What is Nurse Leadership?

Leaders are found everywhere, from government leaders to corporate leaders to leaders in local communities. You name the setting; we look toward leaders at the helm.

The nursing profession is no exception. Leaders in nursing are influencing healthcare organizations at all levels, and in every setting and discipline.

“While nursing leadership is considered a relatively new role in the healthcare setting, the impact and influence of leadership (in the nursing profession) throughout history has been well-documented," said Dr. Mandy T. Bell, DNP, MSN, RN, clinical faculty of graduate nursing programs at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU).

After all, the concept of leadership is “not confined to individuals who possess traditional positions of authority or scope of responsibility. Rather, anyone within an organization can be a leader,” she said.

So, what makes a nurse a leader and why is nurse leadership important?

What is a Nurse Leader?

Nursing lends itself to attracting and developing strong natural leaders. There is no universally accepted definition, framework or theory of nurse leadership. “However, most authorities in the profession agree on common leadership traits and skill sets that make a nurse leader,” Bell said.

Bell has over four decades of experience in nursing and more than 15 years of experience in higher education. As she defines it, nursing leadership is "the ability to inspire, influence and motivate nursing staff and other healthcare workers to work together to achieve their highest potential and collective organizational goals."

Nurse leaders have a dynamic and multi-faceted position in the healthcare system, according to Robin Kirschner, director of graduate nursing programs at SNHU.

"The role requires balancing administrative responsibilities with direct interactions with staff and students," she said. "Nurse leaders must manage diverse tasks, from budgeting and curriculum development to quality improvement and stakeholder engagement."

What is the Role of a Nurse Leader?

A primary role of the nurse leader is to serve as a role model to healthcare and team members. Being able to effectively communicate the goals and expectations of each team member is key. “Essentially, everyone needs to know their role and the roles of the other team members to be able to work together in attaining common organizational goals,” Bell said.

Leadership in nursing begins at the bedside. Then, “by developing and honing their fundamental leadership skills, bedside nurses can positively impact patient outcomes,” said Bell.

Clinical and bedside nurses use leadership skills to coordinate, direct and support patient care and other healthcare team members. They also possess effective communication skills and serve as a patient advocate.

According to Kirschner, the major responsibilities of a nurse leader include:

• Budget and resource management
• Curriculum oversight and program development
• Faculty and staff management
• Quality improvement
• Student and faculty support

"The job often involves significant decision-making and requires resilience and adaptability to handle the demands and challenges of the healthcare and educational sectors," Kirschner said.

Why is Leadership Important in Nursing?

Nurses are the cornerstone for any healthcare organization. Effective nurse leadership “is critical for strengthening integration of safe, effective and high-quality care,” Bell said. “This, in turn, creates a positive work environment and promotes positive patient outcomes and experiences,” for patients and staff alike.

According to Bell, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of leadership in nursing. "The pandemic forced the nursing profession to respond to a rapidly changing and increasingly complex healthcare environment," she said.

All of this change does have a silver lining. “The pandemic served as a catalyst for change and innovation as nurse leaders from all levels of nursing responded to the new challenges presented by COVID-19,” said Bell.

In order to accommodate the increased demands of managing patient care during the pandemic, nurse leaders across all levels of the profession "created new models of care and new workflows using technology such as video conferencing and telemedicine to communicate with patients and with other healthcare workers," Bell said. "They also identified ways to prevent shortages from the overuse of scarce resources such as personal protective equipment (PPE).”

As healthcare moves forward, innovations like the role of telehealth in nursing endure, and the American Medical Association (AMA) predicts that telehealth will continue to evolve and advance the field moving forward.

What Makes a Good Nurse Leader?

According to Kirschner, successful nurse leaders need a combination of vision, strategic thinking and a deep commitment to nursing.

Good nursing leaders will need both hard skills and soft skills, Bell said.

“The hard skills for nurse leaders include advanced clinical knowledge and technical skills that the nurse leader needs to perform their job. Soft skills are the social skills that need to be consciously developed over time and help the nurse leader effectively communicate with peers and subordinates alike,” Bell said. “In other words, the soft skills are critical for the nurse leader to get along with others in the workplace.”

According to Bell, some of these soft skills include:

• Creating a culture that drives high reliability: over time and across the organization’s performance that positively impacts patient safety and quality outcomes
  
  
• Creativity and innovation: by thinking mindfully and being open to new experiences and technologies to improve the status quo
  
  
• Dedication to excellence: by applying current and evidence-based practice, demonstrating consistency and passion for the profession, and engaging in lifelong learning
  
  
• Excellent interpersonal skills: by using effective written and verbal communication skills, active listening, clarity, confidence, and empathy
  
  
• Sense of teamwork and collaboration: clearly defined roles and expectations, working toward common goals, and being accountable. As well as coaching and mentoring a culturally diversified workforce

What Are the Styles of Leadership in Nursing?

