Vanderbilt University School of Nursing will hold the second annual Academy for Diverse Emerging Nurse Leaders, a program that offers professional development and insight to support participants in health care and academic leadership roles, in Nashville from November 13-17. Applications for the program are open through October 30.
“We believe that the knowledge, mentorship, strategy and skills that new leaders will attain via the Academy for Diverse Emerging Nurse Leaders will empower them to continue to advance and lead,” said Pamela Jeffries, PhD, FAAN, ANEF, FSSH, dean of Vanderbilt School of Nursing and Valere Potter Distinguished Professor of Nursing.
Marilyn Dubree, MSN, RN, NE-BC, FAAN, Executive Chief Nursing Officer at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said she’s also excited about the leadership training program and how it addresses needs specific to the diverse nursing community.
“In response to the significant lack of diversity within the nursing field, especially in leadership roles, and with a firm commitment to tackling health inequities and disparities in healthcare outcomes, we are taking a proactive step to cultivate strong, inclusive leadership that will drive positive change in health care,” she said.
VUSN Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Rolanda Johnson, PhD, MSN, RN, and VUMC Senior Director for Nurse Diversity and Inclusion Mamie Williams, PhD, MPH, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, co-direct the academy, which is designed for nurses who have been in academic or health care leadership roles for less than three years.
The organizers say the fellows program is different from other professional development opportunities in that it incorporates and builds on the lived experiences of diverse health care and academic leaders who have navigated similar leadership paths. The participants explore the challenges of being a leader from an underrepresented group in nursing leadership as well as the challenges of supporting and expanding diversity in nursing.
The academy is taught by experienced faculty and health care leaders from diverse backgrounds, and is specifically designed to serve the needs of new and emerging nurse leaders and faculty. In addition to the initial five-day, in-person meeting, fellows participate in virtual sessions, receive mentorship from an executive coach and institutional mentor and receive financial support to develop leadership projects.
Those committed to expanding and supporting diversity in nursing leadership, who have held a leadership faculty or health care role for less than three years, are encouraged to apply. For more information, visit https://nursing.vanderbilt.edu/academy/emerging/index.php