Nurse leadership competencies for the 21st century

Nurse managers and administrators must understand the competencies necessary to be successful in a changing health care environment. Critical leadership competencies have a significant impact on patient outcomes, cultivating and environment for continuous learning, interdepartmental and intradepartmental customer relationships within and across agencies, use of resources, strategic planning, and compliance with regulatory requirements. This article presents a review of literature and expert thought related to critical administrative and leadership competencies. The skills and competencies the experts discuss are universal, suggesting that the work venue is irrelevant to nurse leadership behavior, which translates across settings.