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Overcoming the Hurdles Nurses Face When Moving into Leadership Roles

Registered nurses come to the job because they want to help people, if they have foresight, they fantasize about specialized careers.

Registered nurses (RNs) come to the job because they want to help people. College freshmen enrolling in nursing programs generally imagine themselves at patient’s bedsides. Maybe, if they have ample foresight, they fantasize about specialized careers like nursing forensics and advanced practice positions.

Rare are the young nurses who picture themselves making schedules or fielding complaints.

Leadership positions can result in more money. Depending on your personality, they might even reduce your stress levels.

But it’s a transition. Leadership is very different from patient care. How do nurses make the leap? In this article, we take a look at what the pain points are and how you can overcome them.

The Nurses’ First Hurdle: Qualifying for the Job

Leadership structures for nurses within any organization generally follow a pyramid structure. Lots of people at the bottom. Fewer in the middle. One at the top. How do you establish yourself in the prized position?

It generally takes a solid education and a proven work history. You achieve the latter requirement through time and hard work. The former one too, for that matter—but in this case, time spent in a classroom, hard work done over big boring books. 

Nursing leaders almost always have graduate degrees. You can get your master’s in a wide variety of nursing positions that are focused on leadership. As a bonus, having a graduate degree also makes it easier to pivot into slightly different nursing careers, like that of a nurse practitioner.

According to the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL), about 50% of nurse leaders hold a master’s degree, while 11% hold a doctoral degree (AONL, 2022). Often, people who are truly focused on becoming a nursing leader will go on to get their PhD. Doctorate degrees in nursing are hard to get. All totaled, you’ll have spent about 9-10 years in college by the time you officially earn yours.

That’s an expensive, time-consuming journey. Still, it is through this credential that you will become eligible for C-suite-level positions. Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs) can make an average salary of $200,000+ per year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In terms of nursing leadership, it doesn’t get any higher than that. 

For nurses already working, your employer will probably be willing to pay for some or all of your education. Usually, this will depend at least somewhat on how long you have worked at the hospital.

Note that not every leadership position requires continuing education. Charge nurses are basically shift leaders. They oversee their departments. Their responsibilities generally include a combination of patient care and administrative duties. Graduate degrees are not required for this position. However, they can still help you stand out as an applicant.

All nursing leadership jobs are, naturally, extremely competitive, even with the degree. You may need to be willing to move around to get the job you want. But let’s say that you’ve done all of that. The job is yours! What hardships come with it?

Imposter Syndrome

Neil Gaiman famously once reported an experience he had at a convention for people who have made significant contributions to the world. He was one of the only writers there. Most of the other guests were scientists and researchers—people who had made more impactful contributions to the world.

Gaiman found himself in conversation with someone who felt similarly like an imposter. The other guest said something like, “All of these people actually did something. Me? I just went where they sent me.”

Gaiman said, “Well, yes, Neil. But you were the first person on the moon. That has to count for something.” Imposter syndrome is normal. Studies suggest that nearly 70% of professionals experience it at some point in their careers (APA, 2021). Rare is the person who feels completely confident in their ability to perform a high-level task. You just need to work through the doubt. One of the nice things about jobs at the top of the pyramid? They are usually only decided after months of careful searching and consideration. 

You were chosen because you meet the qualifications. Accept that you belong.

Granted, some of the doubt will be external. When you go from being a peer to a leader, it may take time for your coworkers to recognize and fully acknowledge the transition. That’s normal. Be patient but firm in your leadership.

Nurses and Innovation

Nurses are always required to integrate new technology and concepts into their work. It’s a challenging but required component of the job. As a nursing leader, your responsibilities toward innovation could be more complex. Your job won’t be simply to adjust to new concepts or ways of doing things, but to help roll them out.

Change is hard. As nurses, part of your job will be to make it as easy and seamless as possible. To perform this responsibility as effectively as possible:

  • Keep your finger on the pulse: What technology or concept is most relevant to the community you are serving? Medince changes and evolves constantly. As a nursing leader, you can’t necessarily implement every new idea in real time. You can zero in on those most beneficial to your healthcare community.
  • Introduce concepts effectively. As a leader, you can’t just say “Do this now.” Your job is to introduce new concepts or tools in a way that is accessible and as stress-free as possible. Give your team time to transition.
  • Be a lifeline. Remember that you are responsible not only for the concept you are attempting to roll out but also for your employees’ well-being. It’s a statistical fact that turnover rates spike during transitional periods. That’s a trend virtually no hospitals can afford to experience. You can help smooth out the experience of learning something new by being receptive to feedback and willing to make accommodations where necessary.

That last point does not mean you need to shun innovation when it becomes uncomfortable. It does mean you should understand that transitions take time. Be willing to adjust the course in response to feedback. It can make a big difference for your staff.

Leadership is challenging, but so many of the qualities that make someone effective at it are also just built into what it takes to be a good nurse in the first place. Compassion. Communication. Empathy. These are the building blocks of good leadership, and they are qualities you already have in abundance.

Conclusion

Nursing leadership is a demanding yet rewarding career path that requires education, resilience, and adaptability. As nurses step into leadership roles, they must navigate challenges like imposter syndrome, workforce transitions, and continuous innovation. However, the same qualities that make great nurses—compassion, communication, and empathy—also make outstanding leaders. By embracing these qualities and staying committed to professional growth, nurses can drive meaningful change within healthcare, ensuring better patient outcomes and a more effective healthcare system.


This article was written for WHN by Rakshya Pant, a public health professional and physician from Nepal with an MPH from Johns Hopkins. With over six years of experience in health education and policy, she focuses on health equity and evidence-based strategies to improve public health.(https://wellnessderive.com/)

As with anything you read on the internet, this article should not be construed as medical advice; please talk to your doctor or primary care provider before changing your wellness routine. WHN does not agree or disagree with any of the materials posted. This article is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis, recommendation, treatment, or endorsement.  

Opinion Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article about some of the hurdles that nurses face are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of WHN/A4M. Any content provided by guest authors is of their own opinion and is not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything else. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. 

Posted by the WHN News Desk
Posted by the WHN News Deskhttps://www.worldhealth.net/
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