Leadership and leaders: The essence of nursing education

Connecticut Nursing News, Mar-May 2001 by Polifroni, E Carol

Porter O'Grady (1997) suggests that there is a recognition that the globe is unified and that all issues are structurally integrated (p. 1) Furthermore, the role of the leader is to embrace this integration and to create new systems and new perspectives for the future of health care delivery and the concomitant required education. What does this mean for the leaders in Connecticut's schools of nursing? How do they define leadership and how do they envision integration? What are their perceptions of international education, the need for integrated educational programs and their concept of the education for the future?

In the past year, the individuals fulfilling the dean positions in several schools (baccalaureate, graduate and associate degree) have changed. Thus, CNN brings you a snapshot of the ideas these women have for shaping nursing and nursing education in our state and around the globe.

In this and the following issues of CNN, our current NEW leaders in nursing education will be featured. The editorial board has designed a series of questions the 5 new deans will be asked. The questions serve as a guide for the deans to share their goals, their visions and their hopes about nursing education in Connecticut. They will also share their past, present and futures with us for those who are interested in career development and planning.

Interview Questions for New Deans and Directors From the Editorial Board of Connecticut Nursing News

Cindy Adams RN, MSN is Director of the Division of Nursing and Health Careers at Capital Community College in Hartford, Connecticut. Cindy was interviewed by Barbara Aronson, a member of CNA's Editorial Board, on January 16, 2001. Excerpts of that interview follow.

Barbara: Why did you choose educational administration at this point in your career and how did you get to that point?

Cindy: I truly did fall into this position. I had been doing special projects for the division director at Capital Community College for close to 10 years and developed skills around growing and managing this nursing education program. I feel a strong commitment to seeing our program at Capital thrive in this time of health care upheaval. I took this position because I want to do everything I can to support the talented nursing faculty at Capital.

Barbara: You have been director of the division since August of 2000. What is the best and worst part of your position?

Cindy: The best part is seeing how our nursing students truly progress through the program. And the process of how we take them from someone who has little nursing background to someone who is quite competent in the clinical area. That is very exciting. The worst part is dealing with some of the system issues that are intermittently difficult.

Barbara: How do you envision practice and education working together to address the nursing shortage and all other key issues facing the profession?

Cindy: I am genuinely impressed and encouraged by the outreach from the practice setting. A lot of very creative and cooperative ideas are developing, and I believe our nursing students will benefit from the changes being conceptualized this year. We are very fortunate in the greater Hartford area to have some extremely dedicated nursing administrators committed to the pursuit of excellence in nursing.

Barbara: Can you give me some specific examples?

Cindy: Two recent examples come to mind. Saint Francis Hospital has offered tuition reimbursement for senior nursing students willing to work and make a commitment to their institution. Hartford Hospital has offered a paid summer and intercession learning opportunity for nursing students that increases their clinical experience and enhances their skill development.

Barbara: Are you in the process or can you envision doing something for the profession that may dramatically alter your own program?

Cindy: Yes, definitely! I have a number of proposals being brought to me at this moment that have viable options for expansion and growth of our nursing program at Capital. I have been impressed by the partnership offered by sister institutions in supporting this process directly. I am optimistic we will see some dramatic changes for the better in the next 3 to 5 years.

Barbara: Do you have ideas on how we as nurse educators could make better use of technology to increase the effectiveness of our nursing programs?

Cindy: Yes, I do. As you know, at Capital we are working hard to design new classrooms for our Downtown Campus, targeted to open in September 2002. I have had the pleasure of recently visiting some state-of-the-art classrooms at other colleges and it is exciting! The new technology makes it a great deal easier to display both text materials and three-dimensional models. The control panels being designed for the front of the classrooms are wonderful. They will permit faculty to use multiple formats for transmitting information, which will benefit our large student body with varied learning styles.

Barbara: That sounds like in-class technology. Do you have any ideas about distance-learning opportunities for nursing students?