Want to Become a Nurse Leader? Here’s What You’ll Need to Do
If you're currently working as a staff nurse and feel like you're ready for a bigger role, becoming a nurse leader could be a great option. Maybe you're already feeling like a leader on the floor or have been told that you would make a great leader. This is all well and good, but you also have to know what the day of a nurse leader is like and what will be expected of you. You also have to be ready for the amount of work it takes to get there. Let's take a look at what you'll need to do if you want to become a nurse leader.
The first thing you’ll need to do is check if you have the skills and character needed to be a good nurse leader. One of the most important traits of all leaders is accountability. Leaders can accept responsibility when they do something wrong. If you're not afraid to be confronted on the floor because you've made a mistake and can still manage to have the confidence needed to do your work and take initiative, this is a sign that you could be a great nurse leader.
Nurse leaders need to be adaptable too. The world of nursing and healthcare changes all the time, and it can get chaotic. These changes can affect procedures, work conditions, quality of care, or the facility as a whole. You might be less happy with some changes, but you still need to be able to work around them and make the best out of the situation.
Leaders are great team builders and have great decision-making skills. They can easily identify someone's strengths and weaknesses and what they can expect from the people on their team. This allows them to delegate tasks better, adjust their communication styles depending on who they're working with, and know everyone's limits.
Being able to make good decisions quickly is also a defining trait for any leader. Nurse leaders sometimes have to make life or death situations in an instant and that comes with a lot of pressure. If you’ve always been able to keep a level head in the line of fire, this is another sign that you could be a good leader.
Nurse leaders today also need to develop technology skills. Systems are becoming more complex by the minute and nurse leaders need to understand technologies their staff is using like Clinical Decision Support (CDS), Electronic Health Records, and biometric support, among others.
Volunteering for leadership roles may not pay the bills, but it will help you know more about yourself and see if nurse leadership is truly for you. Another thing you could do is try to find a position as a charge nurse.
If you're a registered nurse, you will typically need to have at least three to five years of experience working in a clinical setting to work as a charge nurse. If you don’t have the experience yet and want to set yourself to be a good candidate, it would be a good idea to build expertise in a particular specialty so you'll be equipped to be in charge of specialized departments.
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