Framework for the Development of Strategic Leadership in Nursing

Introduction: Strategic leadership refers to an individual’s capacity to work strategically with others to deliver quality, efficient, and effective care to the person and their loved ones, contributing to organizational performance. While numerous leadership frameworks exist, few specifically address strategic nursing leadership. Objective: This article proposes a framework for the development of strategic leadership in nursing. Methods: The first version of the framework was developed as part of a doctoral study, which aimed to provide an in-depth description of the capacities associated with strategic leadership according to nurse managers (n = 31) from nursing directorates. The initial version of the framework guided the second study conducted with nurses’ members (n = 15) of the Executive Committees of the Council of Nurses. The revised reference framework guided the third study conducted with women nurses (n = 35) regarding strategic leadership in academic and clinical settings, using a gender-based approach. Results: The results of the first 2 studies describe 3 capacities that would be associated with strategic leadership in nursing: the capacity to integrate learning, the capacity to adapt to changes, and the capacity to manage social interactions, along with their main domains of influence. The third study explored the strategic leadership of women nurses in academic and clinical settings and made educational recommendations. Discussion and Conclusion: This framework offers a comprehensive strategy for fostering strategic nursing leadership. It emphasizes the importance of strengthening key domains of influence, thereby enhancing the impact of nurses in health care settings.