Case Study: Clinical Leaders
David Rochester enjoys his role as a Clinical Leader in a palliative care setting. On a typical day David troubleshoots problems as they arise. His job responsibilities include resolving personnel issues, integrating changes in policies, and communicating patient care protocols to the nursing staff. He displays competence and confidence in trouble-shooting issues and follow-up is his specialty. During the past month, David has noticed an increase in the number of problems on the unit. He is uncertain of the origin of all of the problems. This morning, David received an email communication from the Director of Palliative Care Services, detailing several changes in clinical practices. David is certain that the timing of these changes will create more daily problems.
Respond to the following questions:
- What characteristics of leadership does David exhibit? What are the characteristics that David must embrace to be an effective leader of a clinical micro system?
- Changing leadership styles requires deliberate steps. What key steps does David need to take to assure his success as he moves forward?
