- Email: [email protected]
Patrick Coonan, EdD, MEd, MPA
Leader to Honor Patrick Coonan, EdD, MEd, MPA Launette Woolforde, EdD, DNP, RN-BC
P
atrick Coonan, EdD, MEd, MPA, is dean of the
School
of
Nursing
at
Adelphi
University, in Garden City, New York.
LW: Tell me a little about why you chose nursing, or did nursing choose you? PC: I get that question a lot. I chose nursing. I wasn’t always sure of what I wanted to do. As a teenager, I was a volunteer in the fire department, and through that, I learned about emergency care. In those days, there was really no such thing as an EMT [emergency medical technician] or paramedic. So when the EMT program came out in New York, I took the first class. During that time, I also drove a
18
Nurse Leader
private ambulance for a while, again because I had this interest in health care. I went to college in pursuit of a degree in pharmacy, but in my first semester, I quickly realized that was not for me. Still, that drive for a career in health care persisted. Over the following 3 to 4 years, through the work I was doing and conversations with friends, I gained exposure to nursing and became very interested in it. I applied to several schools, got accepted at Adelphi (which was my first choice), and as the saying goes, “The rest is history.” LW: You have an extensive career in the practice sector. What prompted your transition into academia? PC: I had 25 great years in the service side of the health care and came back 12 years ago to be the dean of Adelphi’s School of Nursing. While
still working as an executive in the Bronx, I was teaching paramedics at night, but I really wanted to teach in a nursing program. In the mid-1980s, a friend of mine, who was at a school of nursing, had a professor walk out at the 11th hour. Classes were supposed to start, and he called me up and offered me the opportunity to teach. I started teaching, and after a while, I started considering a full-time teaching role. I wanted to spend the end of my career in education, and I knew, therefore, that I needed to finish my doctorate. It was a busy time! I was running a busy emergency department and working 2 jobs while my wife stayed home to focus on raising our 4 children. It was years later, after gaining in-depth academic experience as faculty and also as a program administrator, that I was sitting at my kitchen table on a Sunday morning reading the New York Times and saw an ad that said “Dean— Adelphi University School of Nursing.” I looked at my wife and I said, “This is my job!” LW: Was there a specific experience that propelled you into a nurse leader role or was it a series of events over time? PC: I think it was a series of events over time. Series after series of situational leadership instances which led to formal leadership roles. I started out as a staff nurse in an emergency
February 2016
room, and I moved on from there to roles including nurse manager, director, and ultimately CNO [chief nursing officer]. LW: How does it feel to be back at the school that launched your entry into the nursing profession? PC: It feels great! This office that we’re sitting in right now was the dean's office when I was studying here. In those days, this office was the one office that you didn’t want to be going into if you were a student. That has changed tremendously over the years as the students continue to be a driving force within the college. This is the school that made a nurse out of me, and I came back here firmly believing that there was no one who was going to do this job better than me. And I told the team that during my interview process. I said, “This is my home. This is where I went to school. There will be no one that you can hire that will do this job with as much passion as I will.” I have a vested interest in making this school the best it can possibly be. I never imagined I’d be the dean here. Quite frankly, I was a good student, but I
www.nurseleader.com
was no superstar. So, to be able to sit here and say a “good” student wound up being the dean speaks volumes to the great journey I’ve had. One that’s been filled with hard work, blood, sweat and tears, but also a great deal of thoughtfulness, planning, strategic action, and dedication. LW: The School of Nursing is now the College of Nursing and Public Health. Talk to me about that journey. PC: I love to see progress, and this growth and expansion of the College of Nursing and Public Health is an amazing one. At one time, we had 465 students, 10 faculty, 1 graduate program, and no PhD program. Now, there are 50 faculty and 20 staff, 1600 students, programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral level, and a new state-of-the-art building well underway. Just outside my window is the new facility that will house our College of Nursing and Public Health. We have integrated health care informatics, public health, emergency management, and more within our college. We’ve just finished developing a DNP program and our PhD pro-