There are a few leadership styles in nursing to familiarize yourself with, according to Dr. Kimberly Gibbons, DNP, RN, CNM(ret), CNL, CNE, a team lead, lead practicum coordinator and coordinator for graduate nursing programs at SNHU. Gibbons is also a certified nurse educator and clinical nurse leader with over 30 years of experience in the field.

She said the 5 most influential leadership styles include:

1. Transformational leadership, which encourages collaboration and a shared vision
2. Democratic leadership, also called participative leadership
3. Laissez-faire leadership, a more "hands-off" approach that tolerates mistakes and new directions
4. Autocratic leadership, which takes a more authoritative approach and contrasts laissez-faire leadership
5. Servant leadership, a style focused on supporting team members

Learn more about each of these 5 influential leadership styles in nursing.

What Are Examples of Nurse Leadership?

Being a leader in the field of nursing can come in many forms, but NurseJournal notes three major types of positions for nurse leaders:

• Nurse administrators: Nurse administrators oversee nursing staff, perform human resources tasks and represent their department, area or practice to external stakeholders, according to NurseJournal.
  
  
• Nurse managers: NurseJournal said nurse managers "are leaders in their units and oversee patient care and daily operations, making sure that the workflow and procedures align with the facility's overall strategic plan and goals."
  
  
• Nurse executives: The most senior nurses may become nurse executives, administrators with additional financial responsibilities who collaborate with partners both inside and outside their organization, NurseJournal reports.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports medical and health service managers made a median of $110,680 in 2023, and BLS projects a 29% growth rate by 2023 — much faster than average growth for all careers.*

How to Become a Nurse Leader

While leading comes naturally for many people, nurses, by definition of their challenging and multi-faceted roles, develop more leadership skills while on the job. All nurses within the healthcare organization can assume a role as a leader through embracing the various leadership styles in nursing.

They do not need to be in a defined role of authority to exhibit these skills and traits. Leadership in nursing can be accomplished “through experience, pursuing certification and an advanced degree,” said Bell.

Before you earn an advanced degree, you'll need to complete your undergraduate education. According to BLS, medical and health service manager roles typically require a bachelor's degree and experience in the field. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is the preferred choice for many nursing professionals.

When Danielle Jernigan '23 decided to earn her BS in Nursing from SNHU, she was working as a nurse in New York City. "Initially, I wanted to get my BSN so that I could apply for better jobs. As a nurse, most employers prefer to hire BSNs, especially the city hospitals," Jernigan said.

Once she started her program, Jernigan became more motivated to seek leadership and management positions in nursing. "I have already applied for a supervisory role within my current department," she said. "I am more confident in my abilities because the knowledge is there to back it up."

Jernigan said she was eager to learn more and planned to apply for an MS Nurse Practitioner program, next.

Some universities, like SNHU, also offer MSN in Nurse Executive Leadership programs that can help you earn the credentials and preparation you need to advance to the next level.

Why is Nurse Leadership Development Important?

Kirschner said developing your skills as a nurse leader is vital. "Nurse leaders are crucial in shaping the future of nursing education, executive leadership and practice," she said.

It’s no secret that nursing is a challenging profession. To be effective, “a key responsibility for a nurse leader is to engage in self-awareness,” said Bell. Nurses who continuously develop their own advanced skill set are investing in themselves and their career.

“It is important for the nurse leader to continuously reflect on their leadership strengths and identify opportunities for continued professional growth,” Bell said. This will help nurse leaders continue to proactively drive positive change in healthcare.

And as a nurse leader, you could also support the development of nurses on your team.

According to Bell: “It will be more important than ever for nurses to assume leadership roles to proactively respond and adapt to each new challenge and continue to advance the profession."

*Cited job growth projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth. Actual salaries and/or earning potential may be the result of a combination of factors including, but not limited to: years of experience, industry of employment, geographic location, and worker skill.

A former higher education administrator, Dr. Marie Morganelli is a career educator and writer. She has taught and tutored composition, literature, and writing at all levels from middle school through graduate school. With two graduate degrees in English language and literature, her focus — whether teaching or writing — is in helping to raise the voices of others through the power of storytelling. Connect with her on LinkedIn.