The landscape of modern health is complex, dynamic and a constant evolution. The profound responsibility of delivering safe, effective, compassionate patient care is at its heart. While every health care team member plays a vital role, the impact of nursing leadership is undeniably important.
Nursing leaders are not merely administrators, but mentors, advocates, visionaries, and catalysts for change, directly influencing better patient outcomes and shaping the fabric of nursing.
These are the qualities you need to have a leadership role in nursing.
The role of nursing leadership
According to recent labor statistics, the demand for nurse leaders is expected to grow steadily due to an aging population and increasing complexity in health care delivery.1
In an era defined by rapid technological advancements, shifting demographics and increasing demands on the healthcare system, the need for strong leadership qualities and performance in nursing has never been more critical.
As a nurse leader, you can make a real difference in the healthcare system. You can feel good knowing you are really helping your community.
A nurse leader's influence extends beyond the immediate clinical setting, impacting everything from staffing models and resource allocation to policy development and professional development opportunities for nursing staff. With a leadership position in nursing, you'll have your hands on everything.
The absence of effective nursing leadership in a healthcare setting can lead to employee burnout, disengagement, and ultimately, compromised patient care results.
Conversely, the presence of good nurse leaders fosters a culture of excellence, empowering nurses to perform at their highest potential and ensuring the delivery of high-quality patient care, ultimately improving patient outcomes.
Aspiring and experienced nurse leaders must recognize that nursing leadership is not an unmoving position, but a continuous journey of growth, learning and self-improvement.
6 Foundational leadership qualities in nursing
While nurse leaders' challenges may vary across different health care settings, a core set of leadership techniques, skills and qualities consistently define success. As a nurse leader, you can learn these skills through professional development, mentorship and a commitment to lifelong learning. Here's what to focus on.
1. Effective communication
No leadership quality is as important as communication. Nurse leaders must be skilled at conveying information concisely and with compassion, whether addressing team members, patients and their families or senior administration. And nurse leaders need to be able to listen closely to their teams and help each nurse problem-solve. If you struggle with proactive communication in a role like this, you'll create an environment of stress and disengagement. That's not ideal for patient safety when little things start to go wrong or get looked over.
2. Clinical credibility and competence
Nursing leadership extends beyond direct patient care. A strong foundation in clinical expertise is vital.
Clinical nurse leaders must deeply understand nursing responsibilities, evidence-based practice, and the complexities of various medical conditions. The hands-on experience you get treating patients is just as important as the administrative side of a health care setting. This comes from real experience, and it might take some time to develop.
Your clinical knowledge and credibility will build trust among the nursing staff and establish nurse leaders as knowledgeable and reliable resources. Clinical nurse leaders bridge the gap between direct patient care and administrative responsibilities, serving as valuable role models for their teams. Their ability to integrate nursing education with real-world clinical applications is important.
3. Problem-solving and critical thinking skills
The health care environment is unpredictable, requiring nurse leaders to have strong critical thinking skills and the ability to make sound and informed decisions when under pressure.
This involves analyzing complex situations, identifying root causes of problems, and developing innovative solutions. As a nurse leader, you will have to manage unexpected crises, address staffing shortages, and implement new protocols. Effective nurse leaders demonstrate a proactive approach to problem-solving. This is important for the health care center to run smoothly and to improve patient care.
4. Emotional intelligence and empathy
Nurses often work in emotionally-charged environments, and nurse leaders must be aware of the emotional well-being of their team members.
Empathy, the ability to understand the feelings of others, is an essential quality that you must have to foster a compassionate and supportive positive work environment where professional relationships thrive.
Alongside empathy, emotional intelligence, the capacity to understand and manage one's own emotions and the emotions of others, it enables nurse leaders to navigate difficult conversations, solve conflicts and inspire loyalty and trust. These skills, alongside the practice of self-reflection, are critical when addressing issues related to mental health and the well-being of the nursing staff.
5. Strategic thinking
Nursing leaders can see the big picture and anticipate future challenges and opportunities within the healthcare system. Strategic and critical thinking involves developing actionable plans, setting clear goals, and aligning the efforts of the nursing staff with the broader organizational mission.
Having this type of forward-thinking approach is crucial for you to improve your nursing leadership skills and ensure the long-term success of healthcare organizations. If you can identify trends, advocate for necessary changes, and position your team for success, you'll contribute to better patient support and outcomes.
6. Resilience and adaptability
The continuous evolution of health care demands that nurse leaders be highly adaptable and resilient. They must embrace change, pivot quickly in response to unforeseen circumstances or new information and be a strong leader who maintains a positive outlook despite challenges.
If that sounds like alot, it’s because it is! Nursing leadership is not exactly an easy position. But the rewards are worth it.
Resilience allows nurse leaders to bounce back from setbacks, learn from mistakes, and continue to inspire their teams. Your adaptability skills are vital to maintaining quality patient care in a rapidly changing environment.
Different leadership styles in nursing
We talk about leadership styles in the business world all the time, but they matter hugely in nursing as well.
All nurse leaders embody certain leadership styles. Sometimes this is just your default, and sometimes it’s a style of leadership you’ve put intentional work into shaping.
Here are a few.
Transformational leadership
Inspiring excellence, transformational leadership is widely recognized as one of the most effective leadership styles in nursing.
As a transformational leader, you will motivate and inspire your team members to achieve extraordinary results by encouraging innovation, fostering a shared vision, and empowering individuals. Nurse leaders are role models, demonstrating outstanding leadership integrity, dedication and commitment to professional development.
