Leadership development of Hispanic nurses

Area of Science:

• Nursing Leadership
• Health Disparities
• Cultural Competence

Background:

• Racial and ethnic minority underrepresentation in healthcare contributes to health outcome disparities.
• Effective strategies to reduce health disparities often rely on minority leaders in research, education, practice, and communities.
• Limited understanding exists regarding the leadership pathways of racial and ethnic minority nurses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the leadership development experiences of Hispanic nurse leaders.
• To identify unique challenges and opportunities faced by Hispanic nurses in leadership roles.
• To inform strategies for developing leadership among minority nurses.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive study design.
• Open-ended survey administered to 22 Hispanic nurse leaders.
• Qualitative analysis of responses regarding leadership definitions, challenges, and development.

Main Results:

• Hispanic nurses identified challenges such as workplace underrepresentation, the responsibilities of being bilingual/bicultural, and perceived discrimination.
• Similarities in leadership development were noted, but unique obstacles were highlighted.
• Role models and mentors emerged as a dominant theme in facilitating leadership development.

Conclusions:

• Findings offer insights into the leadership development of Hispanic nurses.
• The study provides a foundation for developing leadership programs for other racial and ethnic minority nurses.
• Addressing unique challenges is essential for advancing minority nurse leadership and reducing health disparities.