| Course | NUR 445 Nursing Management in Health Care |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 4 |
| Paper type | Discussion post with peer reply |
| Length | About 482 words |
| Format | Discussion post with APA 7 citations |
| School | Arizona State University |
| Program | RN to BSN |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for NUR 445 Module 4
Class Discussion Board: Followership, A Critical Concept
Following Well on a Short-Staffed Night: Followership as a Nursing Skill, Not a Lack of Leadership
Initial Post
When I first read the word followership, I thought of it as the opposite of leadership, something nurses do until they become charge nurses. The readings changed my mind. A scoping review of 21 articles on followership in nursing found that the concept is poorly understood and rarely taught, but that followership and leadership roles are co-constructed, interdependent and synergistic, and that they influence organizational success and patient safety (Honan et al., 2022). In other words, a unit is only as good as its followers, and good followers are active.
A recent night shift showed me what that means. We were two nurses short, and the charge nurse, who had been in the role for only a month, made an assignment that gave me two patients on high-flow oxygen at opposite ends of the hall. I disagreed. I could have complained to coworkers, done the assignment silently, or refused. Instead I went to her, said I would take the assignment, and explained my concern: if both patients deteriorated at once, I could not reach them quickly. I suggested swapping one patient with a nurse closer to the other room. She agreed, and the change took two minutes.
That night I was following, not leading, but I was not passive. Our textbook treats leadership as influence spread across a team rather than a job title (Weberg et al., 2019), and relationship-focused leadership is linked with more satisfied nursing staff (Cummings et al., 2018), which suggests that how followers and leaders treat each other matters as much as who holds the role. Effective followers support the leader's goals, use their own judgment, and speak up when something threatens safety. They also accept the leader's final decision when the concern is heard. Had the charge nurse said no and explained why, my role would have been to do the assignment safely and escalate only if a real risk developed.
This connects to my conflict management styles assessment this module, where my preferred style was accommodating and my least preferred was competing. Accommodating makes me a cooperative follower, but it can also make me silent. Followership gave me a way to see speaking up as part of supporting the leader, not opposing her.
Reply to a Classmate
Ryan, you wrote that followership sounds like doing what you are told. I understand the reaction, and I had the same one. The scoping review I cited described followers and leaders as interdependent, which suggests the best followers shape decisions rather than just carry them out. In your example of the code where you handed the leader equipment without being asked, you were anticipating needs and using judgment, which is active followership. Do you think the code would have gone as well if everyone in the room had waited for instructions?
References
Cummings, G. G., Tate, K., Lee, S., Wong, C. A., Paananen, T., Micaroni, S. P. M., & Chatterjee, G. E. (2018). Leadership styles and outcome patterns for the nursing workforce and work environment: A systematic review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 85, 19-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2018.04.016
Honan, D. M., Lasiuk, G., & Rohatinsky, N. (2022). A scoping review of followership in nursing. Nursing Leadership, 35(1), 69-78. https://doi.org/10.12927/cjnl.2022.26749
Weberg, D., Mangold, K., Porter-O'Grady, T., & Malloch, K. (2019). Leadership in nursing practice: Changing the landscape of health care (3rd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
NUR 445 Module 4 instructions, in plain terms
The syllabus lists this board in Module 4, which covers human capital assets, performance and productivity, interprofessional teams, collaboration, coordination and conflict resolution, and delegation. The same module includes a conflict management styles assessment and reflection, which is shared on a discussion board. The followership prompt usually asks you to define followership, explain why it matters for nursing teams and patient safety, describe an example from your practice, and support your points with literature, then reply to peers. Check Canvas for the exact questions, the word count, the source requirements and the reply deadline. Some instructors pair the followership board with the conflict styles reflection, so plan both together. Read classmates' posts before you reply, since the board is meant to be a conversation rather than a set of separate essays.
How this NUR 445 Module 4 example is built
The post opens by admitting a common misconception about followership and then corrects it with a scoping review's main finding. A concrete example from a short-staffed night shows active followership: accepting an assignment, raising a safety concern, proposing a solution and accepting the leader's decision. A paragraph describes what effective followers do. The writer then connects followership to her own conflict style results from the same module. The reply addresses a classmate's skepticism with the same source and turns the classmate's own example into evidence of active followership. The source is cited where its finding is used, and the reference list sits under the post.
Reading the NUR 445 Module 4 grading rubric
Discussion grading in NUR 445 usually covers accurate use of the concept, application to a real example, scholarly support, reflection and the quality of replies, along with APA format and timeliness. For followership, graders look for an understanding that followers are active and influence outcomes, not simply obedient. Linking the concept to teamwork, safety or the module's conflict styles assessment shows integration. Replies that challenge or extend a classmate's view respectfully earn more than agreement. Linking your example to safety, delegation or teamwork shows you understand why followership matters on a unit. Late replies usually cost points.
NUR 445 Module 4 help from the desk
Many posts define followership and stop, without an example. Others describe a situation in which the writer was really leading, which misses the point. Choose an example where someone else was in charge and you contributed actively. Show both support and challenge. Cite at least one scholarly source on followership. Avoid criticizing the leader in your example; focus on your own behavior. If you want help with a post built around your own example, send the prompt and a short description. Choose an example where you had a real choice about how to respond, since that is where followership shows. Stay inside the board's length limit. Proofread names before posting.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Arizona State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
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NUR 445 Module 4 questions, answered
Where can I find a free NUR 445 Module 4 sample paper?
The followership discussion is shown in full above: a post about active followership on a short-staffed night shift, a reply to a classmate and references.
What is followership in nursing?
The active role of team members who support a leader's goals, use their own judgment, raise concerns and help shape decisions. Research describes it as interdependent with leadership.
How is followership different from obedience in NUR 445?
Obedience is doing what you are told. Effective followership includes speaking up about safety and offering solutions while respecting the leader's final decision.
Can I connect followership to my conflict style in NUR 445?
Yes. Module 4 includes a conflict management styles assessment, and linking your style to how you follow shows integration of the module's concepts.
What source can I use for the NUR 445 followership post?
A peer-reviewed article on followership in nursing, such as a scoping review, along with the course reading.