gram is thriving. We’re leaving a building that was built in 1943 as barracks for the Army Nurse Cadets Corps and heading into this brand-new facility. One of the greatest benefits of the move is our capability to expand from a learning center of 2000 sq. ft. to nearly 20,000 sq. ft. Our faculty will all be together in new offices in one contiguous area on the third floor. It’s quite the investment for the University, but it's all based on the past and present success of the program attributed to our students, leadership team, faculty, and staff. LW: What are some of the strategies you’ve implemented to achieve your outcomes? PC: It’s important to me that the graduates reflect the caliber of nursing we embody at the College, and the University for that matter. I spent a significant amount of time carefully selecting faculty. We came together and raised admission criteria for students while simultaneously assuring that our curriculum was stringent and rigorous. We keep raising the bar, and the students in turn continue to meet our expectations, thus raising the bar even
Nurse Leader
19
higher. It’s a pleasure when I talk to my peers in the community and they tell me, “Pat, we love having your students” or “we love having your graduates.” This is the type of feedback that keeps me certain that our program is on track. LW: What do you think some of the essential skills are for today’s nurse leader? PC: That's a good question. This industry is changing so rapidly and especially here in New York. I think the first skill is really to be systems thinker.You’ve got to look at the big picture. As we advanced from the School of Nursing to the College of Nursing and Public Health, it was my responsibility to ask: ‘Where are we going?’ ‘What are we doing?’ We’ve got to be able to recognize future leaders among us and tap into those with certain attributes that contribute to a well-rounded team. It still happens sometimes that we take the best clinician and assume that he/she will be a great leader. In fact, we’re dealing with 2 different skill sets. Being a good clinician doesn’t mean you’re going to be a good manager. Similarly, being a good teacher doesn’t mean you’re going to be a good dean. For me, I surround myself with people who are detail-oriented and focused because I am very much a big picture thinker. I need these complementary skill sets in my leadership team to achieve our goals. An equally important aspect to acknowledge is that you can’t be a nurse leader that focuses exclusively on nursing. For example, we have to thoroughly understand finances, human resources, the impact on other departments and disciplines, and other implications associated with our vision. This all needs to be in alignment with where the organization is going as a whole.
20 Nurse Leader
Also, as a leader you’ve got to be willing to take risks. I'm concerned that we have some nursing leadership programs are not giving leaders the skill sets they need. I’ve used that as an impetus to spend significant time working on our master’s program for nurse administrators…which I'm in the process of changing again! Together with the faculty, I have changed it 4 times in the last 6 years because it can't remain stagnant in an ever-changing environment. LW: Why is the partnership of nursing and public health so crucial in your view? PC: We have to start to educate nurses to be prepared for the global implications of health care. They need to be informed in new areas and perspectives other than just acute care hospital settings. We need to think about epidemiology and biostatistics, and incorporate that into the way we practice. Nurses have to understand this because this is where we're going in terms of the scope of health care. Today, it’s all about the team in health care, and that team functions across a continuum of care. Highly educated nurses empowered by a broader base of knowledge and skill are pivotal. This is why the interprofessional preparation and partnerships with nursing are so important. LW: Do you think leaders are born or made, and how did leadership begin for you? PC: I think leaders are made. If people are given the opportunity, there’s no telling what can emerge. For me, it might have started all the way back when I was a Boy Scout. I'm a little bit competitive…those who know me probably say that might be an understatement! I got very actively engaged…very involved, even way back then. Hindsight leads
February 2016
me to believe that the leader you become is forged by the experiences in your life and how you respond to them. LW: What role has mentorship played in your career growth and development? PC: I’ve had, and continue to have, a few mentors. I vividly remember my first nurse manager job. I had a mentor there who taught me plain and simply that sometimes it’s best to zip up my mouth. Ultimately, what she imparted was the value of choosing your words carefully. She used to tell me, “You’ve got an incredible future in this profession….You’ve just got to remember to zip it sometimes!” Another significant person was a member of my dissertation committee at Teachers College, Columbia U. Both of these individuals were wonderful mentors in my life. I don't call on them often, but when I do, they always listen and they always give me