1028 - Fireside Chat: Lessons Learned from a Leadership Development Program

Overview/Abstract: The front-line nurse manager role is complex and sometimes unclear, contributing to increased occupational stress. Front-line nurse leaders face challenges as the workforce evolves and have unique learning needs. The literature states that nurse leaders develop competencies through education, role orientation, mentorship, and goal-oriented self-development to facilitate successful transition into a new leadership role.

This session describes the pre-program planning, design, implementation, and evaluation of a 10-month perioperative nurse leader development program to enhance leader skills, foster networking, integrate mentoring, impact job satisfaction, and promote succession planning through five months of didactic training and five months of skills integration during a quality improvement project implementation. The session highlights lessons learned and best practices, equipping participants with tools to create their own professional development plans at their organization.