title: Becoming a nurse faculty leader: taking risks by doing the right thing.
abstract: Risk taking is a key aspect of academic leadership essential to meeting the challenges and opportunities in higher education. What are the practices of risk taking in nurse faculty leaders? This interpretive phenomenological study examines the experience and meaning of risk taking among nurse leaders. The theme of doing the right thing is brought forth through in-depth hermeneutic analysis of 14 individual interviews and two focus group narratives. The practice of doing the right thing is propelled and captured by leaders through a sense professional responsibility, visioning the future, and being true to self and follow one's core values. This study develops an evidence base for incorporating ways of doing the right thing in leadership development activities at a time when there is tremendous need for highly effective leaders in academic settings. Examining the practices of doing the right thing as a part of leadership development lays a foundation for building the next generation of nursing leaders prepared to navigate the ever-changing and complex academic and health care environments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Health Systems, Indiana University School of Nursing, Indianapolis, IN. Electronic address: shortond@iupui.edu.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horton-Deutsch
authors.affiliation: University of New England, Portland, ME.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pardue
authors.affiliation: Minnesota State University, Mankato School of Nursing, Mankato, MN.
authors.forename: Patricia K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: Ogden-Weber Applied Technology College, Ogden, UT.
authors.forename: Mary Lou
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.affiliation: Center for Interprofessional Health Education and Practice, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN; Office of Online Education, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Halstead
authors.affiliation: Nursing Department, St. Joseph's College, Patchogue, NY.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pearsall
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005181:Faculty, Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000193:education*; D024382:Professional Role / Q000523:psychology*; D012309:Risk-Taking; D014481:United States
keywords: Academic leadership; Leadership; Moral courage; Nurse faculty leaders; Nursing vision; Professional responsibility; Risk taking