Editor’s Notebook

Change is constant in healthcare. Change can be externally driven, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Or may stem from internal efforts, such as improving patient satisfaction, staffing shortages, opportunities for the nursing team’s personal growth and development, preventing burnout among staff, and work-life balance challenges, just to name a few.

If change is the one constant in nursing, then change management becomes significant to nurse leaders. Nurse leaders must focus on managing change to achieve desired patient outcomes and promote the success of their staff.

Some nurse leaders have natural leadership traits, while others develop change management skills. And that’s where the DNP comes into play.

The doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree focuses on executive leadership and prepares nurses for leadership roles within the healthcare system. DNP-prepared leaders possess the needed traits to become agents of change within complex healthcare environments.

Our nation’s healthcare system needs nurses with more education and preparation to lead the future of patient care using data and research, address nursing challenges, and transform the healthcare landscape.

This month, Minority Nurse focuses on the DNP and nurse leadership.

• If nurse leadership was difficult before the pandemic, COVID has brought new challenges. Lou Pilla dives into meeting today’s nurse leadership challenges.

• Initiatives to increase nursing education and training continue to evolve as the nursing industry and approach to patient care change over time. Julia Quinn-Szcesuil explores aligning nursing education to reflect a broad approach and if the DNP will be the new NP requirement.

• Many nurses need help understanding what the DNP is. Michele Wojciechowski dispels some common myths and shares important facts about the DNP.

• The nursing industry has undergone significant challenges in the last few years. Reneé Hewitt chats with Kathleen Belmonte, the Chief Nursing Officer & SVP of Nursing & Clinical Services at Fresenius Medical Care North America, about what’s to come for the nursing profession in 2023.

“You can’t build an adaptable organization without adaptable people — and individuals change only when they have to, or when they want to.” –American Management Consultant

Gary Hemel