Developing a leadership and management competency framework for nurse champion: A qualitative study from Shanghai, China

Aim To develop a leadership and management competency framework applicable to Chinese nurse champions guided by the competency matrix for clinical nurse leader (CNL). Background As the clinical leaders and future nurse manager candidates in the Chinese clinical setting, nurse champions are in great need of leadership and management competency training, but it is unclear what content should be included in the training curriculum, a guiding framework applicable to Chinese nurse champions was needed to be constructed. Methods This study used a qualitative descriptive design to explore nurse champions' competency requirements from clinical nurse managers' perspective. Semi-structure interviews guided by the CNL competency matrix were conducted with 27 clinical nurse managers from six large-scale tertiary grade A hospitals in Shanghai, China. Interview transcripts were analysed using deductive and inductive content analysis. Results The data analysis yielded three main categories: nursing leadership, clinical outcome management and care environment management, containing 14 subordinate themes, which represent the leadership and management competencies needed for nurse champions. Conclusions A leadership and management competency framework for Chinese nurse champion was built in this study, which covering the competencies needed by Chinese nurse champions to lead care teams, improve quality of care for patient outcomes and enhance systems and equipment for the better care environment. This framework will be the direct basis for guiding the development of the nurse leadership curriculum for driving nurse champion to achieve role success. Implications for nursing management This framework provides a theoretical foundation for clarifying the role of nurse champion in clinical management. Training curriculum guided by this framework will help nurses in their clinical management role and share the burden of clinical nursing managers, as well as promote the development of a clinical nursing management reserve talents and support the future development of nursing staff in health care organisations.