Nurses’ preparation for transitioning into positions of leadership—A Caribbean perspective

Abstract

To explore perspectives of nurse managers about their preparation for transitioning into positions of leadership. There have been serious concerns about the level of preparation as well as availability of support systems for transitioning of nurses into positions of authority. This was a quantitative study conducted in four Caribbean countries targeting nurses promoted to leadership positions within the last 5years. Data were collected using a 30-item questionnaire. Ethical approvals were received from the University of the West Indies and the participating countries. Most participants were female, had 15 or more years' experience and an associate degree/diploma in nursing. They felt prepared through training and acting opportunities although many were not preceptored/mentored into the position. Preparation by training was positively correlated to acting opportunities, preceptorship programme and having a preceptor. Transitioning into positions of leadership requires readiness from a personal as well as an organisational perspective. There must be investment in the development opportunities to support nurses' transition into leadership positions. Organisational continuity and effectiveness will be dependent on a balance between investing in experienced nursing personnel while encouraging personal development of less-experienced nurses. Peer mentorship must be utilized to facilitate nurse transition.