The idea of a program to improve leadership among public health nurses was first raised in spring 2001 at the A OPHN Supervisors meeting. Kathleen O'Leary, Jan Wallinder, and Tom Engle committed to developing the program. They first informally surveyed current nursing leaders about what influenced them to become a leader, reviewed other leadership institutes, and found that one common theme was mentoring. The three organizers put together a one-year leadership program that emphasized mentoring. They recruited ten retired or current nurse leaders and nine scholars, who started in January 2002. Eight of the participants finished the program.

Participants are a mix of new and mid-career nurses. The program organizers notified Oregon public health nurses of the program, and individuals applied by writing a piece on what they want to be doing in their career in five to ten years. The organizers then selected people, based on the written piece and references, who seemed to have leadership potential.

The course is customized to fit the needs of the current scholars. Engle, O'Leary, and Wallinder develop the monthly modules based on an assessment of the participants' needs. Public Health Nursing Leadership, by Bobbie Berkowitz et al and The Leadership Challenge, by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner, are the core texts. The project has also used the PH Nursing Leadership Guide by Berkowitz et al. Modules generally cover such key issues as working with community coalitions, assessment, data, multicultural issues, and making presentations.

The scholars have a monthly meeting, usually a conference call, as well as two face-to-face meetings. The organizers have tried to include a Web linkage component, but with mixed success. At the monthly meetings, a specialist makes a presentation on topic for the month, for example, on how to do coalition building. Scholars also have an assignment related to the topic.

The conference call is optional for mentors, but mentors and scholars are expected to have regular monthly contact. Depending on their location the contact can be either in-person or by phone. Scholars choose a leadership project to complete during they year with guidance and support from their mentors.

The second group of eight scholars started in January 2003 with a two-day in-person meeting. The course is slightly reorganized this time around, with three face-to face meetings planned.

Start up funds came from UW HRSA workforce grant money. Engle, O'Leary, and Wallinder jointly manage the project. The organizers and mentors donate their time, and the scholars' travel costs are usually covered by their agencies. Care Oregon donated the books and other program materials. for the first year and Oregon Public Health Association, PHN section provided funds for the second year. Kathleen O'Leary is working on an evaluation of the program.

The organizers plan to conduct one more year of the program and then assess whether to continue. Engle is not sure how big the pool of candidates is for the program. In addition, although the program is inexpensive, it does require time, which is in short supply with the current budget woes.

For more information about the nursing leadership program, contact Tom Engle, Director, Dept. of Health Services, Office of Community Liaison, Oregon Public Health, 503-731-4017; tom.r.engle@state.or.us.