Continuity in the Face of Changing Leadership

During the growing number of transitions in nursing leadership, it is imperative that experienced nurse leaders are well poised to successfully nurture and facilitate the succession of their important roles to new nursing leaders. This is the case in Southern Nevada where the nursing leadership in the Clinical Simulation Center – Las Vegas (CSCLV) has begun. The transition of deanships, experienced faculty and support staff is inevitable. The thoughtful and thorough planning from expert to novice and subsequent development to expert is instrumental to the success of all stakeholders.

The CSCLV leadership structure includes three deans; two from schools of nursing and one from a school of medicine. The CSCLV opened its doors in 2009 under the guidance and leadership of three experienced deans. In the summer of 2014, CSCLV began the first major transition of leadership as one nursing dean retired and a novice-nursing dean was appointed. Entering an established system can be very challenging and might be even more so if existing leadership is stable and the unit is functioning well. This presentation will discuss the strategies, barriers, strengths and limitations of the current transition as it relates to the overall health of the CSCLV and the nursing community in Southern Nevada.

The heuristic nature of this discussion will explore the perception of transition, inclusion and next steps by the existing deans and the new dean as they navigate the path of successful transitions in a fast-paced and growing shared simulation center. The strength of informal and formal mentoring is emphasized between the two nursing deans. The role of mentor and mentee at the academic leadership level is scant in the literature. This presentation lends to sharing stories of success and challenges, both structural and political, in busy academic settings from sister institutions. The strategic planning, sharing of knowledge and patient guidance from expert to novice are explored in this session.

References

Benner, P., Sutphen, M., Leonard, V., Day, L., Lee, L., Shulman, L. (2009). Educating Nurses: A Call for Radical Transformation. San Francisco, CA:  Jossey-Bass

Ironside, P. (2012). On revolutions and revolutionaries: 25 years of reform and innovation in nursing education. Washington, DC:  National League for Nursing

Rothwell, W. (2010). Effective succession planning: Ensuring leadership continuity and building talent from within (4^th ed.). New York, NY: Amacom