sound, logical advice. LW: What are some of your leadership core values? PC: My number one core value is fairness. Also you have to be truthful. If there’s a concern, you have to talk about it. Just put things out on the table. People know me—what you see is what you get. Everyone is not going to like every decision I make, but for me, it’s critically important to be fair and truthful. With that, you gain and maintain people’s respect. LW: What would you say are the major challenges for nurse leaders today? PC: One challenge is understanding and leading change in a way that ensures that nurse’s voices are heard. Nurses have to take the lead; we can’t sit in the back row. Make your opinions heard, but also make sure that they're backed up by evidence. I’m currently involved on a NYS [New York State] health care Medicaid program panel, and I’m the only nurse in the group! There are physicians, along with people from public health, housing, community activists, etc. I became aware of the panel through one of our Adelphi alumnae from the School of Social Work. He is the co-chair of this group. I pointed out that there was no nurse on the committee. My colleague asked if I’d be interested in getting involved because they were discussing important matters related to health care, and there wasn’t one nurse on the committee. LW: What gives you the energy and drive to go forward? PC: I think there are a lot of reasons, but number one is passion. I love to laugh and have a good time, and the bottom line is that I truly enjoy what I do. If I didn't enjoy what I do, I wouldn't have this depth of passion for it. I think what also compels me as a leader is the idea that I can pay it forward in this way and try to give back throughout my career. But I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you how much I am deeply inspired and energized by my family. I have a wonderful wife, a marriage of 38 years. I have 4 great kids and I will be a grandfather in November (before press time)! They all give me the driving passion to do what I do. LW: What aspects of your personality do you think help you the most as a leader? PC: I’m the type of person who simply needs to understand where we want to go and then I’ll take it from there. Challenge is exciting to me. I've had a history of staying in a www.nurseleader.com
Hometown: Lynbrook, New York Education: BS, Adelphi University; MPA, LIU Post; MEd & EdD, Teachers College, Columbia University Current job: Dean, College of Nursing and Public Health, Adelphi University First job in nursing: Staff nurse, emergency room, Montefiore Hospital, Bronx, New York Being in nursing leadership gives me the opportunity to: Create the future of the profession through people One thing I want to experience in life: Watch my grandchildren grow and thrive Best advice to nurse leaders: Choose your path, plan it well, and follow it. Most people don’t know that… I do all my own home improvements, all trades One thing I want to learn: How to tap dance or play the piano One word to summarize me: Visionary
Nurse Leader
21
role for 3 years or so and then I've often moved on because I was always looking for the next level of challenge. I have been in my current position for 12 years because I can constantly develop and implement new programs. I love to see results. I'm not a maintainer, I'm a builder. I go, I build, and if I can't build, then I’ve got to go someplace else and build. That’s me! In fact, I designed my own house. I do the landscaping, and I did most of the carpentry, brickwork, plumbing, and electrical. It’s the builder in me. LW: Would you consider returning to the CNO role? PC: I am thrilled to be the Inaugural Dean of the College of Nursing and Public Health and know I have continued work to do here to advance our mission and vision, so I can’t say that I see a CNO role in my near future. In my present position, I have influence over a larger catchment than as a single CNO, so I think this is it. I will say, though, that I think nursing leadership is poised to have an even stronger voice, which we are seeing happen. We are seeing more nurse leaders in CEO [chief executive officer] and COO [chief operating officer] positions, which I think is great. Additionally, our collective emphasis needs to be on positioning greater numbers of nurses on boards. LW: What do you do to maintain work life balance? PC: Well, one thing I stay committed to is every Friday night, my wife and I and whomever is available from the family will go to the same little restaurant in the neighborhood, and we have dinner together. My wife and I started this when she went back to work full-time more than 15 years ago. So, it became a Friday date night, and now it's family night because the kids are older. So, Friday nights center me and help me keep my life in focus! I enjoy relaxing at home, traveling, and being with friends. LW: What advice would you give to aspiring deans? PC: I don’t know that I would give advice to aspiring deans exclusively, but I would say this to any aspiring leader…take every opportunity you can. If you can manage it, never pass up an opportunity. Me, I