Charge Nurse University?

According to Heather Malcolm (2013), due to the shortage of nurses projected for 2020, there also will be a dearth of nurse leaders.  To stem the tide, West Virginia University Healthcare has created a leadership development program called Charge Nurse University (CNU).  The goal is to train skilled nurses to be nurse leaders.

I’ve now been a charge nurse at two hospitals.  The responsibilities at each location have been significantly different, but one characteristic of the charge nurse that appears to be consistent at both locations is an ability to be a leader.  The staff on the floor must have confidence in the charge nurse.  In many cases, nurse leaders are appointed based on their clinical nursing ability or willingness to serve – not their abilities to manage or lead (Malcolm, 2013). 

According to the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE), core competencies common to nurses in executive practice include: communication and relationship building; knowledge of the health care environment; professionalism; business skills and leadership.  I imagine each of us can think of nurse leaders who demonstrate these competencies better than others.  On the flip-side, each of us has varying innate abilities to lead.  How do I stack up?  How do you stack up?  A self-assessment of strengths and weakness may or may not reflect the opinions others have of us.  According to Seth Godin, the changing marketplace requires each of us to consider ourselves as leaders (2008).  With that in mind, what lengths are we willing to go to become leaders?