Damaging Consequences of Misapplication of Power, Authority, and Influence

BHA 320 Discussion 3
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BHA 320 Discussion 3
While power, authority, and influence are related terms, they are distinct and critical in nursing leadership. Power is the ability to control or influence other people (Rogers, De Brún, Birken, Davies & McAuliffe, 2020). It can come about due to an individual’s position in an organization or expertise. Authority means the legitimate right to exercise power that someone has been given (Rogers et al., 2020). For instance, a nursing manager may have the authority to make decisions on behave of the other team members. Influence is the ability to get things done without coercing people (Rogers et al., 2020). For instance, a nurse leader who has excellent communication skills will influence others to a particular cause without using direct control.
The misapplication of power, authority, and influence has damaging consequences for a healthcare leader in various ways. For instance, abusing power can demoralize the rest of the team members (Pavithra, Sunderland, Callen & Westbrook, 2022). If a nurse leader abuses the power bestowed on them, the rest of the team members will be uncomfortable working with the leader. This could demoralize the team members and adversely affect their output. Th...