never really said no. I do now though! Also, remember to be humble about things, even as you get better. Some people get tapped and so they haven’t had to formally explore their leadership advancement plan. If you’re one of those people—that’s great. If you’re not and you’re aspiring for a formal leadership role, you’ve got to employ some “how do I get from here to there” thinking, and act on it. As an aspiring leader, you’ve likely had a lot of great learning opportunities over the years, and you’ve had a plethora of experiences to reflect on. Every good leader or team has a brief drill from time to time when they look at where they are and where they want to be. Then they make clear, concise action moves to get there. You also need to work with your teams, have goals, and give credit where credit is due. Do not “climb on people’s backs” to get to the top. It will only hurt you in the end. It can’t always be about you. LW: What are the major obstacles had to overcome in your tenure as dean? PC: I think the major obstacle was to gain the faculty and staff respect. I came to the dean’s job from a CNO position,
22
Nurse Leader
so I was not a career academic and had to prove myself. Early on, I took a “listen a lot and comment later” approach. I guess it worked! LW: What’s your vision for the nursing program and short and long term—and what things we can expect to see and read about? PC: Short term is always to keep quality in the program and meet the continually changing market demands. Long term would be continued further integration of the other disciplines, public health, informatics, nutrition, and emergency management in to our nursing programs. The health care environment is changing, and additional skills as some of these combined with a clinical degree create a very powerful and important person. LW: What would you consider your greatest legacy as a nurse? PC: Wow, tough question, I’m not sure it’s happened yet. I think I am building it now. Changing the school to a college, adding more than nursing programs and my activities in the state and professional associations will help define what my legacy will ultimately be. It sure is—and will continue to be—fun doing it. NL Launette Woolforde, EdD, DNP, RN-BC, is vice president, System Nursing Education, at Northwell Health, Office of the Chief Nurse Executive, in New Hyde Park, New York, and assistant professor, Hofstra–Northwell Health School of Medicine, in Hempstead, New York. She can be reached at [email protected]. 1541-4612/2016/ $ See front matter Copyright 2016 by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2015.11.008
February 2016
P
atrick Coonan, EdD, MEd, MPA, is dean of the
School
of
Nursing
at
Adelphi
University, in Garden City, New York.
LW: Tell me a little about why you chose nursing, or did nursing choose you? PC: I get that question a lot. I chose nursing. I wasn’t always sure of what I wanted to do. As a teenager, I was a volunteer in the fire department, and through that, I learned about emergency care. In those days, there was really no such thing as an EMT [emergency medical technician] or paramedic. So when the EMT program came out in New York, I took the first class. During that time, I also drove a
18
Nurse Leader
private ambulance for a while, again because I had this interest in health care. I went to college in pursuit of a degree in pharmacy, but in my first semester, I quickly realized that was not for me. Still, that drive for a career in health care persisted. Over the following 3 to 4 years, through the work I was doing and conversations with friends, I gained exposure to nursing and became very interested in it. I applied to several schools, got accepted at Adelphi (which was my first choice), and as the saying goes, “The rest is history.” LW: You have an extensive career in the practice sector. What prompted your transition into academia? PC: I had 25 great years in the service side of the health care and came back 12 years ago to be the dean of Adelphi’s School of Nursing. While
still working as an executive in the Bronx, I was teaching paramedics at night, but I really wanted to teach in a nursing program. In the mid-1980s, a friend of mine, who was at a school of nursing, had a professor walk out at the 11th hour. Classes were supposed to start, and he called me up and offered me the opportunity to teach. I started teaching, and after a while, I started considering a full-time teaching role. I wanted to spend the end of my career in education, and I knew, therefore, that I needed to finish my doctorate. It was a busy time! I was running a busy emergency department and working 2 jobs while my wife stayed home to focus on raising our 4 children. It was years later, after gaining in-depth academic experience as faculty and also as a program administrator, that I was sitting at my kitchen table on a Sunday morning reading the New York Times and saw an ad that said “Dean— Adelphi University School of Nursing.” I looked at my wife and I said, “This is my job!” LW: Was there a specific experience that propelled you into a nurse leader role or was it a series of events over time? PC: I think it was a series of events over time. Series after series of situational leadership instances which led to formal leadership roles. I started out as a staff nurse in an emergency
