Date
Fall 2021
Document Type
Scholarly Project
Department
College of Nursing
First Advisor
Jacqueline Haverkamp
Abstract
Problem Statement: It is critically important that our nurse managers (NMs) have the leadership skills to support the care team in providing safe care to patients. Historically, nurse managers have received minimal training in the leadership role. Failure to address NMs’ coaching needs can compromise the organization's ability to achieve operational goals. Purpose: The project's primary aim was to improve NMs’ perceptions of leadership competency in the acute care setting through experiential nurse leader learning labs. The secondary aim was to demonstrate that the confident and prepared nurse manager can achieve organizational goals in the acute care setting. Method: There was a need for additional studies with higher levels of evidence to support improving NM performance by using didactic and experiential coaching programs. Therefore, utilizing nurse leader learning labs that combine didactic and experiential coaching strategies to support NM development was timely. The nurse leader learning labs focused on leadership, patient care quality, patient experience of care, and business acumen. Analysis: A three-month pilot of Nurse Leader Learning Labs that included didactic and experiential components was conducted utilizing nurse manager participants. The plan's implementation included pre-and post-intervention Emotional Intelligence Analysis and American Organization of Nurse Leader Nurse Manager Skills Inventory (AONL NM SKI) assessments to measure nurse leader learning labs' impact on NMs’ perceptions of competency development. The NMs participated in six didactic and experiential Nurse Leader Learning Labs. Results: Due to the small sample size statistical significance was not achieved but clinical significance could be inferred from increases in post-intervention Emotional Intelligence Assessment scores and in all categories of the AONL NM SKI (See Table 4). The greatest increases were seen in the Human Resources Management, Foundational Thinking, Relationship Management, Personal and Professional Accountability, and Reflective Practice components of the skills inventory post-intervention Implications for Practice: The NMs and their direct supervisors reported a positive experience because of participating in the program. NMs’ perception of increased competency for the role leads to improved engagement and retention of staff, improvement in quality outcomes for patients, improvement in the experience of care, and better financial outcomes.
Recommended Citation
Swinton, Carolyn Rivers, "The Impact of Nurse Leader Learning Labs on Nurse Managers' Perception of Leadership Competency in the Acute Care Setting" (2021). Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects. 3.
https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/dnp_projects/3
Rights
© 2021, Carolyn Rivers Swinton