The role of nurse educators in grooming future nurse leaders

The authors have found in their research that too often our current nurse leaders have "fallen into" their positions, rather than choosing nursing leadership as a career path. With the impending retirements of so many nurse leaders, there is a need for a more proactive approach to ensure the next generation of nurse leaders is ready to assume the leadership of our profession. Guiding the development of a leadership mindset and promoting nursing leadership as a career choice are two important strategies. Nurse educators are in a key position to influence students and start grooming our future nurse leaders. There is no time to waste.     

Developing clinical nurse leaders at the unit level

Contemporary nursing practice faces many challenges. One of the most confounding is bridging the gap between management and the frontline staff who are making multiple decisions while multitasking every second round the clock. These choices and their consequences affect the quality of care, workplace health, and the financial viability of the health care organization. Often in a task-oriented culture of practice, these decisions are not in synch with organizational goals, nor does the staff consider the impact of their decisions on the organization's performance.     

Shaping future nurse leaders through shared governance

The progression of five professional nurses from shared governance council chairs to unit director positions and the progression of three nurses from shared governance council chairs to clinical nurse specialist roles in an 18-year period provide compelling evidence of the impact shared governance has provided in the development of future nurse leaders in our organization. The collective wisdom of those who have lived this experience suggests that the opportunities inherent in these clinical nurse leadership roles make this a logical progression, including getting noticed and nudged, developing an understanding of the big picture, developing a results orientation, and substantial skill acquisition.     

Thriving in chaos: Educating the nurse leaders of the future

Nurse educators are challenged to prepare students to become effective leaders in a time of chaos. The last two decades have heralded many changes that have an impact on health care delivery, including changes in health care financing, the information explosion, the recognition of quality chasms, and the composition of the workforce. Nurses continue to be at the forefront of health care delivery and they must orchestrate care for their patients in an increasingly complex health care system. Our goal is to provide nurse educators with strategies to help students blend leadership and management techniques to lead the new generation of knowledge workers. Educators have the opportunity and the challenge to empower their students to master an eclectic set of management and leadership tools, including the best from historical management strategies and embracing the latest theories of leadership. This article presents thoughts and ideas to ponder as well as strategies to consider and implement as we create the curriculum and the learning environment for our students and the future leaders of our profession.     

California nurse leaders address the state's nurse shortage

The National Center for Health Workforce Analysis (NCHWA) projects that, if current trends continue, by 2020 the national shortage of registered nurses (RNs) will be more than 800,000. Only 70% of the nation's nursing needs will be met. California forecasts indicate that only 63% of the demand will be met in 2020.¹ The California Employment Development Department predicts that by 2010 the state will need nearly 110,000 new RNs to meet the demand of the growing and aging population and to replace retiring nurses. Currently, the state has the capacity to educate only 50% of the need.²     

Back to the future: learning from the past to prepare competent nurse leaders for the future. Interview by Franklin A. Shaffer

If today's need for highly competent nurse leaders is urgent, and there seems to be no controversy about this fact, what will be the need in the next few years? And what will ensure the availability of these highly competent persons? Between the opportunities offered by the Accountable Care Act, and the IOM Report on the Future of Nursing's recommendations, the consensus is that the need will be great. This is not a new concern: During the 1960s, the pendulum in graduate education in nursing swung from functional preparation in teaching, supervision, and administration to clinical specialization. While the change was a logical one, inadequate consideration was given to the preparation of people who would fill these roles in the real world. Consequently, Boston University School of Nursing held an invitational conference in 1978 to respond to the call for preparation of competent nursing leaders. The author interviews some of the leaders who attended and/or presented at this conference to see just how much we could learn for the past to apply today.