title: School nurses: positive deviant leaders in the school setting.
abstract: A variety of leadership theories are examined to support the idea that school nurses can be positive deviants in the school setting. Transformational leadership, situational leadership, and complexity theory can all be used by school nurses to create positive change in the school environment because all recognize the need for flexible leadership in a changing environment. The complex and chaotic nature of the school setting requires organizational leaders to be flexible and to have the ability to recognize and address its changing needs. The school nurse can develop personal power to be used as an appropriate agent for change using Benziger's 12-step process. Conflict and cultural consonance promotion provide opportunities for the school nurse to demonstrate leadership skills within the school community. Positive deviants can be found in any setting. They demonstrate winning behaviors that can be adopted by their peers. School nurses, in their unique role, can use their leadership behaviors to promote the health of their school environment.
authors.affiliation: St. Joseph's College, Standish, ME, USA.
authors.forename: Victoria J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Ladd
mesh_terms: D054521:Cultural Competency; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D015279:Organizational Culture; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012573:School Nursing; D014481:United States