The University of California Irvine is launching an online certificate program to prepare nurses for executive roles this summer.
UCI's Paul Merage School of Business will launch the nine-month program June 14. Part of what makes the program unique is that the curriculum was guided by input from current health system executives, leaders said.
"We're making sure that there's a seamless bridge from the content chief nursing officers believe is essential for future leaders and our participants," said Maritza Salazar Campo, PhD, assistant professor of organization and management at the school of business. "We wanted to mix our business expertise with that of healthcare leaders so that our program's content would be readily applicable to the real experience of the working CNO."
Dr. Campo co-led curriculum development with Patrick Patton, MSN, RN, chief nurse executive at UC San Francisco Medical Center and former CNO of UC Irvine Health. The curriculum also addresses how the scope of the CNO role has changed.
"COVID-19 changed CNO responsibilities as challenges arose and the healthcare system evolved," Mr. Patton said. "Instead of being assigned by the CEO or chief operating officer to do certain things, we've had to lead the way and inform the CEO or COO of the right thing to do, based on clinical efforts that were changing — sometimes daily."
Earlier this year, UCI announced the creation of a similar program to fast track training for aspiring chief medical officers.