'I have been fortunate to work with several black nurse leaders, but then as I started to climb the [career] ladder, I realized how rare it was to actually work with the black CNO,' – Daihnia Dunkely, PhD, RN, professor at Farmingdale State College. In positive psychology, studying the 'outliers' is encouraged. The theory is that if we study only the average, we will remain average. In nurse leadership, black women who are CNOs are rare. For her dissertation research, Daihnia Dunkely, PhD, RN, professor at Farmingdale State College in New York, interviewed women who make up this small group to explore their lived experiences. "I wanted the 'cheat codes,'" she says in this week's feature story. "How did you do this? I already know that there are so few of you and I'm pretty sure you had challenges thrown at you, but you still did it. I wanted to know what that process looks like." Read on to learn more about their success, challenges, and how healthcare organizations can support the professional development of black women as nurse leaders. Also, in this issue: Plus, don't forget to register for the upcoming HealthLeaders webinar, Nurse Retention: Statistics and Strategies. Speaker Sylette DeBois, DNP, MSN-Ed, RN, will provide attendees with the data and practical solutions to boost their organizations’ nurse retention. |