After interviewing my aunt, I took time to consider what information we spoke about and thought about how she defined leadership. During our conversation, she explained her role as the charge nurse in the operating room. She feels that in this role, she works with the whole team to ensure safety and preparedness for procedures. Her experience in the operating room lead her to this position and she does enjoy being the charge nurse due to the fact that she knows everyone she is working with and knows how to communicate effectively with specific management or doctors. She did however express that sometimes it can be stressful and there are days that she wishes she could just be on the floor, as a nurse. 

My aunt spoke about many things that I have thought about while working in a hospital, this reinforced my knowledge and allowed me to consider certain topics further. We spoke about the best ways to communicate with others, which involves being honest and understanding all sides of the story. The ways in which my aunt described how she communicates effectively proved that she has a strong understanding of social-awareness. She addressed different types of incident reporting and how a leader needs to own up to “mistakes” and report things for the good of the patient and the team. My aunt emphasized the importance of self-care and how that relates to being a strong leader. She expressed how nurses work extra shifts to get more money, but there needs to be a balance between work and life and that burn out is real. This aspect of the conversation allowed me to see that she has self-awareness and knows when she needs to step back and re-evaluate. My aunt often doesn’t take credit, but she is a strong leader and cares deeply about her team and the patients she cares for. My aunt makes a great leader because she is honest, she is a team player, and she considers the thoughts and feelings of those around her.