Leadership and Change Management - Online Course

As part of the Director-Level Nurse Leadership Program, this course explores leadership effectiveness, the nurse leader’s role as a change agent, and practical strategies for managing change in healthcare settings. Learners examine leadership behaviors, change theories, and real-world examples—particularly in technology-related change—to understand how to guide teams through disruption while maintaining engagement and performance.

WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME?

Nurse leaders are often expected to guide teams through change while keeping people engaged, work coordinated, and outcomes on track. This course explores leadership effectiveness, the nurse leader’s role as a change agent, and practical strategies for managing change in healthcare settings. It also includes real-world examples that show how these concepts apply when leading technology-related change in practice.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Leadership Effectiveness
1. Discuss the evolution of leadership theory as a foundation for evidence-based leadership practice.
2. Assess the effectiveness of leadership.
3. Explain the relationship between leader behavior and work outcomes.
4. Describe the leadership process.
5. Describe how leadership behavior meets the needs of a team during change.
2. Change Management
1. Recognize opportunities for nurse leaders to act as change agents.
2. Discuss key change theories and models.
3. Recognize and manage barriers and sources of resistance to change.
4. Apply practical steps and leadership strategies to plan, implement, and sustain change in a healthcare setting.
3. Real World Examples: Leading Technology-Related Change
1. Apply leadership and change management concepts to real-world examples of leading technology-related change in practice.
4. Strategies for Impactful Meetings
1. Discuss characteristics of impactful meetings.
2. Apply strategies to plan, facilitate, and improve meetings, including managing disruptive behaviors.

CONTENT REVIEWERS

Kari Goerke, EdD, MS, RN, NEA-BC
Dr. Goerke holds a BS in Nursing, a Master’s in Nursing Administration, and an EdD in Organizational Leadership with a focus on Healthcare Administration. With over 20 years of leadership experience in healthcare, she has served as an educator, director, service line leader, and nurse executive. Her expertise includes organizational management, staff development, change management, clinical excellence, patient safety, and strategic planning. Dr. Goerke teaches graduate nursing students and directs the MS in Nursing Leadership in Healthcare program.

Jason King, DNP, RN, CENP, FAONL
Jason King, DNP, RN, CENP, FAONL is a Chief Operating Officer, Chief Nursing Officer. In healthcare for 21 years, Jason received his Doctor of Nursing Practice from the Indiana University School of Nursing. Receiving fourteen awards for nursing excellence since 2002, this year, Jason was inducted as a Fellow into the American Organization for Nursing Leadership. Jason is an active participant in seven organizations/boards and has twice been published in Simulation Research.

AUTHORS BY SECTION

Leadership Effectiveness
Eve L. Layman, PhD, RN, NEA-BC

Being a Change Agent
Rebecca Feather, PhD, RN, NE-BC
Ruth Tappen, EdD, RN, FAAN

Emerging Clinical and Informational Technology
Linda Harrington, PhD, DNP, RN-BC, CNS, CPHQ, CENP, CPHIMS, FHIMSS

Facilitate Change
Author of section 4, Credentials

Strategies for Impactful Meetings
AnnMarie Papa, DNP, RN, CEN, NE-BC, FAEN, FAAN