely on the work of Edward de Bono, who regards thinking as a skill.

There are several ways to encourage creative decision-making. One method that works best for specific or simple problems is brainstorming. If the ground rules of confidentiality and being non-judgemental are applied, it will produce a free flow of ideas generated without fear of criticism (Rawlinson, 1986).

Time constraints and staff availability may make it difficult for all those involved in a problem to meet. In such cases an adaptation of brainstorming - where a blank piece of paper is given to those involved and each writes down four solutions to the problem - may be the answer. A similar technique is the collective notebook, where people are asked to record their thoughts and ideas about a problem for a specified period.

An alternative is where one person writes down a list of solutions in order of priority, which is then added to by others. This helps to prioritise the ideas generated. All these methods produce data that can then be analysed by the problem-solver.

When the problem affects people in different geographical areas, solutions can be generated by obtaining the opinion of experts through the use of a questionnaire, which is known as the Delphi technique (McKenna, 1994).

When an apparently insurmountable problem presents itself, it is often useful to divide it into smaller pieces. This is known as convergent thinking. Using divergent thinking - where you consider a problem in different ways to expand your view - may also help. 

A final alternative is the stepladder technique, which is time-consuming but effective if the issue is stirring up strong feelings. This requires the people involved in the problem to be organised into groups. First, two people try to solve the problem, then a third member is drawn in, to whom the solution reached by the first two is presented. All three then try to agree a solution. More people are added to the group, if necessary, in a similar way, until there is agreement of all involved. Provided the individuals are motivated to solve the problem, this technique creates ownership and commitment to implementing the agreed solution.

Analytical thinking, which follows a logical process of eliminating ideas, will enable you to narrow the range down to one feasible solution.

Although someone has to make the ultimate decision on which solution to implement, there are advantages to group decision-making: a greater number of possible solutions are generated and conflicts are resolved, resulting in decisions being reached through rational discussion.

This does, however, require the group to be functioning well or the individuals involved may feel inhibited in contributing to the decision-making. One individual may dominate the group or competition between individuals may result in the need to win taking precedence over deciding on an agreed practical solution.

As nursing becomes less bureaucratic individuals are being encouraged to put forward their own ideas, but social pressures to conform may inhibit the group. We do not solve problems and make decisions in isolation, but are influenced by the environment in which we work and the role we fulfil in that environment. If group members lack commitment and/or motivation, they may accept the first solution and pay little attention to other solutions offered.

Making a decision

There are three types of decision-making environments: certain, risk and uncertain. The certain environment, where we have sufficient information to allow us to select the best solution, is the most comfortable within which to make a decision, but it is the least often encountered.

We usually encounter the risk environment, where we lack complete certainty about the outcomes of various courses of action.

Finally, the uncertain environment is the least comfortable within which to make decisions as we are almost forced to do this blind. We are unable to forecast the possible outcomes of alternative courses of action and, therefore, have to rely heavily on creative intuition and the educated guess.

Taking this into consideration, you should not contemplate making a decision until you have all the information needed. Before you make your decision, remind yourself of the objective, reassess the priorities, consider the options and weigh up the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of each solution.

An alternative is to use the method that Thomas Edison used to solve the problem of the electric light bulb. Simply focus on your problem as you drift off to sleep, and when you wake up your subconscious mind will have presented you with the answer. But bear in mind that this is not a scientific way of solving problems - your subconscious can be unreliable.

If you are not sure about your decision, test the solution out on others who do not own the problem but may have encountered a similar dilemma. Once you have made your choice stick to it, or you may find it difficult to implement because those involved will never be sure which solution is current. They will also be reluctant to become involved in any future decision-making because of your uncertainty.

The next step is to ensure that all the people involved know what decision has been made. Where possible, brief the group and follow this up with written communication to ensure everyone knows what is expected of them. You may need to sell the decision to some, especially if they were not involved in the decision-making process or the solution chosen is not theirs.

Implementing the solution

Finally, to ensure the solution is implemented, check that the people involved know who is to do what, by when and that it has happened. Review the results of implementing your solution (see Box) and praise and thank all those involved.

- Part 1 of this series was published in last week’s issue: Wheeler, J. (2001) How to delegate your way to a better working life. Nursing Times; 97: 36, 34-35.

Next week. Part three: a step-by-step guide to effective report writing.

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Solving Puzzles, Not Problems: 5 Strategies for Growth in the Age of Change

As a leader, how do you approach challenges in your organization? Do you see them as problems to be solved, or puzzles to be pieced together? In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, this distinction could be the key to unlocking innovation and thriving in uncertain times.