This style emphasizes individual growth, collaboration, and a focus on collective success, leading to higher job satisfaction among the nursing staff and ultimately, better treatment outcomes. The American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) often championed this approach. The American organization identifies transformational leadership as a core competency for nurse leaders, highlighting its role in staff engagement, organizational performance, and advancing patient care quality.
Autocratic, democratic and laissez-faire approaches
Transformational leadership is often the ideal style. However, depending on the situation, other leadership styles have a place, especially in team building.
- Autocratic leadership involves making decisions without significant input from the team. This leadership style is sometimes necessary in highly structured situations or emergencies; however, it can squash creativity and lead to disengagement if overused.
- Democratic leadership encourages shared decision-making and values the input of team members. This approach fosters a sense of ownership and can lead to more innovative solutions, promoting a culture where every voice is valued.
- The Laissez-faire leadership style involves minimal guidance from the leader. This style allows self-directed nurses to gain significant independence. With the benefit of empowering highly experienced and motivated teams, it can also lead to a lack of direction and accountability if not carefully managed.
If you are an effective leader, you can understand when to employ each style and adapt your approach to your team's needs and what the situation demands.
For more on this, check out Leadership Styles vs. Leadership Theories: Definitions, Comparisons and Examples.
How to cultivate your nursing leadership skills
Developing strong leadership practices and technical and soft skills is an ongoing process that requires commitment from individuals and health care organizations. To improve your nursing leadership skills, it starts with focusing on approachable actions that can build qualities of a good nurse by strengthening confidence and leadership from the ground up.
Here are a few steps to support your skill-building process:
1. Understand your strengths and weaknesses
- Take a leadership or personality assessment (ex., StrengthsFinder, MBTI®)
- Reflect on clinical experiences to identify how you naturally lead or support others
- Ask a trusted mentor or supervisor for feedback on your communication and teamwork
2. Communication skills
- Practice speaking up in team meetings, huddles or rounds
- Work on active listening and showing empathy to patients and co-workers
- Use clear, respectful language especially when advocating for patient care
3. Take initiative
- Volunteer for unit-based projects, committees or new initiatives
- Offer to help precept new nurses or orient float staff
- Look for small leadership moments, like organizing a task or calming a tense situation
4. Build relationships
- Seek out a mentor in your unit or through a professional organization
- Schedule regular check-ins to talk about goals, challenges and next steps
- Ask for guidance on leadership development opportunities
5. Learn about the bigger picture
- Ask questions about how your unit fits into the hospital or health system
- Read up on health care policy, safety standards and organizational goals
- Attend hospital town halls or staff forums to observe leadership in action
6. Practice professionalism
- Be on time, prepared and respectful to all health care team members
- Handle conflict with maturity and a focus on solutions
- Own your mistakes and learn from them
7. Strengthen clinical confidence
- Master your clinical skills, competent clinicians earn trust and respect
- Use downtime to review protocols or evidence-based practices
- Seek out feedback after challenging patient situations
8. Enrolling in continuing education
- Take a workshop on leadership, communication, or time management
- Look into certification prep for areas you're passionate about (ex., critical care, med-surg)
- Stay curious and explore areas outside your usual duties
9. Network with peers and leaders
- Join a nursing association (ex., NLN®, ANA®) and attend local meetings or webinars
- Follow nurse leaders on LinkedIn or professional platforms
- Build a network of peers you can grow with
10. Set short-term goals
- Set 6–12-month goals (ex., lead a shift, mentor a new nurse, take a continuing education (CE) course)
- Track your progress and reflect on what you've learned
- Celebrate small wins, they are the foundation of leadership growth
Employers need to offer professional development opportunities
Health care organizations must invest in professional opportunities for their nursing staff in nursing care, including leadership mentoring initiatives, training programs and access to advanced nursing education.
These programs can help aspiring nurses develop critical leadership competencies such as human resource management, financial management, and quality improvement methodologies. Regular reflection is also a key component of growth, strengthening the qualities of a good nurse leader.
The dynamic nature of health care necessitates a commitment to lifelong learning. It is important for nurse leaders to actively pursue advanced education, certifications and continuing education courses to stay abreast of the latest advancements in nursing and health care policy.
This dedication to learning enhances their capabilities and sets an example for their teams. This constant learning contributes to maintaining high-quality patient care.
Nurses with leadership qualities keep learning
Mentorship is an invaluable learning opportunity for aspiring nursing leaders. Pairing nurse leaders with experienced and influential nursing professionals can impact their careers. Mentorship allows for transferring knowledge, skills, and wisdom, helping new leaders navigate complex challenges and develop their unique leadership styles.
The future of nursing leadership will undoubtedly continue to evolve, requiring nurse leaders to adapt to new technologies, changing regulatory environments and the increasing focus on population health.
If you are a current or aspiring nurse leader, educational programs like those offered at Rasmussen University provide a pathway to cultivate the essential qualities and leadership competencies necessary for today's complex healthcare landscape.
Our online formats and competency-based education models allow busy nurses to integrate higher education into their professional lives seamlessly.
Check out the specialized tracks in Nursing Leadership and Administration, Nursing Education and Healthcare Technology within our Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs.
1Bureau of Labor Statistics website, Registered Nurses, viewed 7/23/25, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm#tab-6
MBTI® is a registered trademark of Myers & Briggs Foundation
ANA® is a registered trademark of American Nurses Association
NLN® is a registered trademark of National League for Nursing
