Addressing the underperformance of faculty and staff

Area of Science:

• Nursing Leadership
• Academic Administration

Background:

• Many newly appointed nursing deans, assistant deans, and interim deans possess insufficient formal education, experience, or background for their executive roles.
• This gap in preparedness can hinder their effectiveness in academic and administrative responsibilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide practical guidance and survival tips for new and aspiring nursing deans.
• To address common challenges and opportunities faced by academic nursing executive teams.

Main Methods:

• The authors, both experienced deans, draw upon their personal insights and practical experiences.
• The content focuses on actionable advice for navigating key administrative functions.

Main Results:

• Key areas addressed include executive contract negotiation, securing faculty lines, and building high-performing work teams.
• Strategies for managing challenging employees and developing adaptable organizational structures are discussed.
• The importance of responding to evolving healthcare delivery, consumer, and community needs is emphasized.

Conclusions:

• New nursing leaders can benefit from practical, experience-based strategies to effectively manage their roles.
• Proactive approaches to administrative challenges are crucial for successful nursing leadership in academia.