The shift from problem-solving to puzzle-solving isn’t just a change in terminology – it’s a fundamental shift in mindset that can transform how your team tackles complex issues. Let’s explore why this matters and how you can implement it in your organization.

Why Puzzle-Solving Matters for Modern Leaders

1. holistic perspective.

Puzzle-solving encourages leaders to step back and consider all possible pieces before jumping to solutions. This holistic view is crucial when dealing with the multifaceted challenges presented to the modern leader.

2. OPPORTUNITY MINDSET

The Japanese business philosophy kaizen sees problems or challenges as a crucial step in the cycle of improvement. Puzzle-solvers adopt this frame of mind and see difficulty as an opportunity for growth and improvement.

3. EMBRACING DIVERSITY

Puzzle-solving thrives on diverse perspectives. By bringing together varied viewpoints, you can uncover pieces of the puzzle you didn’t even know were missing.

4. CONTINUOUS GROWTH

Puzzle-solving doesn’t just shift us into an opportunity mindset – it also fosters a culture of continuous learning and adaptation. As you piece together each new puzzle, you and your team grow in knowledge and capability.

Puzzle-Solving in Action

Let me share a personal experience that illustrates the power of this approach. During an organizational development event, our team faced the challenge of reducing a contract closure process from several weeks to just two days – a goal that initially seemed impossible.

Instead of being overwhelmed, we reframed the challenge by asking, “What must be true to achieve a two-day turnaround?” This shift in perspective allowed us to rethink the entire process and innovate a solution that met the ambitious target.

By approaching the challenge as a puzzle rather than a problem, we identified aspects of the process we hadn’t previously considered. We brought together team members from different departments, each offering unique insights. This diversity of perspective, combined with a willingness to question our assumptions, led to a breakthrough that transformed our operations.

How to Shift to a Puzzle-Solving Mindset

1. reframe challenges as growth opportunities.

Train your team to see “red” on a scorecard not as a failure, but as an area ripe for improvement and personal growth. This simple reframing can dramatically change how your team approaches challenges.

2. IDENTIFY MISSING PIECES

Before jumping into solution mode, ask, “What information or perspectives might we be overlooking?” This critical thinking approach can reveal crucial insights and areas for development.

3. ASSEMBLE DIVERSE TEAMS

Bring together people from different functions, backgrounds, and thinking styles to enrich your problem-solving process and foster mutual growth.

4. LEVERAGE AI FOR DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES

Use generative AI tools to access a wealth of existing knowledge and frameworks. This can provide you with an unprecedented number of lenses through which to examine a challenge and grow your understanding.

5. CREATE A CULTURE OF CURIOSITY AND GROWTH

Foster an environment where asking questions, seeking out new viewpoints, and continuous learning are encouraged and rewarded.

Growth is the only guarantee that tomorrow will be better. John C. Maxwell

The Future of Leadership in the Face of Constant Change

As we navigate the technological complexities of the modern era – including generative AI – the ability to shift from problem-solving to puzzle-solving will be a critical skill for leaders. This approach not only helps us tackle immediate challenges more effectively, but also reinforces our organization’s ability to adapt and innovate in the face of rapid technological change.

Remember, the goal isn’t just to solve the problem at hand, but to build a culture and mindset that thrives on complexity and change. By viewing challenges as puzzles and embracing diverse perspectives – both human and AI-generated – you’ll be better equipped to lead your team through the ever-changing landscape of modern business.

Your Challenge

What challenge are you currently facing that could benefit from a puzzle-solving approach? How might reframing this challenge and seeking out diverse perspectives lead to innovative solutions?

Take some time this week to practice puzzle-solving with your team. Start by reframing a current challenge as an opportunity, then brainstorm what pieces might be missing from your current understanding. You might be surprised at the innovative solutions that emerge.

Interested in discovering other practical growth tips to help you and your team keep pace with constant change?

Gain practical insights and discover real-world examples of how tools like AI can support your leadership development journey. Subscribe to the Maxwell Leadership blog for more content from AI researcher Daniel Englebretson and other professionals championing transformation in today’s marketplace.

About the author

Daniel Englebretson is an AI researcher, innovator, and entrepreneur. He is also the founder and CEO of Elynox, the co-founder and managing partner of ShiftHX, and an adjunct professor of artificial intelligence and communications at Wake Forest University and Elon University. Daniel is committed to empowering and enabling others with the skills and mindset shifts required to create opportunities to collaborate more effectively with AI.

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