The Importance of Recognizing Nurse Leaders

While the focus has been on frontline nurses, the American Organization for Nursing Leadership’s (AONL) recent studies identify a negative trend that healthcare administrators neglect at their own peril: Nurse managers and directors are struggling under the weight of COVID-19’s effects both at a personal level and on behalf of their staffs, with little recognition. Who are nurse leaders? Numerous high-profile organizations support and advocate for nurse leaders in today’s healthcare climate where recognition of them is lacking. The AONL is the national professional organization of over 10,000 nurse leaders and “the voice of nursing leadership.” Its mission is to shape healthcare through innovative and expert nursing leadership and promote professional development for nurse leaders through education, advocacy, and community. The ANA has a mission to lead the profession to shape the future of nursing and healthcare, and it states that effective nurse leaders “motivate and inspire others to work together to achieve shared goals, including the delivery of high-quality, safe, and evidence-based patient care. We must value nurse leaders’ worth; support them through meaningful recognition programs, such as DAISY; show serious concern for the quality of their work-life balance; and empower them throughout their respective organizations.