February 2016
room, and I moved on from there to roles including nurse manager, director, and ultimately CNO [chief nursing officer]. LW: How does it feel to be back at the school that launched your entry into the nursing profession? PC: It feels great! This office that we’re sitting in right now was the dean's office when I was studying here. In those days, this office was the one office that you didn’t want to be going into if you were a student. That has changed tremendously over the years as the students continue to be a driving force within the college. This is the school that made a nurse out of me, and I came back here firmly believing that there was no one who was going to do this job better than me. And I told the team that during my interview process. I said, “This is my home. This is where I went to school. There will be no one that you can hire that will do this job with as much passion as I will.” I have a vested interest in making this school the best it can possibly be. I never imagined I’d be the dean here. Quite frankly, I was a good student, but I
www.nurseleader.com
was no superstar. So, to be able to sit here and say a “good” student wound up being the dean speaks volumes to the great journey I’ve had. One that’s been filled with hard work, blood, sweat and tears, but also a great deal of thoughtfulness, planning, strategic action, and dedication. LW: The School of Nursing is now the College of Nursing and Public Health. Talk to me about that journey. PC: I love to see progress, and this growth and expansion of the College of Nursing and Public Health is an amazing one. At one time, we had 465 students, 10 faculty, 1 graduate program, and no PhD program. Now, there are 50 faculty and 20 staff, 1600 students, programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral level, and a new state-of-the-art building well underway. Just outside my window is the new facility that will house our College of Nursing and Public Health. We have integrated health care informatics, public health, emergency management, and more within our college. We’ve just finished developing a DNP program and our PhD pro-
gram is thriving. We’re leaving a building that was built in 1943 as barracks for the Army Nurse Cadets Corps and heading into this brand-new facility. One of the greatest benefits of the move is our capability to expand from a learning center of 2000 sq. ft. to nearly 20,000 sq. ft. Our faculty will all be together in new offices in one contiguous area on the third floor. It’s quite the investment for the University, but it's all based on the past and present success of the program attributed to our students, leadership team, faculty, and staff. LW: What are some of the strategies you’ve implemented to achieve your outcomes? PC: It’s important to me that the graduates reflect the caliber of nursing we embody at the College, and the University for that matter. I spent a significant amount of time carefully selecting faculty. We came together and raised admission criteria for students while simultaneously assuring that our curriculum was stringent and rigorous. We keep raising the bar, and the students in turn continue to meet our expectations, thus raising the bar even
Nurse Leader
19
higher. It’s a pleasure when I talk to my peers in the community and they tell me, “Pat, we love having your students” or “we love having your graduates.” This is the type of feedback that keeps me certain that our program is on track. LW: What do you think some of the essential skills are for today’s nurse leader? PC: That's a good question. This industry is changing so rapidly and especially here in New York. I think the first skill is really to be systems thinker.You’ve got to look at the big picture. As we advanced from the School of Nursing to the College of Nursing and Public Health, it was my responsibility to ask: ‘Where are we going?’ ‘What are we doing?’ We’ve got to be able to recognize future leaders among us and tap into those with certain attributes that contribute to a well-rounded team. It still happens sometimes that we take the best clinician and assume that he/she will be a great leader. In fact, we’re dealing with 2 different skill sets. Being a good clinician doesn’t mean you’re going to be a good manager. Similarly, being a good teacher doesn’t mean you’re going to be a good dean. For me, I surround myself with people who are detail-oriented and focused because I am very much a big picture thinker. I need these complementary skill sets in my leadership team to achieve our goals. An equally important aspect to acknowledge is that you can’t be a nurse leader that focuses exclusively on nursing. For example, we have to thoroughly understand finances, human resources, the impact on other departments and disciplines, and other implications associated with our vision. This all needs to be in alignment with where the organization is going as a whole.
