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Nursing Leadership: Theory and Process
I
Book reviews
The Fitness Myth-A New Approach to Exercise. Lebo, Fern. Lester and Arpen, Ltd, Toronto, Can, 1974, $1.95 paperback. Many currently accepted exercises for fitness may not make us fit and may in fact be harmful. This is the contention of the author, a registered physiotherapist, who explains the myths of fitness programs and tells how to “shape up” without causing undue strain, injury, or harm to your body. She notes the criteria to look for if seeking an exercise or health club and presents convincing facts to dispel the myths about weight reduction, muscle building, and use of heat, machines, and other devices. Divided in three parts, the book covers general exercises, fitness during and after pregnancy, and a safe approach to an exercise program in postcardiac care. Each exercise is described in terms of its purpose, expected results, how to do it, frequency, and any restrictions to be observed. The book is well illustrated and written in a chatty style. Sister Kane, RHSJ, RN, MEd Cornwall, Ontario
this booklet were presented at a workshop in Newport, RI, as part of a series of continuing education workshops on “Creating a climate for care,” sponsored by the National League for Nursing Council of Hospital and Related Institutional Nursing Services. The authors’ discussions center on quality assurance using three methods-structure, process, and outcome for audit. The most appropriate relationship among these three components is still unanswered, according to the authors. Quality assurance is defined as “the accountability of health personnel for the quality of care they provide.” The papers present historical perspectives on quality assurance, a comprehensive look at quality assurance, other views of assessing care, retrospective outcome audit, audit tools for the measurement of quality care, and accountability. I recommend this book for nurses on audit committees and those measuring the quality of care received by patients during hospital stays. Martha Hoffman, RN Sayre, Pa
Pathways to Quality Care. National League for Nursing. National League for Nursing, 10 Columbus Cir, New York, NY 10019, 1976, 40 pp, $3.95 paperback.
Nursing Leadership: Theory and Process. Yura, Helen, Ozimek, Dorothy, Walsh, Mary B. Appleton-Century-Crofts,440 Park Ave S, New York, NY 10016, 1976, 237 pp, $8.50 paperback.
Quality assurance-what it is and tools for its measurement-is discussed by an associate director and assistant director of nursing service at a St Louis hospital. The six papers in
The intent of this text is to define and describe the state of nursing leadership, its potentials, and the process involved in its development. The chapters cover concepts
AORN Journal, April 1977, V o l 2 5 , No 5
967
and theory of leadership, leadership in nursing, educational preparations necessary in its development, situational examples, and thoughts on the future for nursing leadership. Noting the lack of sufficient nursing leadership, the authors emphasize the need to prepare and educate nurses to function as leaders with individual patients, in management, in nursing service, and education. Many factors contribute to this lack including culture and women’s self-concepts. “In the total situation of nursing service, there is a negative feeling regarding leadership and position of leaders.” Nurses do not sense themselves as leaders. They are patientcentered practitioners and not theoreticians. Nursing up to now has stressed the doing and caring but not the thinking. Leadership skills can be learned through education. Studies are presented showing how little emphasis is placed in this area even at the graduate studies level. Having a bachelor or master’s degree does not ensure that leaders are being prepared even though present curricula state this is one of their goals. Pages are devoted to lists-taxonomy of behaviors relating to nursing leadership and leadership qualities to be learned at various educational levels. These are difficult to wade through but possibly helpful for reference. The lists would have been better placed in the appendix. The “Opinionnaire,” used as the basis of part of the discussion, presents some interesting responses on defintions of leadership terms by nurses at the various educational levels. In some areas the material gets bogged down in semantics. Much could have been consolidated without losing goals and objectives. Some areas are repetitious. There is some valuable material in this paperback, but it could have been prssented in a more concise and readable manner. June C Persson, RN Boulder, Colo
970
Credentialing study contract awarded The American Nurses’ Association (ANA) has awarded a $410,835 contract to the School of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee,to conduct a comprehensive study of credentialing in nursing. Inez G Hinsvark, RN, EdD, FAAN, has been named project director. Hinsvark is dean and a professor in the school of nursing at the University of Wisconsin. Initiative for the study grew out of action taken by the ANA House of Delegates in 1974. The study was launched in September 1976 after two years of preliminary planning and recommendations from three invitational conferences sponsored by ANA. Conference participants were selected from the nursing profession, governmental agencies, other disciplines, and public members with expertise in credentialing. Based on recommendations made at the conferences, the purposes of the credentialing study are: to assess current credentialing mechanisms in nursing, including accreditation, certification, and licensure to suggest ways to increase the effectiveness of credentialing to recommend future directions for credentialing in nursing. Current aspects of credentialing in nursing will be addressed including accreditation of basic, graduate, and continuing education; accreditation of organized nursing services; laws regulating the practice of nursing; and certification. Margretta Styles, RN,PhD, FAAN, dean, University of California-San Francisco School of Nursing, is chairperson, and Alonzo S Yerby, MD, diplomate, ACPM, professor of health services administration, Harvard School of Public Health, Cambridge, Mass, is vice-chairperson. The ANA is the sole sponsor of the study. A role has been identified for other nursing organizations, designated as cooperating agencies, and for state nurses’ associations in the implementation of the study.
