Professionalism and Authentic Leadership

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Professional Development

Nursing educator leading session in a large theater. Students are masked and socially-distanced.

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Healthy Work Environment Initiative

In 2022, our healthcare teams continued to sustain impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic. With the aim of being the Employer of Choice, UWMC continued to lead the way in many innovative staff-support initiatives aimed at improving retention and team member satisfaction during this challenging time in healthcare. In 2022, UWMC continued the work we began in 2021 through a system-wide initiative on improving our healthcare work environments, using the six Healthy Work Environment (HWE) evidence-based standards from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses as a framework: Skilled Communication, True Collaboration, Effective Decision-Making, Appropriate Staffing, Meaningful Recognition and Authentic Leadership.

Modeled after a similar workshop series done by Dennis Doherty, PhD, RN, NPD-BC at Boston Children’s Hospital, the goal of this immersive professional development program was to promote the HWE framework in all practice settings by engaging leaders and local, frontline interprofessional champions in identifying a need for and implementing HWE initiatives on a departmental level.

The 2022 series kicked off in the winter of 2021 with three 2-hour workshops for leaders throughout the UWMC/UW Medicine system. More than a hundred leaders attended the virtual sessions, engaging in conversations on how to support our departments as we begin the long climb out of the impacts of the pandemic. Leaders and HWE department champions then attended the subsequent 4-workshop series throughout 2022. HWE Champions, in collaboration with their leaders, worked on projects aimed at making small, incremental changes that had big impact on their team. Thirty-one HWE teams launched projects/efforts at improving the health of their work environment and 100% of participants requested that the program be offered again in 2023.

Emerging Nurse Leader Program

The University of Washington Medical Center continues to recognize the pivotal role that nurse leaders play in the success of our organization. In 2022, we launched a hybrid Emerging Nurse Leader program for newer nurse managers and experienced RN3s/assistant nurse managers. This program is a part of our succession planning efforts.

The goals of this program are to:

The program consists of an online, fully paid, asynchronous set of award-winning modules (Fundamental Skills for Nurse Managers) through the Association for Nurses in Critical Care (ANCC) and a monthly 2-hour, collaborative meeting with other UWMC nurse leader participants as part of a cohort. Including the asynchronous modules, the total time commitment is around 3-4 hours/month and offers a comprehensive foundation to help support newer nurse leaders at UWMC.

Content included:

In 2022, we graduated 22 nurse leaders from the program and attendees reported a high level of satisfaction with the course and feeling better prepared for their nurse leader roles within our organization.

Preview of Professional Development Pathway worksheet.
View and download the Professional Development Pathway worksheet

Professional Development Pathway

Professional development is critical for nurses at all levels, and UW Medical Center is dedicated to supporting growth. Some nurses want to broaden their clinical skills, while others want to enhance their leadership skills, or get involved in professional practice. We strive to provide opportunities and support for nurses across all care settings. The Professional Development Pathway is a tool for RNs to use during annual goal setting, or any time!

Quick Keys to Education

Also in 2022, our Nursing Professional Development Department produced a guide to education for all nurses called “Quick Keys to Education”. This guide pulls together the first steps and contacts for continuing education, required education and certification. This handy tool has lessened confusion greatly.

Other Accomplishments by UWMC Nurses

Seattle Nursing Research Consortium Poster Presenters:

*presented 3 posters