Role transition for patient care vice presidents: from a single entity to a system focus

The authors describe the process used and outcomes achieved by five patient care vice presidents who became a cohesive working group after the system integration of their separate organizations. Overcoming the hurdles that face any emerging group, these nurse executives developed a common patient-centered care delivery system and common leadership structure. They committed to four major leadership roles with common obligations and expectations for patient care vice presidents and hospital presidents, and role changes in terms of time spent as coach, interventionist, and crisis manager.