What advice do you have for new nurses who aspire to become leaders in their field?

Leadership is about more than being a subject matter expert. While working as a new nurse, use this time to:
1. Be come a good nurse. Clinically. Develop your skills and instincts.
2. Decide what actually interest you and what your ultimate goal is. Do you want to be a department director, house supervisor, CNO/DON, CEO/COO or something else entirely.
3. Look to your current leaders. Charge nurses, manager/director and administration. Ask yourself what makes them a good or bad leader? Who is inspiring and why? Ect.
4. Review your department policies and workflows. Are they efficient? Can something be improved?
5. Volunteer for leadership projects and data collection. Data collection and audits are great! they give you a chance to review audit tools and see where fall outs are.
6. Look into multiple specialties and roles, but don't hop too often or too soon.

When you are ready and leadership opportunities arise, speak up. Ask to be interviewed. Even you don't get the job, you get to practice interviewing for leadership and letting the hospital know you are interested.

Do not be afraid to leave when you are ready. Sometimes you need to grow out to grow up.

Don’t