Surge Planning and Implementation: A Required Competency for Today's Nurse Leaders.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Leadership
• Crisis Preparedness

Background:

• Effective crisis response is a critical competency for nurse leaders.
• Pandemic events highlight the need for robust operational strategies.
• Surge capacity is essential for managing healthcare system demands during crises.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe an institution's experience operationalizing surge capacity.
• To demonstrate the application of the American Organization of Nurse Leaders Competencies for Nurse Executives.
• To provide a framework for enhancing nurse leader preparedness in crisis situations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the American Organization of Nurse Leaders Competencies for Nurse Executives.
• Focused on operationalizing the concept of surge capacity within a healthcare institution.
• Documented the practical implementation and challenges encountered.

Main Results:

• Successfully integrated nurse executive competencies into surge capacity planning.
• Identified key strategies for effective operationalization of surge capacity.
• Gained insights into the practical application of leadership competencies during a crisis.

Conclusions:

• Nurse leader competencies are vital for effective crisis and pandemic response.
• The American Organization of Nurse Leaders framework provides a practical approach to managing surge capacity.
• Institutions can enhance their preparedness by systematically applying leadership competencies to operational challenges.