After considering various options as to what nursing specialty to choose within the MSN program, I have decided to pursue the MSN Nurse Executive degree. During the course of study, my goal is to develop strong leadership skills, learn to manage the budget and the process of change, and become an effective decision-maker. I also plan to improve my interpersonal skills, which will help me to persuade people to follow my instructions and manage conflicts among employees. According to Lúanaigh and Hughes (2016), nurse executives should possess such capabilities as critical thinking, extraordinary interpersonal skills, and rich expertise and knowledge. Therefore, my professional and academic goals are to enhance these skills to become an excellent nurse leader.
The choice of this nursing specialty was not an easy one for me. I know that nurse executives are faced with a large strain and responsibility because of the necessity to collaborate with a great number of medical professionals and lead healthcare teams. However, I gave up my doubts regarding my choice of the specialty because I realized that I was ready to take on the responsibility for making important decisions influencing the whole healthcare organization. Two major factors influenced my choice of nursing specialty. Firstly, our healthcare system is in dire need of nurse leaders due to increasing rates of retirements, new career opportunities, and job stress for current nurse leaders (Hardesty et al., 2018). The second reason is more personal and concerned with my own working experience. I sometimes see that healthcare organizations disregard the quality and safety standards of care provided to patients and that the poor communication among the medical staff hinders improvements in these areas. I believe that pursuing the MSN Nurse Executive will allow me to change the situation, at least in my healthcare setting.
There is a professional organization affiliated with my chosen specialty, which is called the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL). This organization provides professional development for nurse executives, supports nurse leaders, and advocates for their voice, value, and impact on the healthcare system (Begley, 2019). The AONL welcomes all nurse leaders at different stages of career development. Therefore, becoming a nurse executive will help me to gain membership in this organization.
References
Begley, R. (2019). A home for nurse leaders. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 49(6), 287–288. Web.
Hardesty, P., Englebright, J., Huffman, C., & Davis, S. K. (2018). Growing future nurse executives: An innovative pathway. Nurse Leader, 16(2), 118–120. Web.
Lúanaigh, P. Ó., & Hughes, F. (2016). The nurse executive role in quality and high performing health services. Journal of Nursing Management, 24(1), 132–136. Web.