Use the interview to ensure your next job meets your needs.
As 2024 graduation rolls around, we’ll see close to 200,000 nurses prepared to enter the workforce. This figure sounds promising, but given the current staffing shortage, the gap between supply and demand continues to grow.
The American Nurses Association reports that nearly 18% of newly licensed RNs quit the profession within the first year. Although many reasons exist for this alarming statistic, research shows that mitigating factors—such as a positive work environment and caring leaders—can aid retention.
My colleagues (Dr. Lucy Leclerc, Dr. Rosanne Rasso, Dr. Joyce Fitzpatrick, and Dr. David Bailey) and I have been collaborating on work related to relational leadership in nursing. What do nurses want in a leader and their practice environment? They want a supportive, safe workplace where they can learn, grow, and speak up without fear of retaliation. They want opportunities to engage in continuous learning through coaching and mentoring. They want to participate in creative problem-solving and experience making a difference in the lives of their patients. They want to maintain their own mental health and well-being. And they want a sense of belonging and a relationship with their leader. How do you find an organization that promotes this type of leadership and a leader who demonstrates these skills? Look for organizations and leaders who approach leadership through the lens of relationships.
Inspire others through transformational leadership
Building trust in your leadership
Connecting leadership at the bedside to improvement
Relational leadership specific to nursing and healthcare includes authentic and human-centered. Other relational styles include transformational leadership and servant leadership. The common denominator among these styles is a primary focus on relational competencies (such as communication and emotional intelligence), integrity, professional growth, and team member well-being. This type of leader co-creates a positive work environment where nurses like to practice and patients experience excellent care. Post-pandemic, many nurses have voiced their desire for relational leaders and others have spoken with their feet or demonstrated “quiet quitting.”
Whether you’re entering the nursing workforce for the first time or moving from one position to another, your job interview offers an opportunity to ask for what you need and expect from the organization. Your questions will reveal insight into the work environment, which directly impacts you personally and professionally.
Most job interviews end with a familiar question from the hiring manager: “What questions do you have for me?” Here’s your chance to gain insight into their leadership priorities and the impact they’ll have on you.
Consider asking the following questions:
- What programs are offered to support the well-being and mental health of team members?
- Can you provide a recent practice decision influenced by bedside nurses?
- Can you describe this organization’s process for continual professional growth?
- How would you describe the culture of this unit (or organization)? How do you see values, collaboration, and communication shaping this culture?
- How do you support work–life harmony for team members?
These questions and others you develop will provide insight into the value the hiring leader and the organization places on your well-being, your professional growth, and your empowerment as a professional to own your practice. Recognize the power of your voice in shaping the changes needed in healthcare. The current environment requires hiring leaders to listen. You’re in the driver’s seat, and change starts with you.
Kay Kennedy is the CEO of uleadership.
American Nurse Journal. 2024; 19(3). Doi: 10.51256/ANJ032448
References
American Nurses Association. Why nurses quit and leave the profession. bit.ly/3SvVucX
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational outlook handbook: Registered nurses. bit.ly/3ulJtyz
