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AONE Starts Nurse Manager Fellowship Program

By Debra Wood, RN, contributor

Aiming to groom the next generation of nurse leaders, the American Organization of Nurse Executives has created a Nurse Manager Fellowship program.

“We are doing this to provide a broad-based education for nurse managers to assure we have well-prepared nurse leaders that will move into leadership roles in the next five to 10 years as our nurse executives start to retire,” said M.T. Meadows, RN, MS, MBA, director of professional practice at AONE. “And no one else is doing it. We’re filling a void.”

Forty-six percent of current chief nurse executives are at least 51 years old, and 27 percent plan to retire within six to 10 years, with 17 percent planning to leave within one to five years. AONE expects today’s nurse mangers will move into those higher-level positions and aims to prepare them for the challenges.

AONE developed the fellowship curriculum in collaboration with the American Academy of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) and the Association of preoperative Registered Nurses (AORN). The Nurse Manager Leadership Collaborative (NMLC) Learning Domain Framework serves as a foundation. AONE, AACN and AORN formed the collaborative to better prepare nurse leaders.

During the one-year fellowship, nurses will delve into the frameworks’s three components: The Science: Managing the Business, which includes financial aspects, process improvement and strategic planning; The Art: Leading the People, covering relationship management and influencing behaviors; and The Leader Within: Creating the Leader in Yourself, dedicated to developing personal and professional accountability, career planning and reflective practice.

The program aims to help nurse managers strengthen current skills, acquire new competencies and spark a desire for life-long learning.

Fellows will work on a capstone project, a process-improvement initiative benefiting their sponsoring organization, throughout the year.

Participants will meet four times a year. Top nurse executives will serve as faculty to teach sessions and work with the fellows to facilitate learning during the quarterly retreats and through a virtual learning community.

“The AONE Nurse Manager Fellowship seeks to challenge a group of stellar nurses managers to reach for their highest potential and become our leaders of tomorrow,” said Pamela A. Thompson, MS, RN, FAAN, AONE chief executive officer, in a written statement. “It is a key component of our professional succession planning.”

AONE’s support for future leaders also includes two institutes: one for aspiring nurse leaders, targeting nurses new to management or considering a career change, and one for nurse managers with about one-year experience.

Nurses from a variety of practice settings have until September 15 to submit their applications. Participants must have at least one-year experience in a nursing management position. Role and responsibilities are considered, rather than job title.

The application requires an essay about the applicant’s vision of nursing leadership and how that fits with his or her goals; a description of the planned capstone project; and a letter of support from the nurse’s chief nurse executive.

Tuition of $6,000 covers all course materials and meeting fees. It is due upon acceptance as a fellow. Continuing education credits are available.

AONE will accept up to 25 fellows and announce their names November 1.