Learning Objective #1: Describe the key factors that younger nurses have identified as determents to accepting nursing leadership positions

Learning Objective #2: Identify three critical areas where current nursing leadership roles may need to be redesigned to do effective succession planning

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The future of Nursing is in the hands of our young aspiring nurse leaders. There is evidence to suggest many younger nurses are not interested in nursing leadership positions even at the Charge Nurse level. Recognizing the significance of this problem, AONE awarded a 2003 research grant to the Nursing Leadership Institute at Florida Atlantic University to determine “What are the factors that influence the decisions of younger Registered Nurses to pursue or reject nursing leadership positions and how can knowledge of these factors be used to help create the desire in our future generations to assume nursing leadership positions?”

The purpose of this session will be to discuss how the findings of this research study which used a ConCensus ™ focus group process with 48 Registered Nurses (members of generation x and the nexter generation) from 24 healthcare agencies in South Florida and the Treasure Coast can be used by nursing leaders to develop strategies for succession planning. This is a critical issue because the research findings suggest that unless significant changes are made in our nursing leadership roles, our younger nurses may just say no to leadership positions.