20 Nurse Leader
Also, as a leader you’ve got to be willing to take risks. I'm concerned that we have some nursing leadership programs are not giving leaders the skill sets they need. I’ve used that as an impetus to spend significant time working on our master’s program for nurse administrators…which I'm in the process of changing again! Together with the faculty, I have changed it 4 times in the last 6 years because it can't remain stagnant in an ever-changing environment. LW: Why is the partnership of nursing and public health so crucial in your view? PC: We have to start to educate nurses to be prepared for the global implications of health care. They need to be informed in new areas and perspectives other than just acute care hospital settings. We need to think about epidemiology and biostatistics, and incorporate that into the way we practice. Nurses have to understand this because this is where we're going in terms of the scope of health care. Today, it’s all about the team in health care, and that team functions across a continuum of care. Highly educated nurses empowered by a broader base of knowledge and skill are pivotal. This is why the interprofessional preparation and partnerships with nursing are so important. LW: Do you think leaders are born or made, and how did leadership begin for you? PC: I think leaders are made. If people are given the opportunity, there’s no telling what can emerge. For me, it might have started all the way back when I was a Boy Scout. I'm a little bit competitive…those who know me probably say that might be an understatement! I got very actively engaged…very involved, even way back then. Hindsight leads
February 2016
me to believe that the leader you become is forged by the experiences in your life and how you respond to them. LW: What role has mentorship played in your career growth and development? PC: I’ve had, and continue to have, a few mentors. I vividly remember my first nurse manager job. I had a mentor there who taught me plain and simply that sometimes it’s best to zip up my mouth. Ultimately, what she imparted was the value of choosing your words carefully. She used to tell me, “You’ve got an incredible future in this profession….You’ve just got to remember to zip it sometimes!” Another significant person was a member of my dissertation committee at Teachers College, Columbia U. Both of these individuals were wonderful mentors in my life. I don't call on them often, but when I do, they always listen and they always give me sound, logical advice. LW: What are some of your leadership core values? PC: My number one core value is fairness. Also you have to be truthful. If there’s a concern, you have to talk about it. Just put things out on the table. People know me—what you see is what you get. Everyone is not going to like every decision I make, but for me, it’s critically important to be fair and truthful. With that, you gain and maintain people’s respect. LW: What would you say are the major challenges for nurse leaders today? PC: One challenge is understanding and leading change in a way that ensures that nurse’s voices are heard. Nurses have to take the lead; we can’t sit in the back row. Make your opinions heard, but also make sure that they're backed up by evidence. I’m currently involved on a NYS [New York State] health care Medicaid program panel, and I’m the only nurse in the group! There are physicians, along with people from public health, housing, community activists, etc. I became aware of the panel through one of our Adelphi alumnae from the School of Social Work. He is the co-chair of this group. I pointed out that there was no nurse on the committee. My colleague asked if I’d be interested in getting involved because they were discussing important matters related to health care, and there wasn’t one nurse on the committee. LW: What gives you the energy and drive to go forward? PC: I think there are a lot of reasons, but number one is passion. I love to laugh and have a good time, and the bottom line is that I truly enjoy what I do. If I didn't enjoy what I do, I wouldn't have this depth of passion for it. I think what also compels me as a leader is the idea that I can pay it forward in this way and try to give back throughout my career. But I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you how much I am deeply inspired and energized by my family. I have a wonderful wife, a marriage of 38 years. I have 4 great kids and I will be a grandfather in November (before press time)! They all give me the driving passion to do what I do. LW: What aspects of your personality do you think help you the most as a leader? PC: I’m the type of person who simply needs to understand where we want to go and then I’ll take it from there. Challenge is exciting to me. I've had a history of staying in a www.nurseleader.com
