The Nurse as an Inspiring Leader of Health: A Framework Rooted in Neurochemical Drivers of Influence
Abstract
The healthcare landscape is constantly evolving, demanding nurses navigate increasingly complex and challenging situations. Modern nursing goes beyond providing care and motivation—it now requires inspiration and mentoring to drive meaningful, systemic change promoting health at every level. Inspiration is an essential intrinsic motivator, positioning nurses as leaders uniquely equipped to foster resilience and excellence.
Transformational leadership principles, deeply rooted in nursing philosophy, place human caring at the core. By embodying these principles, nurses can inspire change within themselves, their peers, and their organizations. As guardians of public health, nurses are inherently positioned to lead socio-ecological transformations, advance health promotion, and prevent illness and injury.
This presentation explores effective nursing leadership and health behavior theories, and introduces a new theory of inspirational leadership, emphasizing the qualities of an effective nurse and an effective leader are inherently intertwined. By embracing their role as inspirational leaders, nurses can shape the future of care, ensuring their impact resonates across individuals, communities, and systems.
Inspired by Simon Sinek’s leadership framework and Golden Circle Theory, the model highlights how nurses can transform health outcomes by understanding patient values and leveraging neurochemicals that drive connection, motivation, and resilience. Sinek emphasizes by fostering positive responses, leaders create environments of trust, support, and empowerment. This approach enables us to inspire change, enhance individual and community well-being, and equip patients to take active roles in their health; thus, advancing nursing as a discipline of inspiring leadership in healthcare.
It is time to transform our view of nursing from a discipline of care to one of awe-inspiring leadership, with caring at the forefront. We are not only caregivers, but leaders uniquely equipped to enable change and champion health at every level. Through a deep understanding of human neurochemistry, we can elevate patient care and empower individuals and communities to take active roles in their own health. As we embrace our leadership potential, we drive a resilient, equitable healthcare future where well-being is not just tended to, but actively cultivated. This is our charge: to redefine nursing as a force for inspirational leadership in a changing world.
Notes
Reference list included in attached slide deck.
Sigma Membership
Lambda Rho at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Theory, Mentoring and Coaching, Stress and Coping, Leadership, Leadership Initiatives, Neurotransmitters, Intrinsic Motivation
Recommended Citation
Shapiro, Sandra D. and Thomas, Rachel McMahan, "The Nurse as an Inspiring Leader of Health: A Framework Rooted in Neurochemical Drivers of Influence" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 63.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/presentations_2025/63
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-11-20
The Nurse as an Inspiring Leader of Health: A Framework Rooted in Neurochemical Drivers of Influence
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
The healthcare landscape is constantly evolving, demanding nurses navigate increasingly complex and challenging situations. Modern nursing goes beyond providing care and motivation—it now requires inspiration and mentoring to drive meaningful, systemic change promoting health at every level. Inspiration is an essential intrinsic motivator, positioning nurses as leaders uniquely equipped to foster resilience and excellence.
Transformational leadership principles, deeply rooted in nursing philosophy, place human caring at the core. By embodying these principles, nurses can inspire change within themselves, their peers, and their organizations. As guardians of public health, nurses are inherently positioned to lead socio-ecological transformations, advance health promotion, and prevent illness and injury.
This presentation explores effective nursing leadership and health behavior theories, and introduces a new theory of inspirational leadership, emphasizing the qualities of an effective nurse and an effective leader are inherently intertwined. By embracing their role as inspirational leaders, nurses can shape the future of care, ensuring their impact resonates across individuals, communities, and systems.
Inspired by Simon Sinek’s leadership framework and Golden Circle Theory, the model highlights how nurses can transform health outcomes by understanding patient values and leveraging neurochemicals that drive connection, motivation, and resilience. Sinek emphasizes by fostering positive responses, leaders create environments of trust, support, and empowerment. This approach enables us to inspire change, enhance individual and community well-being, and equip patients to take active roles in their health; thus, advancing nursing as a discipline of inspiring leadership in healthcare.
It is time to transform our view of nursing from a discipline of care to one of awe-inspiring leadership, with caring at the forefront. We are not only caregivers, but leaders uniquely equipped to enable change and champion health at every level. Through a deep understanding of human neurochemistry, we can elevate patient care and empower individuals and communities to take active roles in their own health. As we embrace our leadership potential, we drive a resilient, equitable healthcare future where well-being is not just tended to, but actively cultivated. This is our charge: to redefine nursing as a force for inspirational leadership in a changing world.
Description
The healthcare landscape demands systemic change. Modern nursing transcends traditional care, requiring inspiration from within to drive meaningful impact. Transformational leadership, rooted in human caring, equips nurses to advance health. This presentation introduces a theory of inspirational leadership, inspired by Simon Sinek, emphasizing neurochemicals to foster trust and empowerment. By embracing these principles, we can shape a resilient, equitable, and impactful future in healthcare.