Defining the nursing dean's role

The Nurse Executive Defining the Nursing Dean's Role .......................:.>:.>:.:.:.>: .............................. THISREGULARCOLLrMNwill focus on the iiiiiiiiiiiiiililiiii~ililililili!ililili "" development of the nurse executive and is directed to both the new and the continuing nurse executive. In it, I will discuss how one achieves the status of nurse ...... executive and will propose ways the nurse :~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:executive ~:~:~:~:~ remains in the position. I am writing this column not because I am an oracle or because I know all the answers, but rather to share my experiences and invite your responses so we may learn from one another. The title, "nurse executive" is broad and can be used to describe the nurse as an administrator of a hospital, a nursing service, an agency (health-related or otherwise), or an education program. The title can also be used to describe many other career opportunities for the nurse in a top leadership position. In this column, nurse executive will refer to an administrator of an education program. There are many possible answers to the question, "Why would anyone want to be dean?" Perhaps the only honest response is because of the professional and personal rewards. Other possible answers, some serious and some not so serious, ate that as a nurse executive, one has the opportunity to work with highly qualified and intelligent faculty members; one can get a parking space (sometimes); one has the top staff/support people at her disposal; one gets a large office (maybe); one has the opportunity to attend many ceremonial events and to wear academic robes at commencement; one has awards named after her; one may travel (if travel money is available) to exciting cities and countries; and, if one is especially fortunate, one has her own bathroom. If you happen to be in the 50 to 60-year age bracket, your answer to the question may be a non-answer. Becoming a dean was not one of your stated goals. You grew into the job and were chosen because you happened to be the person available with the best educational preparation or the most aggressive nature. In other words, right time, right place, right qualifications. Younger deans frequently provide a more focused response. They developed an interest in the deanship because they had a role model or a mentor who was a dean. Based on their interest and their dean's encouragement, they made a definite career decision, setting out to acquire the necessary educational

preparation and taking the steps that would eventually lead them to a deanship. Now the appropriate question is "What impact will this new generation of prepared deans have on the future of education and nursing practice?" I believe the impact will be great. Based on observations of current deans, the dean in this new era of nursing education will have considered carefully the role and the scope of being a dean. The new dean will have administrative preparation, and will also be a researcher and a scholar. Of course, there are many present deans who have these characteristics. In the future, all deans will have them. W h e n criteria for a dean are established by faculty search committees, research and creative scholarship will be generic. The new dean will have to choose a focus: dean first, scholar-researcher second or the reverse, or, more likely, a constantly changing blend of the two. The distinction between dean and scholar-researcher is important because the search committee will match the prospective dean's characteristics with the needs of the program. As we all know, a good match is essential for the viability and growth of the nursing program. Let's reexamine how a person ascended to the deanship. I mentioned that one reason some people of my era became deans was their tenured position--we happened to be the best persons on the scene when the opening occurred. But we were in the right place at the right time for a reason, most frequently, our commitment to the school, the students, the faculty, and the community. Although such commitments are important, they will not be sufficient for new deans entering the educational system. I discuss these issues with my students who are deans-intraining. We also discuss the fact that accepting a deanship is no longer a lifetime commitment, in spite of the rigorous training and major time and energy expenditure the position requires. Even with these precautions, the new nurse executive will bring a meaning and dimension to the role and scope of being a dean. It naturally follows that our nursing programs will enjoy the benefits of the educationally and experimentally prepared nurse executive. BILLYEJ. BROWN, EnD, RN, FAAN

Dean, School of Nursing University of Texas-Austin Austin, Texas