ABSTRACT
In 2008, the Chief of the Army Nurse Corps directed a thorough review of existing training programs available to and provided for Army Nursing personnel for the development of full-spectrum leaders for Army Nursing. The review provided the gap analysis necessary to restructure courses provided by the Department of Nursing Science at the Army Medical Department Center and School. This new grouping of courses is referred to as the Army Nursing Leader Academy. The Army Nursing Leader Academy is the first of its kind in that it addresses career-long learning of all Army Nursing by focusing on building skills, knowledge, and behaviors to produce sustainable, full-spectrum leaders. The Nursing Leader Academy consists of a series of sequential nurse leader development courses combined with a web based resource center. Grounded in the Patient CaringTouch System, guided by nurse competencies, and gauged by the Leader Capabilities Map, the Nursing Leader Academy provides learning that is relevant and timely designed to reinforce enterprise values and culture to ensure readiness for successive roles and positions. Full implementation of the Nursing Leader Academy will include the evidence-based elements of formal schooling, coaching, self-development, functional/technical (competency attainment), and professional experiences.
