Developing Leadership Skills for New and Future Nurses

Abstract

We are surveying hospital nurse leaders to identify the leadership concepts and professional behaviors nursing students and new nurses should possess. The Institute of Medicine Report of 2010, The Future of Nursing, identifies the need to educate nurses at all levels to be leaders. Nurse educators need to prepare new graduates to work in complex healthcare systems. There is a lack of descriptive research regarding what hospital nurse leaders believe are important professional behaviors and leadership concepts for nursing students and new nurses to be well versed in. A pilot survey was sent to nurse leaders in 86 hospitals in 6 states in the Midwest. Pilot survey was analyzed and revised.