In the realm of healthcare, transparency has several meanings. For patients, transparency includes understanding treatment options, risks and costs. For healthcare providers, transparency includes providing as much information as possible to allow for appropriate care with safety in mind. Transparent nursing leadership is a building block for trust.
The Harvard Business Review said transparency in healthcare leadership also leads to happier staff members and better patient outcomes.
“The most effective way to build a culture of transparency begins with those in leadership positions,” Dr. Gary S. Kaplan, chairman and CEO of the Virginia Mason Health System in Seattle, said in “Building a Culture of Transparency in Health Care.” “It is the responsibility of the leadership team to develop an atmosphere in which there is balanced accountability and continuous improvement, and this is everyone’s shared duty. Leaders must lead by example.”
Registered nurses (RNs) who are pursuing advanced leadership positions must learn about and demonstrate transparency to improve healthcare outcomes. RNs who earn a DNP degree, including from an online DNP program, develop essential skills for transparency to better fulfill the definition of nurse management.
Reasons for Transparency in Nursing Leadership
Rose O. Sherman, an RN and authority in leadership development, said the new generation of nurses is demanding transparency in leadership to build a culture of trust. Sherman, in her blog Emerging RN Leader, said employees who are well informed are more likely to have confidence in their employers.
“Your staff does not expect you to have all the answers but does want the truth,” Sherman said in “Transparency in Leadership.” “This may mean sometimes having to say that there are certain things that you cannot discuss at this time but will as soon as it is OK to share them. Staff want you to be humble and even vulnerable.”
To that end, Sherman referenced a blog post by Forbes contributor and leadership development expert Glenn Llopis that identified five reasons for transparency:
Problems can be solved more efficiently
When staff members have all of the information on a particular topic, they may come up with good suggestions to solve problems.
Teams coalesce faster
A culture of trust and transparency encourages team development faster than a culture of secrecy.
Relationships develop more authentically
Through full transparency, bonds mature quicker because the openness helps avoid misunderstandings that can lead to unnecessary tension.
Staff trusts their leaders
Transparency allows staff members to trust and respect their leaders and share their trust and respect with colleagues.
Higher levels of performance
When staff members feel as though they know what is happening in their organization, they feel better and more energized about their work.
Sherman said a lack of transparency that still exists in some healthcare workplaces could have long-term detrimental effects.
“The irony is that it is the leader who loses in the long run because performance will never reach the levels that could happen in a culture of transparency,” she said.