Nurse Professional Development & Pathways
The Leadership Pathway is for team members with aspirations of a formal leadership role in nursing. This pathway closely aligns with the IU Health nurse attribute, professionally engaged. Growth opportunities in this pathway will help the nurse to combine a love for their work and work environment with commitment and passion to build an organization that’s exciting, meaningful, fulfilling and fun. Opportunities also include developing competencies to influence practice and policy locally and nationally and contribute to the development/education of others. Career advancement opportunities related to this pathway include; clinical nursing manager, director, and chief nursing officer.
Obtain a specialty certification
If you are not certified in your specialty area, obtaining your specialty certification should be one of your first goals. Certification validates your knowledge, skills, and abilities in your clinical area of practice. Certification is recognition of your achievement, expertise, and clinical judgement. It is a mark of excellence and maintaining certification will require a commitment to lifelong learning and skill acquisition.
IU Health participates in the following programs which can help you achieve certification:
ANCC(American Nurses Credentialing Cerner) Success Pays program
ONCC(Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation) FreeTake
AACN(American Association of Critical-Care Nurses) Certification Value Program
Certification Quick Guide
Partner with leadership
Partner with your leader to establish an environment that supports and maintains respect, trust, and dignity.
Meet with your leader to understand the needs of your department. Discuss options of working on a special interest project within your unit.
Promote innovation supporting continuous improvement
A great place to start could be connecting with or starting a journal club and facilitating a discussion.
Discuss with your leader opportunities related to research and evidence based practice.
Participate in a system or department-wide committee
Identify what committees work may be of interest to you and match your strengths. Shadow a committee meeting with your nursing leader and see if it is a good fit for you.
Meet with your leader to discuss how committee involvement could help you reach your goals.
Mentorship training
Attend a mentor training session if available or reach out for information about the mentor role. These sessions are structured knowledge sharing times related to skills involved in effective mentoring.
Actively mentor team members
Actively mentor team members to help them advance their level of nursing practice and professionalism which will enhance safe, quality health care.
Connect with your leader about your interest in pursuing a mentorship role to identify next steps.
Pursue the Charge Nurse/Shift Coordinator role
Discuss with your leader your interest in assuming a formal leadership role on your unit. Attend a charge nurse training session if available to review the skills and responsibilities related to the charge nurse role.
Professional nursing organizations
Contribute to the profession through engaging in an active role in a professional nursing organization. Explore sub-groups and committees in your professional organization and find out how you can participate. Taking an active role within your professional organization is a great way to network with other professionals that share the same nursing interests as you.
Obtain a specialty certification
If you are not already certified in your specialty area, obtaining your specialty certification should be one of your first goals. Certification validates your knowledge, skills, and abilities in your clinical area of practice. Certification is recognition of your achievement, expertise, and clinical judgement. Inquire about certifications offered through professional organizations and the role that IU Health plays in supporting you to achieve this goal.
Promote certification in your area
Become involved in meeting with others that are certified and discuss initiatives to motivate your team to become certified. Set up a study group to support others that are seeking certification.
Meet with your leader and discuss your interest in making a difference in the professional development of your peers.
Attend “Foundation of Leadership” courses
Attend “Foundation of Leadership” courses provided by the Learning Institute. Topics include generational diversity, identifying strengths and weaknesses, how to build performance teams and formulating budget skills.
Once you have approval from your leader to attend, you can sign up for a class in eLMS.
Attend Emerging Leadership Program
(if available in your area) This program is a six month program that requires manager nomination. Courses include knowledge based learning modules related to ethical behaviors, LEAN initiatives, motivational skills and engagement.
Support your leader
Support your leader in helping team members effectively manage change and address conflict.
Meet with your leader and voice an interest in supporting change initiatives within your department. Ask how you can be involved in the next major change for your department.
Develop emotional intelligence competencies
An education opportunity includes attending the “Foundation of Leadership” training on emotional intelligence.
Meet with your leader and discuss interest in learning more about emotional intelligence and what that means to a nursing leader.
Volunteer in your community
Explore IU Health’s role of nursing in the American Red Cross initiative and other “Strength that Cares” opportunities.
Meet with your leader to voice interest in opportunities to serve in the community.
Get involved in shaping health policy
Influence change at the local, organizational, systems, national, regional and international levels through active involvement in shaping health policy and the profession of nursing.
One growth opportunity could include attending a session at the State Board of Nursing to learn more about healthcare policy. Take a course related to learning more about healthcare policy and how you can be more involved.
Participate in Lean/Transformation training
Are you interested in streamlining processes, decreasing redundancy and waste?
Discuss interest in LEAN initiatives with your leader. Course offerings can be found in eLMS.