DescriptionMinorities are underrepresented in nursing leadership and even more so in C-suite executive leadership roles. The goal of this project was to identify the preparation, strategies, and resources that contributed to the success of racial/ethnic minority nurses throughout their journey to executive leadership roles, in both clinical and academic settings.
Methods: This project was framed by the Plan-Do-Study-Act Framework and the National Standards for Culturally Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health Care (CLAS). Appreciative Inquiry was used to guide interviews with nine racial/ethnic minority nurses in C-suite positions to understand the preparations, strategies, and resources that helped them advance to executive leadership positions.
Results: Common themes identified from this project included earning credentials, developing leadership skills and strategies, patient centeredness, networking, mentoring and being mentored, accepting opportunities, and having a purpose driven career.
Implications: Strategies such as mentoring opportunities, executive shadowing, and emphasis on patient centered care to promote career development of minority nurses who are pursuing advancement to executive leadership positions. Continued efforts to develop, recruit, retain, and promote racial/ethnic minority nurses in the highest levels of healthcare by incorporating inclusivity in the recruitment and promotional practices. Increased ethnic minority leadership in the healthcare industry and academia are needed to reduce the health care disparities that currently exist.