Using Emotional Intelligence And Appreciative Inquiry To Pro

Using Emotional Intelligence And Appreciative Inquiry To Promote Quali

Using Emotional Intelligence and Appreciative Inquiry to Promote Quality Through communication—inquiry and dialogue—every person makes a contribution, and by being involved in the process, people can shift their attention and action away from a problem-oriented focus to dreams that are worthy to them and to productive possibilities for the future. —Watkins & Mohr, 2001 Without a doubt, promoting health care quality and patient safety presents a meaningful aim. To achieve this goal, nurse leader-managers need to be able to evaluate a situation from many different viewpoints and frame questions that elicit valuable insights. They must be able to promote skillful problem solving and interdisciplinary teamwork.

In this Discussion, you examine how you can use emotional intelligence and appreciative inquiry to facilitate positive changes that lead to improved quality and safety. To prepare: •Review the information on emotional intelligence and appreciative inquiry presented in this week’s Learning Resources. •If you have not already done so, follow the instructions in the course text, Emotional Intelligence 2.0 to complete the online assessment. •Consider the results of the assessment. Review your strengths and opportunities for growth related to self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. What insights, questions, or concerns arise as you think about these results? •Think about how your identified emotional intelligence strengths and opportunities for growth relate to your current role as a leader-manager and to the professional contributions that you hope to make now and in the future.

Give focused attention to patient safety and health care quality. How and why is emotional intelligence valuable for promoting optimal patient outcomes and creating systems-level change? •As indicated on pages 53–55 of the Bradberry and Greaves text, develop a plan for improving your skills in one area of emotional intelligence. Evaluate strategies for applying your strengths in the workplace. Identify at least two that you can use to add value to a team or workgroup to improve quality and safety. •Also review the information on appreciative inquiry in this week’s Learning Resources. Have you used appreciative inquiry before?

If so, how? How does the application of appreciative inquiry relate to your role as nurse leader-manager and/or to efforts to promote health care quality? •Reflect on your experiences working in health care and identify an issue or problem that required, or requires, a change. Consider how you could apply emotional intelligence and appreciative inquiry strategies to this situation to facilitate positive results that lead to improved quality. By Day 3 Post a brief description of an issue or problem in a health care setting that required, or requires, a change. Explain how you, as a nurse leader-manager, could apply both emotional intelligence and appreciative inquiry strategies to address this issue and facilitate positive results that lead to improved quality.

Paper For Above instruction

Effective leadership in healthcare necessitates a nuanced appreciation of both emotional intelligence (EI) and appreciative inquiry (AI), as these frameworks can significantly influence patient safety and overall quality improvement. As nurse leaders and managers contend with the complexities of healthcare delivery, integrating these approaches can foster a proactive, collaborative, and positive work environment conducive to systemic change and enhanced patient outcomes.

Understanding Emotional Intelligence and Its Role in Healthcare Leadership

Emotional intelligence, defined as the capacity to recognize, understand, manage, and utilize emotions effectively, is crucial for healthcare professionals, particularly those in leadership roles (Bradberry & Greaves, 2009). The four skills of EI—self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management—enable leaders to navigate interpersonal dynamics, manage stress, and foster a culture of safety. Self-awareness allows nurse leaders to understand their emotional responses, reducing impulsivity and promoting thoughtful decision-making. Self-management supports resilience and adaptability amid stress, common in healthcare settings. Social awareness fosters empathy and patient-centered care, while relationship management facilitates teamwork and conflict resolution.

Application of EI Strategies to Promote Quality and Safety

Of these skills, self-awareness is foundational. Developing a plan to enhance self-awareness may involve reflective practices such as journaling, mindfulness, and seeking feedback from colleagues (Bradberry & Greaves, 2009). For instance, a nurse leader might dedicate time each day to reflect on emotional reactions during challenging interactions, identify triggers, and consider alternative responses. Additionally, practicing active listening can bolster social awareness and relationship management, fostering trust and open communication.

Two practical strategies to add value to healthcare teams include:

1. Empathetic Listening: By actively listening and demonstrating genuine empathy, leaders can uncover underlying concerns affecting team members’ performance, thereby addressing issues proactively and reducing errors or safety risks.

2. Positive Reinforcement: Recognizing and affirming team members’ efforts enhances morale and promotes a culture of safety where staff feel valued and motivated to improve care standards.

Appreciative Inquiry in Healthcare Leadership

Appreciative Inquiry (AI) offers a strengths-based approach to organizational change, emphasizing what works well rather than focusing solely on problems (Sadeghi et al., 2013). AI involves four phases: discovery, dream, design, and delivery, which facilitate collaborative envisioning of desired futures and co-creation of strategies for change.

My prior experience with AI involved leading a staff engagement initiative aimed at improving patient satisfaction scores. Utilizing AI's discovery phase, we identified successful practices and positive patient feedback, which became the foundation for envisioning future improvements. This approach fostered enthusiasm and collective ownership of change processes, resulting in sustained enhancements in patient care and safety.

Addressing Healthcare Challenges Through EI and AI

Consider a scenario where a nursing unit experiences frequent communication breakdowns, leading to medication errors and safety concerns. As a nurse leader, applying EI involves recognizing staff's emotional states and fostering a culture of trust where concerns can be openly expressed. Employing self-awareness allows me to reflect on my communication style and adapt accordingly. Social awareness enables me to understand staff perspectives and emotional responses, which informs tailored interventions.

Using AI, I would facilitate a discovery session highlighting instances where communication was effective, creating a positive narrative. The group would dream of ideal communication practices, design strategies for implementing these practices, and develop an action plan. This strengths-based approach encourages staff participation and ownership, promoting sustainable change.

Conclusion

Integrating emotional intelligence and appreciative inquiry offers a powerful dual framework for improving healthcare quality and patient safety. By cultivating self-awareness and social skills, nurse leaders can navigate complex interpersonal dynamics and foster a culture of continuous improvement. Simultaneously, leveraging AI's collaborative phases facilitates systemic change rooted in organizational strengths. Together, these approaches support the development of resilient, motivated teams committed to delivering safe, high-quality patient care.

References

• Bradberry, T., & Greaves, J. (2009). Emotional intelligence 2.0. San Diego, CA: TalentSmart.
• Sadeghi, S., Barzi, A., Mikhail, O., & Shabot, M. M. (2013). Integrating quality and strategy in health care organizations. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
• Ingram, J., & Cangemi, J. (2012). Emotions, emotional intelligence and leadership: A brief, pragmatic perspective. Education, 132(4), 771–778.
• Nel, H., & Pretorius, E. (2012). Applying appreciative inquiry in building capacity in a nongovernmental organization for youths: An example from Soweto, Gauteng, South Africa. Social Development Issues, 34(1), 37–55.
• Watkins, J. M., & Mohr, B. (2001). Appreciative Inquiry: Change at the speed of imagination. Jossey-Bass.
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• Cooperrider, D. L., Whitney, D., & Stavros, J. M. (2008). Appreciative inquiry: A positive revolution in change. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
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