Communication is a crucial competency that all leaders need to master. Effective communication allows leaders to build relationships within the healthcare organization and the community to which the healthcare organization services. The leader's responsibility is to develop, maintain, and improve communication within the organization and for employees to succeed. I succeeded in this competency by completing the course MGT 701 Organizational Management course project, Integrated Workplace Analysis, and weekly assignments. Each weekly discussion related to the workplace analysis, and week four was about communication. I wrote a paper regarding communication and my understanding of it and its effect on an organization; I also created communication improvement strategies during this project and week four paper. I acknowledge that all organizations have barriers within their communication process that need adjustment, and it starts with the leader's recognition and improvement strategies. Leaders must be open-minded, aware of differences, promote trust, simplify conversations, clear expectations, provide feedback, and much more to effectively communicate with employees and within the organization. Communication is the most imperative asset that is connected to the performance and growth of an organization.

Knowledge is expressed through understanding and promoting patient quality safe care. This is done by implementing evidence-based practice, monitoring quality, and risk management to implement improvement strategies to prioritize the patient and function of a healthcare organization. I have accomplished this competency through the course NU 705 Healthcare Policy & Ethics project of creating a business plan to assist with a change in the healthcare organization. I created a proposal and powerpoint presentation regarding implementing a Unit Based Council on the Medsurgical Unit of my current organization. A SWOT analysis was conducted with evidence-based research to justify the significance of UBC to promote and advance patient quality care, nursing staff involvement, encourage teamwork, promotion of evidence-based practice, advance the unit's culture and the organization, etc. This analysis was presented to my unit manager and the Chief Nursing Officer. The UBC was initiated and led by me. The UBC has successfully functioned for almost two years by representing and advocating for patient care and nurse involvement. 

Nursing leaders play a crucial role within the healthcare organization and must be competent in their profession. Leadership must have the knowledge and critical thinking skills, be flexible and adaptable to changing situations, mentor nurses and other leaders, etc. I believe the Capstone Synthesis with the Practicum courses have demonstrated my nursing leadership competency and ability. I created an educational program on Workplace Violence from Patients towards Nurses within my organization. this program was directed towards all nursing professionals within my organization. Workplace violence is a growing epidemic in which nurses need further education and assurance that violence during the work environment is not tolerated and how to respond to certain situations. The overall outcomes are increasing knowledge regarding workplace violence de-escalating strategies, improving communication skills, increasing confidence and awareness, appropriate reporting methods, and promoting safety within the healthcare organization. I believe creating, promoting, and implementing this project has demonstrated my leadership competency through identifying a need for change, strategically planning, and creating a relationship with fellow leaders and nurses to promote team building and awareness over a crucial issue affecting healthcare. 

Professionalism is a competency that expresses the skills portrayed as a leader, such as communication, advocacy, accountability, strategic planning, etc. The course that assisted me with accomplishing professionalism was in MGT 701 assignment in week 6 for the Integrated Workplace Analysis recommendations and action plan. During week six, education was received over ethics, misbehavior, stress, and disconnect and how leaders develop a strategic action plan; this provided leadership accountability and an advocate for the employees. Change occurs rapidly and continuously throughout the business world, and organizations must adapt to continue to be successful and grow. Organizational changes can occur due to external or internal factors, and sometimes both. No matter the change, it must start with leaders and managers. Leaders need to diagnose, analyze, create a plan, implement, and evaluate the change process. Leaders must explain, describe, portray, and persuade the concept and necessity for organizational change to be effective throughout the entire staff. Leaders must have an action plan for effective and successful transition within an organization and prepare for resistance. This project allowed me to create an action plan for creating a mentoring program and cross-training to promote team building and support and increase satisfaction in the work environment. 

The clinical time in NU 745, 747, and 749 allowed me to portray professionalism through participating in leadership meetings, department service lines, and being able to place feedback on processes during the creation; this allowed me to be a leader but to be an advocate for the nurses, patients, and the improvement in the organization. 

Business skills consist of having education over the function of the healthcare organization such as Human Resources, financial, technology, and information management. There is a multitude of courses that assisted with developing and advancing my business skills. One course that comes to mind was the Human Resource Management MGT 708. These weekly discussion posts brought informative information regarding the role of the human resource department, diversity, downsizing, performance evaluations, etc. In the first week of this course, there was a paper assignment on the role of Human Resource that made me critical think and understand the function of the HR role. Human Resource plays a vital service in every organization; they empower and promote the goals, values, beliefs, and mission of an organization. They function for the people and employees to promote an equal, healthy, and respectful work environment within an organization. The final project Gearhead Manufacturing Scenario allowed me to take my knowledge and create a strategic plan through prioritizing recruitment, complaints, benefits, and training for a company as an HR consultant. It allowed me to focus on the benefits and challenges financially, retention and recruitment of employees, promoting employee satisfaction, marketing; etc.  This course has allowed me to advance as a leader and understand the strategic plan of a healthcare organization.