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

Looking Back to Move Forward: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Association of Leadership Science in Nursing

This article is based on an invited presentation delivered in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Association of Leadership Science in Nursing. The article begins with framing the historical context of nursing administration/leadership. The look-back includes a glimpse at the evolution of the Council on Graduate Education for Administrative Nursing into the Association of Leadership Science in Nursing. Two present-day leadership issues are then considered-turbulence and interprofessional proficiency. Lastly, the concept of problematizing is proposed as a strategy for moving forward. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow though are not tidy packages with good boundaries. The chronology, therefore, is not always linear.

Competency Model for the Middle Nurse Manager (MCGE-Logistic Level)

Healthcare systems are immersed in transformative processes, influenced by economic changes, together with social and health instability. The middle nurse manager plays a fundamental role, since he or she is responsible for translating the strategic vision, values and objectives of the organization. The objective of this study was to propose the model of competencies to be developed by the middle nurse manager in the Spanish healthcare system. Our methodology consisted in the application of the Delphi method in order to reach an agreement on the necessary competencies, and principal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine the construct validity, reducing the dimensionality of the set of data. Fifty-one competencies were identified for the definition of the model, highlighting decision-making, leadership and communication. The PCA pointed out the structural validity of the proposed model through the saturation of the main components (α Cronbach > 0.631). The results show the model of competencies which the middle nurse manager in the Spanish healthcare system must develop. Middle nurse managers may use these as criteria to plan their professional strategies in the context of management. This model of competencies can be applied to establishing selection processes or training programs for the role of middle nurse manager.

Chief nursing officer executive development: a crisis or a challenge?

The roles and responsibilities of nurses are expanding, as they become more involved in administration and leadership within their field. Nurses are taking on executive positions, which have become a crucial part of hospital organizations. With this expansion, an executive development program is necessary to provide nurses with the knowledge and competencies that these executive positions require. Their focus must evolve from singular bedside practice to the greater scope of health care administration. Leadership skills are extremely important, in addition to interpersonal, management, mentoring, and interprofessional skills. A number of nursing associations have worked to develop a set of curricula for nurse executive education, but a consistent and specific set of academic requirements has yet to be agreed upon. With the importance of the chief nursing officer's (CNO) role in the function of a hospital and the requirement of the knowledge of the changing health care system in the United States, it is essential that nurses are provided with proper education and training that will help them become successful nurse executives. Some suggestions include a dual MSN/MBA degree, a PhD in nursing, continuing education institutes, and mentoring programs. However, research must be done to clarify the best way to prepare CNOs for their roles.

Capturing the imagination of nurse executives in tracking the quality of nursing care

Nurses represent the single largest healthcare profession in the United States. A growing evidence base demonstrates nursing's direct influence on inpatient safety and healthcare outcomes. Support for nursing's essential role in quality and patient safety and mounting interest in publicly reporting performance results have led to efforts to standardized nursing-sensitive performance measures. To this end, in 2004, the National Quality Forum endorsed a set of 15 nursing-sensitive consensus standards intended for use by the public in assessing inpatient nursing care. However, until recently, only anecdotal knowledge existed regarding the implementation of these consensus standards. As a step toward better understanding the interest in and adoption of nursing performance measures, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funded a study that concluded in March 2007. In this article, findings from the study are summarized as they apply to nursing leadership and implications for the future role of the nurse executive.