A long-term purpose of Building Academic Geriatric Nursing Capacity is to create thoughtful and sustainable change in schools of nursing and health care systems in the service of elders in the United States. Leadership development is, therefore, critical to the success of the initiative. As Fagin (2000) notes, what is most needed in geriatric nursing is transformational leadership-leadership that shapes the changing social architecture, then helps move it forward.

In general, doctoral programs in nursing emphasize research training, with a small component-usually one course-focused on leadership. Indeed, because so many research competencies developed in doctoral programs are new to nurses, they may not feel like leaders because they are so aware of what they do not yet know.

Nursing leadership is critically important for the quality of care for elders in all settings.. However, too few nurses have the skills needed to assume major leadership roles in the geriatric health care system and there is a dearth of programs to prepare academic geriatric nurse leaders. Although the efforts of the John A. Hartford Foundation focus on increasing geriatric nursing capacity, the need to increase the number of geriatric nurses who have knowledge and skills in leadership at local practice organization and broader system levels cannot be overlooked. Changes are critically needed in the health care context, and its systems and policies, to improve the quality of care for and life of older persons. An increase in the number of geriatric nurse leaders is essential if health care system change is to occur.

BAGNC has implemented four strategies to address the challenge of preparing geriatric nurse leaders: an annual leadership conference, the Mary Starke Harper Distinguished Lectureship, the American Academy of Nursing Emerging Leaders Program, and the Gerontological Society of America's Policy Leadership Institute.

Nursing Leadership

Nursing leadership is critically important for the quality of care for elders in all settings. An increase in the number of geriatric nurse leaders is essential if the needed health care system change at local practice organization and broader system levels is to occur.

Good leaders are made not born. Good leaders develop through a never ending process of self-study, education, training, and experience. BAGNC has implemented the following strategies to address the challenge of preparing geriatric nurse leaders.

Annual Leadership Conference
Mary Starke Harper Distinguished Lectureship

Emerging Leaders Program of the American Academy of Nursing. Gerontological Society of America's Policy Leadership Institute

These activities help prepare nurses with strategic vision, self-knowledge, risk-taking and creativity, and interpersonal and communication effectiveness to provide them with the skills to become leaders who can inspire and lead change in shaping the health care system for the aging population across the country.