Nurse Practitioner Faculty Development via a Leadership Institute

If nurse practitioner faculty treat each other with incivility, they run the risk of tarnishing the quality of their programs and creating hostile work environments. The resulting turnover in faculty diminishes the quality and refinement of courses. Principles from several leadership philosophies are applicable for faculty development in order to prevent incivility and promote communication. These approaches include Crucial Conversations, 5 Dysfunctions of a Team, and 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Common threads run throughout each approach including creating true dialogue, accountability, establishing trust and mutual purpose, and attention to results. Presenters will discuss their experiences with a monthly leadership institute established to support ten nurse practitioner faculty in various phases of their careers as well as the benefits derived from these experiences. Individual reflection and small group exercises will allow for experiential learning during the session. Specific exercises will include identifying one’s style under stress, making conscious choices to avoid the trap of the reptilian brain, and rebuilding safety in relationships. This leadership institute can serve as a model for other universities for nurse practitioner faculty development to help them work toward what matters most as individuals, teaching teams, and the profession.