Next in Line: Building a Succession Pipeline for Advanced Practitioners in Oncology

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Leadership
• Workforce Planning
• Oncology Nursing

Background:

• Advanced practitioners (APs) are vital for specialized patient care, especially in oncology.
• An aging workforce and burnout highlight the need for leadership succession planning.
• Many AP leaders plan to retire within five years, risking loss of expertise and continuity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To emphasize the critical need for structured leadership succession planning for advanced practitioners.
• To outline a framework for effective AP succession planning.
• To identify barriers and solutions for implementing succession planning.

Main Methods:

• The study reviews current challenges and proposes a comprehensive framework for AP succession planning.
• It highlights the importance of aligning planning with organizational strategy and focusing on talent identification.
• Key elements include defining roles, assessing risks, and securing executive support.

Main Results:

• Few organizations have formal succession planning processes for APs.
• Lack of planning risks losing clinical expertise, leadership continuity, and program stability.
• Structured, inclusive succession planning is crucial for maintaining patient care and a resilient AP workforce.

Conclusions:

• Institutions must implement proactive, inclusive succession planning for APs.
• This is critical in oncology to ensure care coordination and program development.
• Addressing barriers like resistance and bias is key to developing future AP leaders.