Hometown: Lynbrook, New York Education: BS, Adelphi University; MPA, LIU Post; MEd & EdD, Teachers College, Columbia University Current job: Dean, College of Nursing and Public Health, Adelphi University First job in nursing: Staff nurse, emergency room, Montefiore Hospital, Bronx, New York Being in nursing leadership gives me the opportunity to: Create the future of the profession through people One thing I want to experience in life: Watch my grandchildren grow and thrive Best advice to nurse leaders: Choose your path, plan it well, and follow it. Most people don’t know that… I do all my own home improvements, all trades One thing I want to learn: How to tap dance or play the piano One word to summarize me: Visionary
Nurse Leader
21
role for 3 years or so and then I've often moved on because I was always looking for the next level of challenge. I have been in my current position for 12 years because I can constantly develop and implement new programs. I love to see results. I'm not a maintainer, I'm a builder. I go, I build, and if I can't build, then I’ve got to go someplace else and build. That’s me! In fact, I designed my own house. I do the landscaping, and I did most of the carpentry, brickwork, plumbing, and electrical. It’s the builder in me. LW: Would you consider returning to the CNO role? PC: I am thrilled to be the Inaugural Dean of the College of Nursing and Public Health and know I have continued work to do here to advance our mission and vision, so I can’t say that I see a CNO role in my near future. In my present position, I have influence over a larger catchment than as a single CNO, so I think this is it. I will say, though, that I think nursing leadership is poised to have an even stronger voice, which we are seeing happen. We are seeing more nurse leaders in CEO [chief executive officer] and COO [chief operating officer] positions, which I think is great. Additionally, our collective emphasis needs to be on positioning greater numbers of nurses on boards. LW: What do you do to maintain work life balance? PC: Well, one thing I stay committed to is every Friday night, my wife and I and whomever is available from the family will go to the same little restaurant in the neighborhood, and we have dinner together. My wife and I started this when she went back to work full-time more than 15 years ago. So, it became a Friday date night, and now it's family night because the kids are older. So, Friday nights center me and help me keep my life in focus! I enjoy relaxing at home, traveling, and being with friends. LW: What advice would you give to aspiring deans? PC: I don’t know that I would give advice to aspiring deans exclusively, but I would say this to any aspiring leader…take every opportunity you can. If you can manage it, never pass up an opportunity. Me, I never really said no. I do now though! Also, remember to be humble about things, even as you get better. Some people get tapped and so they haven’t had to formally explore their leadership advancement plan. If you’re one of those people—that’s great. If you’re not and you’re aspiring for a formal leadership role, you’ve got to employ some “how do I get from here to there” thinking, and act on it. As an aspiring leader, you’ve likely had a lot of great learning opportunities over the years, and you’ve had a plethora of experiences to reflect on. Every good leader or team has a brief drill from time to time when they look at where they are and where they want to be. Then they make clear, concise action moves to get there. You also need to work with your teams, have goals, and give credit where credit is due. Do not “climb on people’s backs” to get to the top. It will only hurt you in the end. It can’t always be about you. LW: What are the major obstacles had to overcome in your tenure as dean? PC: I think the major obstacle was to gain the faculty and staff respect. I came to the dean’s job from a CNO position,
22
Nurse Leader
so I was not a career academic and had to prove myself. Early on, I took a “listen a lot and comment later” approach. I guess it worked! LW: What’s your vision for the nursing program and short and long term—and what things we can expect to see and read about? PC: Short term is always to keep quality in the program and meet the continually changing market demands. Long term would be continued further integration of the other disciplines, public health, informatics, nutrition, and emergency management in to our nursing programs. The health care environment is changing, and additional skills as some of these combined with a clinical degree create a very powerful and important person. LW: What would you consider your greatest legacy as a nurse? PC: Wow, tough question, I’m not sure it’s happened yet. I think I am building it now. Changing the school to a college, adding more than nursing programs and my activities in the state and professional associations will help define what my legacy will ultimately be. It sure is—and will continue to be—fun doing it. NL Launette Woolforde, EdD, DNP, RN-BC, is vice president, System Nursing Education, at Northwell Health, Office of the Chief Nurse Executive, in New Hyde Park, New York, and assistant professor, Hofstra–Northwell Health School of Medicine, in Hempstead, New York. She can be reached at [email protected]. 1541-4612/2016/ $ See front matter Copyright 2016 by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2015.11.008
February 2016