Over many decades, women in the healthcare sector have demonstrated advanced skills and experience not just in bedside support but also in leadership roles. However, many women in healthcare are not given the opportunity to take on executive roles. In fact, reports state that only 26% of women in the industry are able to take on Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Operations Officer (COO), and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) positions. Healthcare organizations must ensure that women healthcare workers are given the opportunity to advance their careers if they so choose, and they must be provided with the necessary tools to do so.
A transitioning-from-bedside-to-nurse-management plan equips women in healthcare with structured steps, competencies, and networks to lead confidently in the ever-evolving healthcare landscape. In this article, we provide an empowerment roadmap for women in healthcare, specifically nurses, who want to become managers and leaders in their respective healthcare organizations. We hope that this article further highlights the importance of developing women healthcare workers’ huge potential into equally big promotions.
Building Your Foundation: Mastering the Nurse Manager Core Competencies
Aside from clinical expertise as well as patient and safety care know-how, the following are important core competencies that nurses must have to become successful nurse managers:
Conducting regular self-assessments: To be an effective leader, nurses must know how to evaluate their own behaviors and attitudes. Self-assessments enable nurse leaders to have a clear understanding of their behaviors and communication styles, as these can affect the entire team/organization they lead. Self-assessments are essential for developing and maintaining self-awareness, a trait most great leaders possess, which heavily influences the way they make decisions and take responsibility for them, as well as address complex challenges.
Garnering and learning from external feedback: Aside from introspecting about one’s strengths and weaknesses, it’s also equally important to know how to get feedback from peers and leaders to get a holistic view of your progress and strengths or areas for improvement. By utilizing 360-feedback tools, nurses will gain access to constructive feedback that they can use to improve their talents and competencies, learn about areas for improvement, boost engagement and interpersonal communications, and bolster leadership skills.
Seeking support from allies: Building a supportive network in the workplace is great for developing interpersonal and communication skills, as well as gaining strong allies who can help you gain visibility and support your leadership journey. Reports show that having the support and allyship of gender-equality supportive men in the workplace enhances women’s sense of belonging and trust, empowering them to pursue leadership roles.
Pursuing and leveraging credentials: Obtaining credentials via training sessions and certifications demonstrates nurses’ commitment to professional growth and mastery of essential competencies. Credentials such as advanced degrees or certifications can boost a nurse’s expertise and strengthen their credibility and visibility within the organization.
Shadowing and learning directly from nurse leaders or mentors: By shadowing nurse leaders, nurses can learn how to deal with complex challenges, address critical issues, and manage healthcare professionals in a fast-paced, high-stress environment through observation and direct mentoring. Studies show that healthcare professionals who undergo shadowing view it as a positive experience, giving them the opportunity to develop leadership in direct practice. Learning about how theoretical concepts are applied and managed in real-life situations can significantly improve potential nurse leaders’ critical thinking and decision-making skills, leading to improved confidence and professional growth.
Healthcare organizations can support nurses by supporting them as they develop the core competencies necessary to become strong nurse leaders. By creating a supportive workplace culture that intentionally promotes open communication, encourages mentorship programs, helps nurses explore credentialing and educational resources, and ensures equitable access to managerial posts, organizations can strengthen their workforce and inspire women in healthcare to take on leadership roles.