AORN Journal, April 1977, Val 25, N o 5
Book reviews
The Fitness Myth-A New Approach to Exercise. Lebo, Fern. Lester and Arpen, Ltd, Toronto, Can, 1974, $1.95 paperback. Many currently accepted exercises for fitness may not make us fit and may in fact be harmful. This is the contention of the author, a registered physiotherapist, who explains the myths of fitness programs and tells how to “shape up” without causing undue strain, injury, or harm to your body. She notes the criteria to look for if seeking an exercise or health club and presents convincing facts to dispel the myths about weight reduction, muscle building, and use of heat, machines, and other devices. Divided in three parts, the book covers general exercises, fitness during and after pregnancy, and a safe approach to an exercise program in postcardiac care. Each exercise is described in terms of its purpose, expected results, how to do it, frequency, and any restrictions to be observed. The book is well illustrated and written in a chatty style. Sister Kane, RHSJ, RN, MEd Cornwall, Ontario
this booklet were presented at a workshop in Newport, RI, as part of a series of continuing education workshops on “Creating a climate for care,” sponsored by the National League for Nursing Council of Hospital and Related Institutional Nursing Services. The authors’ discussions center on quality assurance using three methods-structure, process, and outcome for audit. The most appropriate relationship among these three components is still unanswered, according to the authors. Quality assurance is defined as “the accountability of health personnel for the quality of care they provide.” The papers present historical perspectives on quality assurance, a comprehensive look at quality assurance, other views of assessing care, retrospective outcome audit, audit tools for the measurement of quality care, and accountability. I recommend this book for nurses on audit committees and those measuring the quality of care received by patients during hospital stays. Martha Hoffman, RN Sayre, Pa
Pathways to Quality Care. National League for Nursing. National League for Nursing, 10 Columbus Cir, New York, NY 10019, 1976, 40 pp, $3.95 paperback.
Nursing Leadership: Theory and Process. Yura, Helen, Ozimek, Dorothy, Walsh, Mary B. Appleton-Century-Crofts,440 Park Ave S, New York, NY 10016, 1976, 237 pp, $8.50 paperback.
Quality assurance-what it is and tools for its measurement-is discussed by an associate director and assistant director of nursing service at a St Louis hospital. The six papers in
The intent of this text is to define and describe the state of nursing leadership, its potentials, and the process involved in its development. The chapters cover concepts
AORN Journal, April 1977, V o l 2 5 , No 5
967
and theory of leadership, leadership in nursing, educational preparations necessary in its development, situational examples, and thoughts on the future for nursing leadership. Noting the lack of sufficient nursing leadership, the authors emphasize the need to prepare and educate nurses to function as leaders with individual patients, in management, in nursing service, and education. Many factors contribute to this lack including culture and women’s self-concepts. “In the total situation of nursing service, there is a negative feeling regarding leadership and position of leaders.” Nurses do not sense themselves as leaders. They are patientcentered practitioners and not theoreticians. Nursing up to now has stressed the doing and caring but not the thinking. Leadership skills can be learned through education. Studies are presented showing how little emphasis is placed in this area even at the graduate studies level. Having a bachelor or master’s degree does not ensure that leaders are being prepared even though present curricula state this is one of their goals. Pages are devoted to lists-taxonomy of behaviors relating to nursing leadership and leadership qualities to be learned at various educational levels. These are difficult to wade through but possibly helpful for reference. The lists would have been better placed in the appendix. The “Opinionnaire,” used as the basis of part of the discussion, presents some interesting responses on defintions of leadership terms by nurses at the various educational levels. In some areas the material gets bogged down in semantics. Much could have been consolidated without losing goals and objectives. Some areas are repetitious. There is some valuable material in this paperback, but it could have been prssented in a more concise and readable manner. June C Persson, RN Boulder, Colo
970
Credentialing study contract awarded The American Nurses’ Association (ANA) has awarded a $410,835 contract to the School of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee,to conduct a comprehensive study of credentialing in nursing. Inez G Hinsvark, RN, EdD, FAAN, has been named project director. Hinsvark is dean and a professor in the school of nursing at the University of Wisconsin. Initiative for the study grew out of action taken by the ANA House of Delegates in 1974. The study was launched in September 1976 after two years of preliminary planning and recommendations from three invitational conferences sponsored by ANA. Conference participants were selected from the nursing profession, governmental agencies, other disciplines, and public members with expertise in credentialing. Based on recommendations made at the conferences, the purposes of the credentialing study are: to assess current credentialing mechanisms in nursing, including accreditation, certification, and licensure to suggest ways to increase the effectiveness of credentialing to recommend future directions for credentialing in nursing. Current aspects of credentialing in nursing will be addressed including accreditation of basic, graduate, and continuing education; accreditation of organized nursing services; laws regulating the practice of nursing; and certification. Margretta Styles, RN,PhD, FAAN, dean, University of California-San Francisco School of Nursing, is chairperson, and Alonzo S Yerby, MD, diplomate, ACPM, professor of health services administration, Harvard School of Public Health, Cambridge, Mass, is vice-chairperson. The ANA is the sole sponsor of the study. A role has been identified for other nursing organizations, designated as cooperating agencies, and for state nurses’ associations in the implementation of the study.
AORN Journal, April 1977, Val 25, N o 5