Nursing Leadership: Strengthening Management of Nursing Practice in the Caribbean

Introduction
This online self-learning course “Nursing Leadership: Strengthening Management of Nursing Practice in the Caribbean” is intended for nursing professionals who are seeking to enhance their leadership capacities and who are currently practicing in the field of nursing as clinicians, managers, educators, researchers, or administrators. This is an open course offered through the Virtual Campus for Public Health (VCPH), available to any health worker who is interested in deepening their knowledge in nursing leadership.

The course uses clear language, practical exercises, readings, and interactive content, which represent a synthesis of the most recent nursing leadership knowledge. Participants will become familiar with the basic leadership principles and concepts at their own pace.

Participants who complete all the course requirements and obtain a passing score in the exams will receive an electronic and printable certificate from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Virtual Campus for Public Health (VCPH).

Participant Profile

• Nursing professionals, undergraduate level nurses, especially those with administrative, management or leadership roles.
• Other health workers interested in knowing more about the topics of the course.

Purpose and objectives
General objective:

• This self-paced course will empower Latin American and Caribbean nursing leaders by providing participants with an overview of nursing leadership and management principles that can be used in the practice of nursing leadership roles.

Learning objectives:
Upon completion, participants should be able to:

• Identify nursing leadership concepts from the natural and behavioral sciences, arts, humanities, and nursing science, as a basis for culturally competent nursing practice.
• Analyze concepts of organizational theory, systems leadership, workforce development and quality improvement, utilizing evidence-based research in clinical decision making to promote safe quality care to culturally diverse persons, families, and communities.
• Discuss the impact of current and emerging information management and patient care technology in nursing practice.
• Discuss the impact of socio-politico-economic influences on the practice of professional nursing at varying governmental levels, including the role of nurse as advocate, and emphasizing the importance of inter-professional communication in improving patient health outcomes.
• Apply ethical standards and professional values of nursing practice.

Course content
This course is comprised of nine modules that provide information intended to enhance participants’ understanding of principles of leadership and management that can be utilized in the practice of nursing. Before having access to the Modules, participants are required to complete a Pre-Course Demographic Survey and a Diagnostic Pre-test. Each module will begin with a guide describing what the module entails, followed by a broad overview of topics to be covered, and the actual content will consist of both digital (PDF narrative) format as well as PowerPoint presentations, with interactive audio lectures.

Case studies that follow scenarios illustrative of the course concepts will be presented, followed by practical exercises designed to help participants reflect on and analyze the competencies learned in a thought-provoking manner. Finally, a library of supplemental learning resources is provided to link participants with opportunities to deepen their knowledge on specific topics.

The last section of each module is an exam which the participant must complete with a passing score of 70% or higher. Each participant is required to complete an overall Diagnostic Post-test and Course Evaluation survey to provide course designers with data regarding the usefulness, relevance, and effectiveness of the course.

Modules
Module 1: Evolution of Management and Leadership Theories applied to Nursing
Module 2: Ethics and the Role of Nurse as Advocate
Module 3: Leadership of the Future
Module 4: Workforce Management
Module 5: Quality Improvement and Culture of Safety
Module 6: Evidence-Based Practice
Module 7: Intra and Interprofessional Collaboration: Full Partners
Module 8: Financial Management and Cost Analysis
Module 9: Management of Common Concerns and Dilemmas faced by Healthcare Professionals related to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Evaluation and certification

Participants must obtain a score of 70% or higher in all the exams and must complete the Diagnostic Post-Test, the Course Evaluation survey, and the VCPH Quality Survey to receive their electronic (printable) certificate of course completion (120 hours) from the Virtual Campus for Public Health.