How Things Have Changed and Where They’re Going Next

The nursing shortage and growing technological advances in healthcare have already started to shape the future. For example, we will use technology to more closely monitor patients with chronic diseases, enabling early intervention and reducing hospital admissions. Nurses will play a role in this as navigators and case managers, helping patients access the resources and levels of care they need.

Evelyn Ku, Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital

Nursing leaders today must be willing to change with the times when appropriate. We must also adapt to the newer generation of nurses and how they learn.

While the new nurses of today are bright and eager, it is imperative that we teach them how to connect with the patient. I have witnessed nurses of the new generation who are super technology-savvy, but lack the personal touch when caring for the patient at the bedside. For the next five to 10 years, nurses will have to be more innovative, ensure that our skill set remains current and relevant, and be able to respond quickly to crisis.

The nursing shortage will also continue to be a trend. We lost 40,000 nurses in California during the surge, so we will need to redouble our efforts to recruit and retain the best nurses. We need to make sure our hospitals are places nurses are proud to work.

Joyce Leido, Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center

Today’s nurse leaders have to embrace innovation, see technology as an ally rather than a barrier, and keep clinical nurses engaged as thought partners. We also have to keep the mental, emotional and spiritual health of our teams at the forefront of everything we do.

I foresee a blitz of innovation and transformation. The past two years have propelled many of us to embrace disruption and to use it as fuel for reinvention. What many thought would take years or even a decade to achieve, we were able to accomplish in weeks or months. Technology is going to be an essential ingredient.

Jinhee Nguyen, Adventist Health Glendale

We have to get comfortable with thinking outside the box. We need to match the pace of innovation and pivot quickly to adopt new technology. However, we cannot lose sight of the people involved in developing and using that technology. The pandemic has underscored the need to remain focused on the people — patient and care provider alike.

Nursing and healthcare will need to create and enhance policies to address workforce mental health and wellbeing. Other critical topics will include ensuring that nursing schools are able to continue supplying the nurse workforce as it evolves. Innovations like tele-nursing and virtual care platforms will help us further streamline workflow.

Tanya Osborne-McKenzie, MLK Community Healthcare

Being transparent and including the team in decision-making have always been topics of discussion for nurse leaders. The difference is that with the complexities of today’s healthcare environment, leaders can no longer just talk the talk.

Success in any healthcare role today requires true teamwork. People feel much more connected to their work and have a greater sense of purpose if they understand the whys and are involved in solution-finding. Although the number of travelers may decrease, I don’t think it will return to pre-pandemic levels. Hospital leaders will need to learn how to partner not only with their permanent staff, but also with temporary staff to implement and sustain performance improvement processes.

Chiarina Piazza, West Coast University

Compared to past eras, disruption of every type is more of a norm now, whether it be a natural disaster, political unrest or even innovation — and we need to be able to lead through it all. Nurses were catapulted into the spotlight as powerhouse heroes during the pandemic. We need to continue to elevate nurses, whether they’re in scrubs or suits, to have visible authority in influential leadership positions. I see us playing a leading role in the transformation of global health equity.

Ramona Pratt, PIH Health Whittier Hospital

In my first leadership role years ago, I was allocated one administrative day per pay period for timecards, schedules, quality assurance audits, managing budget, hiring, etc. Nursing budgets were developed on a piece of paper with a pencil and calculator.

Today, the frontline leadership role requires advanced knowledge of strategic planning, finance, staff recruitment, supply management, data analysis, and more. As the pandemic has demonstrated, it also demands expertise in disaster management and the ability to pivot quickly.

I have serious concerns about nurses leaving California in search of more affordable housing. Also, the cost of nursing will continue to rise, which will likely result in new staffing models emerging. I am hopeful that advancing technology will support nursing at the bedside rather than adding to the workload — but I have been waiting for this for quite some time.

Gloria Sanchez-Rico, Huntington Hospital

Historically, the focus was on managing teams. The expectation now is that we lead by mentoring and engaging nurses as colleagues and helping them grow as leaders. The results are overwhelmingly positive: an engaged, collaborative environment that allows nurses to thrive, be professionally satisfied and provide the best care for our patients. I think we’re going to see the emotional and psychological impact of COVID-19 for many years to come. We must continue to make wellness an organizational priority for virtually everyone working in healthcare.

Darlene Scafiddi, Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center

Today’s nursing leadership must invest in innovative recruitment and retention strategies. Numerous surveys have projected a shortfall of nurses in California and nationwide over the next few years, exacerbated by the pandemic.

The pandemic has been a catalyst of a shift towards prevention and wellness-focused programs as well as the growth of telemedicine programs. We can expect major technological advances in patient monitoring and care systems, which should improve access to care and reduce healthcare costs for many in our communities. Hospitals will continue to see patients, but more will be seen on an outpatient basis, with inpatient care reserved for our sickest patients.

Linda Soubirous, Loma Linda University Medical Center – Murrieta

The past two years have emphasized the need for resiliency. Staff and leaders are mentally and physically exhausted. Yet, they come together day after day and continue to find creative ways to address the needs of our patients, families and staff.

I am amazed by the commitment of our leadership team to thinking outside the box while keeping patient safety the top priority. Nursing leaders will need to focus on lobbying efforts as healthcare legislation is written and policies are reviewed. The rising costs of healthcare infrastructure, equipment, supplies and staff will be difficult to meet. Nursing schools and new graduate programs will also have to grow exponentially to meet the fast-growing healthcare needs of our elderly population.

Lauren Spilsbury, Redlands Community Hospital

In years past, the nurse leader was a great nurse who oversaw the practice of nursing. Today, nursing leadership provides oversight on all aspects of the healthcare endeavor, including the financial side, quality initiatives and regulatory compliance as well as supervising nursing practice. Strategic planning is essential in the rapidly changing healthcare environment.

A strategic plan used to be five to 10 years; now, looking three years out can be a long time. New technology is changing how we do our work, and will continue to do so. We have to be ready for the adoption and integration of new technologies while maintaining the human touch.

Sarah Stevens, California Rehabilitation Institute

Nursing leadership has become progressively more challenging over the last few years. Technology has made us more accessible, but there is an expectation of immediate response or resolution. Setting personal boundaries has become more and more important to ensuring the continued resiliency of nursing leadership. We need to protect our energy and time.

The last two years have highlighted what it means to be a nurse and the importance of self-care. I’d like to see more focus on caring for nurses as individuals, with a greater emphasis on coaching and mentoring as well as normalizing talking about difficulties as work. I think we’ll see a swing back towards seeing nursing as the calling that it is.

Annette Sy, Keck Medicine of USC

Nurse leaders today need to understand the science and bring that science to the bedside while still demonstrating leadership qualities such as effective communication, accountability, delegation and the ability to receive constructive feedback.

Strong nurse leaders are in the boardroom, sharing their knowledge and expertise in all decision-making. Sadly, I feel we will continue to see more nurses retiring early. We need to ensure that we have adequate resources to train and support new cohorts of nurses.

To satisfy the growing need for education, we’ll need to be able to modify course delivery, move to online delivery when reasonable and strategize student engagement. We will also have a growing role for nurses in our informatics teams and an increasing emphasis on population health.

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In this Article: Career Advice, CNO Roundtable 2022, Leadership and Management