Rose O. Sherman

The First Year of Practice: New Graduate Nurses’ Transition and Learning Needs

Although the phenomenon of reality shock has been acknowledged as part of the new graduate nurse transition for decades, there is evidence to suggest that the problems with the transition into practice are more serious today. This article presents findings about the new graduate nurse transition and learning needs from qualitative research conducted in a community-based novice nurse transition program. The new graduate nurse transition and learning needs are examined through the eyes of new graduates and the nursing leaders and preceptors who work with them. Recommendations are offered for continuing education initiatives that can be designed to meet these needs.

Development of a Leadership Competency Model

Background: Although research findings support that the nurse manager has a pivotal role in influencing all aspects of the nursing environment, recruiting talented staff into these nursing leadership positions has become increasingly more difficult. There is a need to better understand the competencies needed by contemporary nurse managers and the challenges in the role. Objective: The purpose of this research was to explore the viewpoints of 120 nurse manager study participants on the contemporary nurse manager role and to gain perspective on the critical leadership skills and competencies to build a nursing leadership competency model. Design: A grounded theory methodology was used in this study to capture the perspectives of the nurse managers interviewed about their role. Results: Six competency categories emerged from the research findings to form a nursing leadership competency model. Two major themes identified from the data included the nurse manager role as a career choice and the stressors and challenges in the role. Conclusion: The results of this study led to the design of a nursing leadership competency model and confirmed that there is a need to formally develop and mentor our next generation of nurse leaders.

Growing our future nursing leaders.

The need for strong nursing leadership to meet the future challenges of the healthcare delivery system is widely acknowledged, yet many of todays nursing leaders express concern about a lack of interest in leadership among their younger nurses. This article reports on a qualitative research study that involved focus groups with 48 younger nurses under the age of 40 who were not currently in formal leadership positions. Using a ConCensus™ process, participants were asked questions to identify and prioritize the factors that influence their decisions to accept or reject nursing leadership positions. In this study, participants did see a potential in the nursing leadership role to make a difference for both patients and staff. Adequate compensation for the role and true decision-making power were factors of concern for younger nurses. Feedback from current leaders about nursing leadership positions is not positive. Strategies that current nursing leaders will need to consider to encourage interest in nursing leadership will be discussed.

Global nurse leader perspectives on health systems and workforce challenges

AIM As part of the 2011 annual American Organization of Nurse Executives conference held in San Diego, California, a session was presented that focused on nursing workforce and health systems challenges from a global perspective. This article includes content addressed during the session representing nurse leader perspectives from the UK, Singapore and the USA. BACKGROUND Recent events in global economic markets have highlighted the interdependence of countries. There is now a global focus on health-care costs and quality as government leaders struggle to reduce budgets and remain solvent. EVALUATION Finding solutions to these complex problems requires that nurse leaders adopt more of a world view and network with one another as they look for best practices and creative strategies. KEY ISSUES Nursing leadership challenges such as staffing, competency development, ageing populations, reduced health-care funding and maintaining quality are now common global problems. CONCLUSION There is a need for innovation in nursing practice to accommodate the enormous challenges facing nursings future. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT Opportunities on an international scale for nurse leaders to have dialogue and network, such as the conference presentation discussed in this article, will become increasingly more important to facilitate the development of innovative leadership strategies.

Transitioning Internationally Recruited Nurses Into Clinical Settings

With a growing shortage of nurses, more health care organizations are turning to international nurse recruitment as part of their work force strategy. Although organizations that recruit internationally invest significant resources, there has been little research about the challenges of transitioning international nurses into practice environments outside their countries of origin. The purpose of the qualitative research presented in this article was to investigate the educational and support needs of international nurses from both their perspective and that of managers with experience in supervising internationally recruited nurses. The authors present educational recommendations and the implications for staff development.

Implementing the Clinical Nurse Leader Role in a For-profit Environment: A Case Study

The Clinical Nurse Leader project marks the first time in 35 years that nursing has introduced a new role to the profession. The project has evolved to include partnerships between more than 90 universities and 190 clinical sites. The authors present a case study of how a for-profit medical center created a sense of urgency for change, built a business case, and redesigned professional nursing practice to implement the Clinical Nurse Leader role.

Future nursing administration graduate curricula, part 2: Foundation and strategies

In part 2 of a 2-part series on future nursing administration graduate curricula, the authors build on the call to action in part 1 (October 2006). First, they briefly describe important reference documents that formed the foundation for this collaborative work. Second, a new American Organization of Nurse Executives(AONE)-Council on Graduate Education for Administration in Nursing (CGEAN) Three-dimensional Administration Curriculum Model visually proposes 5 domains, 10 domain threads, and 5 competency levels. The authors then emphasize the MSN and PhD degrees as essential for the survival of nursing administration science. Fourth, ideas about innovative teaching strategies for the future are described. Finally, the series concludes with issues that need further attention. Readers are invited to provide insight from their own experience. This article offers academic program coordinators and nurse executives a starting point for evaluating, revising, and refreshing nursing administration graduate curricula. The goal is to more closely align curricula and teaching strategies with realities in todays complex healthcare environment.

Succession planning for the future through an academic-practice partnership: a nursing administration master's program for emerging nurse leaders.

A global nursing leadership shortage is projected by the end of this decade. There is an urgent need to begin developing emerging nurse leaders now. This article describes the work of an academic-practice partnership collaborative of nurse leaders. The goal of the partnership is to develop and promote an innovative enhanced nursing administration masters program targeted to young emerging nurse leaders, who have not yet moved into formal leadership roles. An action research design is being used in program development and evaluation. Qualities needed by emerging leaders identified through research included a need to be politically astute, competency with business skills required of nurse leaders today, comfort with ambiguity, use of a caring approach, and leadership from a posture of innovation. The current curriculum was revised to include clinical immersion with a nurse leader from the first semester in the program, a change from all online to online/hybrid courses, innovative assignments, and a strong mentorship component. Eighteen young emerging nurse leaders began the program in January 2012. Early outcomes are positive. The emerging nurse leaders may be uniquely positioned, given the right skills sets, to be nurse leaders in the new age.

Team nursing revisited.

The use of team nursing as a model of nursing care is being reconsidered by many nurse executives as a strategy to meet patient needs while efficiently using nursing resources. The author examines the historical development and original concepts of team nursing, discusses problems that led to the criticism of team nursing, and suggests ways in which team nursing can be enhanced for future use.

Taking Charge: Front-Line Nurse Leadership Development

The recent Institute of Medicine (2010) report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, included a recommendation that nurses at all levels should be prepared and enabled to lead change to advance health care in the United States. Historically, in most organizations, nursing leadership development programs have focused on nurses in management or executive roles rather than those working in front-line leadership roles. This article describes a front-line leadership development initiative developed by Tenet Healthcare Corporation and attended by 400 charge nurses. Program development, evaluation, and lessons learned that can be applied in other organizations are discussed.