4 Ways to Jump Start 2016 Mental Development

Nursing leadership has to change. Gone are the days where nurses should only be responsible for just nursing. As the largest practitioners in healthcare, nursing is a vital part of our healthcare today. So we need to be prepared to lead in nursing AND in healthcare. Abdicating our role to help shape healthcare will mean nursing will continue to be a second class participant in healthcare’s future direction.

So, are you ready to help lead change in nursing and healthcare?

Are you ready for the challenges ahead?

If not, why?

As healthcare continues to change, the way nurses prepare for leadership positions needs to change as well. Sadly, our nursing education system is still woefully lacking in preparing our nurses for new positions. They are still being run and preparing nurses for inpatient nursing skills, preparing nurses for nursing silo leadership positions only, and the diversity of thought in nursing education and preparation has become so self-serving, it is ineffective.

Back in 2008, Carol Huston prepared an article which discusses the leadership competencies needed for nursing leadership by 2020. We are just four short years from there. Ms. Huston listed eight competencies nurse leaders will likely need by 2020 to be effective in leadership positions. Her competencies: 1) a global perspective or mindset, 2.) a working knowledge of technology, 3.) expert decision-making skills, 4.) prioritizing quality and safety, 5.) being politically astute, 6.) collaborative and team building skills, 7.) balancing authenticity and performance expectations, and 8.) coping effectively with change (Huston, 2008).

That is pretty insightful for 2008. Many of what she addressed is spot on. One note of absence in my experience and journey in healthcare is the importance of education, both formal and informal. If you did not read our last blog post by Dr. Enuice Taylor, you need to read it. Fantastic. Dr. Taylor stated in her 25 Rules for nursing leadership that “Never stop asking questions…there is no such thing as a stupid question in nursing; but when you find your answer to your question, make sure you can apply it.” The power of continuing to learn, to develop mental agility and flexibility, is powerful in being an impacting nursing leader.

Gone are they days you should EVER use the phrase “I don’t know, I’m just a nurse.” That degrades and demeans the education and preparation of millions of nurses. Mental preparation, advancing your knowledge, and then sharing it with others is required to further our profession. By staying only in the lane of nursing without any knowledge of the healthcare world outside your door is akin to putting your head in the sand. If that is how you lead, you will have to be satisfied with the future of healthcare and nursing because you are not impacting it.

The Institutes of Medicine report entitled The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health dealt with the importance of leadership and nursing education on the future of healthcare. Nurses if they want to be at the table need to be prepared to lead in nursing and healthcare. And even more importantly, we need to respect nurses who are leading in the clinical, administrative, academic, and research areas who are nurses. Our myopic vision that only nurses in a certain areas of what we determine is “nursing” is killing our reputation.

What can you do?

1. Start by a lot of self-reflection. How is your knowledge base on leadership competencies? Dr. Taylor’s list is a great place to start on evaluating your leadership and where you might need some training or education. Identify your strengths and weaknesses. Find ways to share your strengths and seek mentorship and education on ways to decrease your weaknesses.
2. Furthering your knowledge is paramount. This does not always mean obtaining formal education or higher degree. If there is a clinical class you need to further your competencies, a CEU to prepare you for a certification, or a professional development class to grow you in leadership, then sign up and obtain the knowledge to make you successful. You have full control of being prepared for your position and the next one.
3. Is it time to advance your formal education? It is not for everyone, but it can be for you. What is it you want to do in the future; are you prepared? What would it take? If it requires an additional degree, then make the plan. Start now. Preparing yourself mentally for your future in nursing leadership begins now. The need to create the strategic plan for how you will be prepared to lead now and in the future is incumbent upon you to complete.
4. Identify what leadership competencies you need to work on, state your goals for growing your knowledge, and make your plan to begin today. It is easy to put it off, but great leaders learn the importance of being mentally prepared for their journey.

Are you planning to be an impactful healthcare and nursing leader?

Leading with you!

Dean

References:

Lacasse, C. (2013). Developing nursing leaders for the future: Achieving competency for transformational leadership. Oncology Nursing Forum 40(5), 431-433.

Huston, C. (2008). Preparing nurse leaders for 2020. Journal of Nursing Management, 16, 905-911.

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